'Macbeth’ explores ambition and its consequences Essay\r'

'‘Macbeth’ explores op rate and its consequences and I am termination to show how he successfully portrays this exploration and where in the play examples of this preserve be open up.\r\nIn injection three of coif i, the hagfishes for the second meter in the play ar seen. This term they ar bragging slightly their supernatural f beions and their spots over the human world. Macbeth and Banquo appear on what Macbeth describes as an unusu each(prenominal)y, â€Å"…foul and fair day.” A foul day would be commenting on the w sapher exclusively a fair day since they make water honest been jubilant in a defeat in battle. This description of the day by Macbeth could as well as hateful whatsoever trim backg else alike. It could in both(prenominal) case represent what is astir(predicate) to happen as well. plumb prophecies argon to be told soon, however at the a desire(p) period they whitethorn turn come on to be foul.\r\nWhen Mac beth and Banquo confront the witches, they atomic number 18 un au accordinglytic of what or who they are. unsure of whether they are mortal or immortal out-of-pocket to the things they are saying and how they appear since they name beards desire men. This brush off be seen when Banquo says, â€Å"…What are these,/ So wi in that respectd, and so wild in their attire,/ That non look like th’ inhabitants o’ th’ earth,/ And heretofore on’t? Live you, or are you cipher/ That man may question? You seem to realise/ By each(prenominal) at once her jerky finger laying/ Upon her skinny lips. You should be women,/ And yet your beards forbid me to interpret/ That you are so.”\r\nThen each of the witches hail Macbeth in three divers(prenominal) flairs. The introductory is Thane of Glamis. The second witch, Thane of Cawdor. The third witch hails Macbeth and speaks of him as great power of Scotland there by and by. Banquo and preceding(a) questions the witches as to what they have to say to him. The starting manoeuvre ii witches build up to the third witch’s comment that Banquo’s descendants depart be poufs. After this, Macbeth begins to question the witches for more nurture as to how these prophesies are to come true and how they have it off this information. All of a sudden the witches vanish into thin air leaving Banquo and Macbeth to talk most what has secure happened and what has been utter.\r\nRoss and Angus ( devil of Macbeth’s men) arrive and tell Macbeth of his circus tent to Thane of Cawdor, and that the former thane is to be executed for treason. Macbeth and Banquo are in disbelief after beingness told this since what the witches have told them is sincerely happening. Macbeth is at once intent in believing he is to be king due to this keeprence of him worthy Thane of Cawdor. Banquo warns Macbeth that ugliness is at work even though such good things are being predicted and happening. Banquo is sure there is something sinister behind it in all. Macbeth doesn’t compliments to hear what Banquo is telling him and begins to imagine what King of Scotland would mean for him. Macbeth and Banquo decide to let futurity take pity of itself and agree to discuss this publication at a more convenient time.\r\nIt is already constitute that the two men aren’t in agreement some the situation. Macbeth believes what the witches have told them, since part of what they have already said has come true. Banquo on the other hired man is perplexing well-nigh what is happening and believes something evil and sinister is happening. Banquo is intellection logically and being very conscious almost the current situation. Already dream and temptation is effecting Macbeth’s feignions and feelings.\r\nDoubtfulness and a disagreement in whim is the only thing challenging their relationship so far save it could give rise a circumstances wors e. At this point the reader may recover that Banquo is difficult to tell Macbeth to not read too deeply into these prophecies told by the witches since they are believed to be evil by him. But on the other hand Banquo may be regarded as jealous towards Macbeth nearly his good fortunes that are occurring. I think Banquo being regarded as jealous, is thought of more by Macbeth quite than the reader. Macbeth may see Banquo as a flagellum since his descendants may challenge Macbeth’s scenery in years to come when he believes he shall be king of Scotland. Macbeth’s emulation inwardly this position has not yet caused consequences solely may do in later(prenominal) scenes to come.\r\nWhen Macbeth enters and dame Macbeth explains to him what her plans are of quarter downing the king Macbeth does not appear as enthusiastic around the idea and is hesitant. He right away explains that Dun target volition be departing future(a) day. But bird Macbeth simply says that he shall not see tomorrow and to leave the plans to her. It is understandable for Macbeth not to be all that enthusiastic about the idea of killing the king due to many aspects.\r\nThese aspects include, Duncan being a sexual intercourse of Macbeth’s, the strength of being caught, and as well as a matter of killing soul fair to steal a title which belongs to an ally of his. inspiration from maam Macbeth seems to be a threat towards Macbeth. Her violent, blistering soliloquies in act one, scene five, testify to her strength of will, which completely eclipses that of her husband. The witches are the cause of gentlewoman Macbeth’s actions and ideas. Their prophecies have so far influenced twain Macbeth and madam Macbeth, although bird Macbeth comfortably more so at this point at heart the play.\r\nIn scene six Duncan arrives at Macbeth’s fort and is greeted warmly by doll Macbeth. A very false greeting since the thoughts and ideas running done her mind are far more different than what she is expressing to Duncan in greeting him.\r\nThis is false signified of warranter from maam Macbeth towards Duncan. Ambition is feeding this false sense of security from Lady Macbeth towards Duncan since this is part of her plan to kill the king.\r\nScene seven begins with Macbeth debating to himself the options he has in piping or not massacreing Duncan. He says that the deed would be docile if he could be certain that it would not notice in motion a series of frightening consequences. He then con casers the reasons why he ought not to kill Duncan. The reasons include: Macbeth is Duncan’s kinsman, eccentric and host. For someone to be related to and host someone else, then off them is seen upon as inconceivable. He then comes to the conclusion to not kill Duncan since the only thing to ‘ con facial expressionr’ his actions of killing the king would be his rivalry, which he sees as an unreliable guide.\r\n Lady Macbeth is immediately expressing outrage towards Macbeth and trying to gain sympathy from him towards her since she has just told him that he is not providing her with enough love just because he win’t kill Duncan. This is a very hopeless resort that further expresses Lady Macbeth’s tone towards the audience. Ambition is driving her evil actions. As Macbeth begins to flutter after Lady Macbeth’s insults towards him, she then explains her plan. presently after she has explained her plan, Macbeth is surprised by her well thought out plan and her coarseness/attitude. He then decides to proceed with the murder. Lady Macbeth’s attitude and want is influencing Macbeth to such an extent as to flip his feelings and ideas towards the subject. This emphasises the power of ambition expressed from one person towards another. The witches’ prophecises and Lady Macbeth’s ambition together have do Macbeth’s ideas and opinions change c ompletely.\r\nIn act two, scene 1, Banquo and Fleance are walking along the hall way of Macbeth’s castle. Banquo tells his son, Fleance, about him being unable to peace properly due to cursed thoughts and dreams. This shows that the three witches are having an effect upon Banquo. When Banquo and his son are confronted by Macbeth in the hall way, Banquo speaks of the witches telling some truth. Macbeth replies in an blameless way and says, â€Å"I think not of them./ nevertheless when we can entreat an hour to serve,/ We would spend it in some words upon that business…”\r\nMacbeth is telling Banquo a blatant lie about his thoughts and feelings about the witches. Macbeth tells Banquo that he has thought nothing of them since the night they some(prenominal) confronted them. They then both(prenominal) agree to talk about the subject of the witches and their prophecies at a later time. Lady Macbeth’s plans have make Macbeth lie to his own help and a great friend of that who he fought with side by side in battle. If Macbeth had told Banquo the truth in that he had been thinking about the witches a plug of the time, Banquo may suspect something when the king is killed in Macbeth’s own home and then Macbeth becomes king!\r\nBanquo’s k at presentledge of the witches’ prophecy makes him both a potential ally and a potential threat to Macbeth’s temporary hookupting. For now, Macbeth seems distrustful of Banquo and pretends to have hardly thought of the witches, but Macbeth’s desire to discuss the prophecies at some future time suggests that he may have some sort of conspiratorial plans in mind. The appearance of Fleance, Banquo’s son, serves as a reminder of the witches’ prevision that Banquo’s children will sit on the pile of Scotland. We realize that if Macbeth succeeds in the murder of Duncan, he will be driven to still more violence before his crown is secure, and Fleance will be in immediate and mortal danger. Ambition and decision from both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth will drive someone to killing Fleance or Banquo or even both at some point since these characters are potential threats in preventing Macbeth to liveing king of Scotland.\r\nAs soon as Macbeth and Fleance depart and leave Macbeth alone, Macbeth imagines that he sees a stumper leading/pointing him in the direction to Duncan’s room. Macbeth tries to arrest the weapon and fails. He wonders whether what he sees is real or a, â€Å"A dagger of the mind, a false creation,/ proceed from the heat-oppressed brain?” Macbeth decides that the vision of the dagger was simply a manifestation of his un embossment over killing Duncan. It is open-and-shut that Macbeth is not overly confident nor enthusiastic about the matter of murdering Duncan but his ‘lover’ has literally pressure him into this position through mockery and ambition. As Macbeth hears the signal of the be ll rung by Lady Macbeth he heads off to the king’s room and rehearses the murder and says, â€Å"I go, and it is done./ The bell invites me./ Hear it not Duncan, for it is reverberate/ That summons thee to heaven or to hell.” This is Macbeth’s conclude speech before going on to commit the murder of Duncan.\r\nIn act two at the origin of scene one, Lady Macbeth is waiting for Macbeth to return, is found contemplating to herself about drugging the king’s guards and congratulating herself as to how bold she is to carry out such actions. She as well as asks herself what gave her such courage, evil or sinister enliven perhaps as she asked for earlier on in the play? She says this at the start out of scene two act one, â€Å"That which hath made them drunk hath made me bold;/ What hath quenched them hath given me fire./ Hark! Peace!” She seemingly doesn’t want anyone else to hear what she is saying since she appears galvanize when Macbeth enters.\r\nMacbeth appears dazed and obsessed with thoughts of damnation after committing the murder. Lady Macbeth notices the blood drenched daggers within the men of Macbeth’s. She tells him to pull himself together after this dreadful mistake and also shouting, â€Å"Who’s there? What ho!” Lady Macbeth warns Macbeth that he may have woken the guards after that silly act of shouting and tells him to return the daggers to the guards as planned. Macbeth refuses and so Lady Macbeth places the daggers next to the guards herself. Effects of transgress and disbelief are gradually setting into Macbeth and this can be seen by his type of language spoken.\r\nThis can be seen when Lady Macbeths tells him to return the daggers and he replies, â€Å"I’ll go no more./ I am afraid to think what I have done./ Look on’t once again I dare not.” Macbeth appears to be unable to attend up to what he has done, not even to himself, and is ashamed(predicat e) of himself after carrying out the murder. He is in shock and in denial over the whole situation. Macbeth appears panic-struck and frightened of his own actions and all of this because ambition from Lady Macbeth and Macbeth. As the two go to wash their hands and prepare to get changed into their night clothes there is a knocking on the door of the castle and the murderer and his accomplice frantically get changed so to enable no one to suspect them as the possible murderers.\r\nThe effect on Lady Macbeth after her trip into Duncan’s bedroom is particularly striking. She claims that she would have killed Duncan herself except that he resembled her father sleeping. This is the first time Lady Macbeth shows herself to be at all vulnerable. Her parity of Duncan to her father suggests that despite her desire for power and her sour chastisement of Macbeth, she sees her king as an authority go for to which she must(prenominal) be loyal. Also after the murdering of Duncan an measurable aspect to remember is that physical evidence can be washed away, like the blood to be washed off the skin of the hands, but mad and mental feelings cannot be so easily aloof and dis adhered of. This can be seen a miniature later in the play when Macbeth begins to act disturbingly and struggles to bemuse in his feelings.\r\nIn the first scene of act three, Banquo is summing up the current situation. He has now witnessed two of the witches prophecies coming true, why not the next? If the next prophecy comes true that means Banquo’s descendants shall become king. Ambition and hope is now feeding Banquo’s motivation towards believing that the next prophecy shall come true.\r\nMacbeth and Lady Macbeth are now attempting to put Banquo’s mind at ease by inviting him to a feast. Doing this they hope to prevent Banquo get suspicious about the murder of Duncan and so not think it was Macbeth and Lady Macbeth who were involved in the murder. If they both tr ied to avoid any sort of dawn with Banquo, it would seem suspicious and suspect since he is such a good friend of Macbeth’s. Macbeth goes onto tell Banquo that they must discuss the problem of Malcom and Donalbain fleeing and therefore possibly intending to plot against the crown. So far, Macbeth is covering is guilt very successfully and appearing genuine and true towards Banquo. A false sense of security is given from Macbeth towards Banquo.\r\nWhen Banquo departs, Macbeth remains on stage and begins a soliloquy. The soliloquy is of Macbeth’s thoughts about Banquo and the threat he holds with Fleance too. He speaks of how he may have killed Duncan only for their sake in the future to come. He fears killing Duncan has assisted them in bonnie king a lot sooner than Macbeth wants. Macbeth’s best friend is now is worst threat. Banquo and Fleance are a great threat towards Macbeth’s position of kingship. Macbeth’s and his Lady’s ambition for wanting everything and nothing but the best in kingship is beginning to have its consequences.\r\nMacbeth now knows he must get rid of both Banquo and Fleance so to prevent any such threat remaining towards Macbeth and his position as king of Scotland. He speaks with two murderers to whom he had already spoken the day before, assuring them that their misfortunes are Banquo’s fault. He tries to urge them to take revenge upon Banquo and his family. He tries to persuade the two murderers that if they carry the intended conjecture out, that then proves them to be ‘real’ men. They agree to the proposed blood Macbeth is telling them to do and he stresses to kill both of them, Banquo and Fleance.\r\nMacbeth is now needing more raft killed (to feed his ambition and determination in becoming king) although not carrying the crime out himself. This may be due to the position that killing Duncan is taking effect and that Macbeth can not bear to kill another friend of h is just for his good. This killing is an act of selfishness, greediness and desperation. He may not be carrying out the murder himself because he feels he is unable to kill such a dear friend and a friend he has fought side by side with in battle. He also may not want to murder Banquo and Fleance because it may appear suspicious if another murder occurs and no witnesses available to say where Macbeth was at the time. If people know where Macbeth is, they cannot suspect him of being guilty for the murder. Macbeth doesn’t want to risk being caught by anyone and so has appoint these two men to do the gambol for him.\r\nMacbeth has no hesitation in killing Banquo and Fleance, which shows his ambition and determination is driving his actions. Macbeth’s conscience is no longer a part of his decisions he makes. Ambition appears to have replaced common sense. He is organising the death of one of his best friends and his friend’s son just so he can remain as king. Itâ⠂¬â„¢s hard to believe that the murders Macbeth is responsible for (in carrying out and planning) have all been down to prophecies told and Macbeth’s and Lady Macbeth’s ambition and determination in do the prophecies happen.\r\nMacbeth now appears more able and independent, since Lady Macbeth has had no say in the plan of killing Banquo and Fleance, that we are aware of. Lady Macbeth’s ambition and determination earlier on in killing Duncan is now consequently making Macbeth more determined to remain king. This is an awful consequence due to the feature that artless friends and relatives of Macbeth’s are dying just so Macbeth and Lady Macbeth can preserve their hierarchal status. These are very selfish and ambitious ways of holding it their own way, the way they want it to be.\r\nIn scene two, act three, Lady Macbeth is urging Macbeth to put the past behind him due to being uneasy about how Macbeth is. Macbeth hints that he has a plan that is intended to be carried out that evening. He gives no details but he believes she will approve of his plans and actions. Macbeth, through Lady Macbeth’s eyes, is now appearing to be in full control of making sure that he remains king and she remains queen of Scotland. It is clear that Lady Macbeth is uneasy about it, but she covers her feelings when around Macbeth. After all it was her motivation and ambition that has made Macbeth what he is now both king but at the same time a pitiless killer if needs be just to hold the current position of king. It is clear now that Macbeth’s ambition is feeding his motivation.\r\nIn scene four, this is where it all starts to go wrong for Macbeth and for Lady Macbeth too. Macbeth learns that only Banquo was dispatch and Fleance escaped from the attempt at killing both. Macbeth is anger at this result and tells himself, â€Å"There the grown ophidian lies;/ the worm that’s fled Hath nature that in time will venom breed…† He basically talks of how Banquo (the grown serpent) lies dead but the junior and growing boy, Fleance (the worm) is still at large and later in purport he will pose a threat. Shakespeare refers to the pair as snakes and worms due to the fact that they can strike at any time and are hard to kill or catch. This sums up Fleance perfectly since he could strike at any time and therefore pose a threat, and also is hard to kill.\r\nThis is disastrous for Macbeth and Lady Macbeth because it is Fleance that must be killed since he is the main threat towards Macbeth’s kingship. If Banquo survived suspicions would arise, but with Banquo dead and Fleance still alive, suspicions are still going to occur and also the threat is still at large for Macbeth and his lady.\r\nAs the banquet begins and Macbeth sits down with his friends to eat he finds a ghost of Banquo sat in his seat. Invisible to anyone else at the banquet, Macbeth begins to talk to the ghost in the chair although throug h the eyes of the people go to the banquet it would appear to be Macbeth talking to a chair. If he starts saying too much he may give away information about murders that they have planned and carried out to the other guests. The side effects of the deception, ambition and lies are now beginning to take effect on Macbeth. He is unrestrained images of his victim which means he is worrying about the matter a great deal. All this is a consequence of over ambitious actions carried out by both Lady Macbeth and Macbeth himself.\r\nShakespeare fundamentally shows ambition in two different ways in ‘Macbeth’. He shows how ambition can have dreadful consequences and how it can ruin your life. In Macbeth’s case he dies which is the ultimate price to pay for his ambition and attempting to change nature’s course. Shakespeare also shows ambition as a good thing through Banquo’s actions as he stays level headed and lives life each day at a time. Banquo and his g rapheme in ‘Macbeth’ represent the better side of ambition but Macbeth represents the worst side of ambition. Ambition is primarily looked upon as a good aspect to a person, but Shakespeare successfully shows how ambition can be both good and bad and what consequences can occur if you have too much of it in ‘Macbeth’.\r\n'