Macbeth
Planning out an essay using
secondary sources.
Macbeth Essay
• Topic
In literature, characters often possess a
seemingly dormant evil that is awakened
through the circumstances they face.
Select ONE character from the play for
whom this holds true and assess the
mechanisms through which man’s evil
emerges.
• Working Thesis
In Macbeth, ambition
incites the latent evil
within Macbeth and
cultivates this evil into
becoming a destructive
force.
“AMBITION is like choler... and thereby malign and venomous”
(Bacon 1).
This quote, by Francis Bacon, in his essay “Of Ambition” may be
used in the Lead of the essay as a way to grab the reader’s
attention. One could also use the definition of ambition as a lead.
Subtopic: Macbeth had a dormant evil within him prior to the introduction of
ambition-he was not completely innocent
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Point: All humans are born with a dormant evil
Proof: Adam and Eve and original sin
Comment: Macbeth, like all humans possesses this dormant evil.
Point: Jane Finch in her essay “On Macbeth’s Evil” argues that Macbeth
was not an innocent man at the beginning of the play, but a man with evil
tendencies. When this pride was being fed with praise, Macbeth appeared
to be a good man, but when threatened his true evil was revealed.
• Proof: “Macbeth’s pride in himself as a soldier, and as a man, can be seen
as a dormant evil which becomes a deadly disease of the mind when
threatened by Lady Macbeth and the witches’ prophecies.”(5).
• Comment: As a result of original sin, Macbeth is naturally born with a
dormant. Pride, being a vice, is an outward manifestation of Macbeth’s
dormant evil at the beginning of the play. Therefore, Macbeth possesses
an innate evil which is ready to be cultivated by the promises of power.
Sub-Topic 2
The introduction of ambition awakens
this evil
• Point A: The witches first prophesies. First sign
of latent evil becoming stirred by ambition.
• Point B: Lady Macbeth supporting the idea
and proposing a plan to obtain the promises
of the witches further ignites the evil within
Macbeth.
Sub-Topic 3: The desire (ambition) to remain in power causes the evil to
become a destructive force
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Point A) Banquo threatens Macbeth’s position and Macbeth’s desire
(ambition) to overcome that threat leads to Banquo’s death.
Proof: “So ambitious men, if they find the way open for their rising, and still
get forward, they are rather busy than dangerous; but if they be checked in
their desires, they become secretly discontent, and look upon men and
matters with an evil eye…” (Bacon 1).
Comment: Francis Bacon, in his essay “On Ambition” supports the idea that
Macbeth’s ambition can be a motivation for evil when it is threatened. In the
play, if Banquo and his descendents live, Macbeth’s reign remains threatened.
This leads to his plan to kill Banquo and Fleance.
Point B) Murder of Banquo and Macduff’s family is an attempt of Macbeth to
quell the rebellion against his position as king.
Proof: quote from the text
Comment: Macbeth sees two threats to his new position as king and the
ambition to stay in power turns his growing evil into a destructive, murderous
force.
“So ambitious men, if they find the way open for their rising, and
still get forward, they are rather busy than dangerous; but if they
be checked in their desires, they become secretly discontent, and
look upon men and matters with an evil eye…” (Bacon 1).
This quote is one that would be best used as an integrated
quote. It would work well as a way to prove the point that
Macbeth’s concern over Macduff’s rebellion against him and his
position of power, and his ambition to overcome this obstacle in
order to stay in power helped to foster his evil into a destructive
force as seen through the killings of Macduff’