How is the theme of ambition portrayed in the play ‘Macbeth’?
1. Macbeth has a desire for power- (ambitious) – witches, King Duncan announcing the
throne for Malcolm
2. Lady Macbeth is more ambitious than Macbeth.
3. Macbeth goes to see the witches for the second time. To secure his throne.
4. They had to face guilt and negative consequences.
5. Countless murders
6. Betrayal – king, friend , country people (tyrant)
"………Macbeth……….." is a play written by a famous poet, playwright,
and author, William Shakespeare. This tragic drama focuses on the ………ambition……………
of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth who wished to achieve power through foul means which was
their major downfall.
Macbeth is a brave soldier and a powerful man, who is very
……ambitious………………. as he has a deep desire for power. Macbeth is concerned by the
……………………. of the witches, and his thoughts remained confused. When king Duncan
announces that he announces the kingdom to be passed on to his son………………………….,
Macbeth becomes frustrated and ambitious to get the throne that he ends up becoming an
evil tyrant by trying to get rid of King Duncan by following ………………………… terrible
scheme.
Lady Macbeth was ……………………………than her husband, without a
touch of natural kindness unlike Macbeth. She even considered seeking the crown by foul
means like murdering……………………….., which they ended up doing. Macbeth was so firm
with his decision of not wanting to kill the meek king and instead protect King Duncan like
a kings-man would do. However, Lady Macbeth accused him of being ……………….. which
helped convince Macbeth to kill the King he was once loyal to. She is highly persuasive as
she convinces Macbeth to commit the murder.
[tyrant, Banquo, guilt, Macduff , witches, envy, Fleance hallucinates, countless murders]
Macbeth when he was king ended up going to see the
……………. once more. He was already king but he wanted to make sure the throne was
secure. He wasn’t ready to give it up. He was afraid he might lose his throne so wanted to
see his future. When the witches told him to beware………………….., he immediately gave the
order to kill Macduff’s entire family. This shows how for his ambition he’s ready to kill
innocent lives.
Macbeth and his lady had become King and Queen but
little did they know that their strong ambition to capture the throne would lead them to
live a life of misery and…………….. Macbeth had passed sleepless nights and would even
sleep walk or……………………... Once he hallucinates …………………….seated at his place during
the feast. At times he would even ……………. King Duncan as he was already at rest in his
grave. Even Lady Macbeth had started to fear her husband, hallucinate, sleep talk and
ultimately her insanity led her to kill her own self. It had come to the point where their
ambition and greed for power had ruined their peace.
[tyrant, Banquo, guilt, Macduff, witches, envy, Fleance hallucinates,
countless murders]
Macbeth’s ambition led to…………………………... he killed King Duncan,
the two guards and after he became king, ordered Banquo and ………………. to be killed
although Fleance survives. He became a ………………. in Scotland and all his men had turned
against him. Macbeth decided to kill Macduff and his family after listening to the prophecies
of the witches which asked him to beware of Macduff. This led to just Macduff surviving
and his family along with everyone in his castle being brutally murdered.
In conclusion the ambition of Macbeth and lady Macbeth had made
many go against Macbeth and it had led to the downfall of them both.
a) From where has the above lines been taken from? By whom were they written? (2m)
“Macbeth” by William Shakespeare
b) Who is the speaker of these lines? Who is the listener?
(2m)
Macbeth to Ross
c) As mentioned in the text, explain why the speaker utters the above words? (2m)
Macbeth was strangely disturbed and confused about the sudden fulfillment of the
prophecy.
He was confused about the fact that he was addressed as the Thane of Cawdor (1m)as the
title belongs to another person. (1m)
d) According to the extract, mention a prominent characteristic of the speaker and justify
your answer. (2m)
curious/ authoritative – any appropriate justification.
e) What is the speaker’s immediate reaction to the listener’s response?
(2m)
Macbeth became aware that the remaining prophecy of him being the king will be fulfilled.
His mind was filled with horrible thoughts about the prophecy which made him ambitious.
Explain how the quest for greed and power (ambition) results in negativities (downfall) in
one’s life from the play Macbeth.
1.
Lady Macbeth was greedy for power  death
Themes
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Greed for power (ambition)
Betrayal – Macbeth betrays his king, his country, his people, lady Macbeth
betrays king Duncan – disloyal
Guilt- lady Macbeth shows guilt at the end, Macbeth doesn’t
Violence – murder , battlefield,
Macbeth is the hero
Macbeth is the villain – he dies
Falsehood – false loyalty (fake loyalty of M and LM towards King D, false
friendship (Macbeth Banquo),
Macbeth false loyalty as a king
Prophecies were partly false Macbeth thought nobody can destroy according
to the prophecy but that wasn’t the true. He was killed by Macduff.
Superstition
Fate – witches, prophecy, Macbeth believed