Macbeth
This character is the main tragic hero whose desire to become king drives much of the play.
Who is Macbeth ?
These three supernatural characters first appear in Act 1 and give Macbeth predictions about his future.
Who are the Weird Sisters/the witches?
This character strongly encourages Macbeth to murder Duncan.
Who is Lady Macbeth ?
Macbeth murders this king in Act 2 so that he can take the throne.
Who is King Duncan?
What does blind ambition mean
What is when someone wants success, power, or achievement so badly that they ignore the consequences and what is morally right. ?
After hearing the witches' prophecy, Macbeth becomes especially interested in becoming this.
What is king?
The witches first predict that Macbeth will receive this title.
What is Thane of Cawdor?
Lady Macbeth believes Macbeth is too concerned with morality and calls him this because she thinks he lacks the determination to become king.
What is weak/not ruthless enough?
After Duncan's murder, Macbeth has these two guards killed so they cannot potentially reveal what happened.
Who are Duncan's guards/chamberlains?
How does Macbeth's ambition affect his relationship with Duncan?
What is he becomes paranoid and wants to protect his position ?
Macbeth first hesitates to murder Duncan because he understands that killing the king would have serious consequences.
What is Macbeth's moral hesitation?
The witches predict that Macbeth will eventually become this.
What is king of Scotland?
Lady Macbeth questions Macbeth's courage and masculinity to persuade him to go through with this crime.
What is murdering Duncan?
Macbeth orders the murder of Banquo because he is afraid of this part of the witches' prophecy.
What is that Banquo's descendants will become kings?
Macbeth's ambition changes from simply wanting the crown to doing almost anything necessary to keep it.
What is his increasing ruthlessness?
Macbeth admits that he has no strong reason to kill Duncan except for this powerful desire.
What is ambition?
The witches tell Macbeth that he should beware this character, increasing Macbeth's fear and leading him to take violent action.
Who is Macduff?
Lady Macbeth's ambition eventually contributes to her mental collapse, and she repeatedly imagines that she cannot remove this from her hands.
What is blood?
Macbeth orders the murder of Macduff's family because he believes eliminating Macduff's loved ones will protect his position as king.
What is Macbeth's increasing paranoia and desire to protect his power?
How does Macbeth's ambition affect his judgment?
What is it causes him to ignore morality and make increasingly reckless decisions ?
Macbeth's ambition becomes "blind" because he increasingly ignores morality, loyalty, consequences, and his own safety in his pursuit of this.
What is power/the throne?
This prophecy makes Macbeth feel nearly invincible because it says that no man "born of woman" will defeat him.
What is the prophecy that none of woman born shall harm Macbeth?
Unlike Macbeth, Lady Macbeth eventually becomes overwhelmed by guilt, showing that ambition can have this psychological consequence.
What is guilt/madness?
By Act 5, Macbeth's ambition has left him almost completely isolated, with his wife dead and his enemies gathering against him.
What are the consequences of unchecked ambition?
What is Shakespeare suggesting about unchecked ambition?
What is uncontrolled ambition can lead to destruction, isolation, guilt, and ultimately downfall.