Ambition in Macbeth

Wanting more. Macbeth wants to be king. His wife wants it more. They get it. It makes them miserable.

The quotes

13 quotes, in the order they happen.

If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me Without my stir

Macbeth · Act 1, Scene 3 · ambition · fate and free will

Macbeth says he will wait and let luck make him king. He cannot wait.

Present fears Are less than horrible imaginings

Macbeth · Act 1, Scene 3 · ambition · guilt

Real danger scares him less than the things he imagines. His mind is his enemy.

Stars, hide your fires; Let not light see my black and deep desires

Macbeth · Act 1, Scene 4 · ambition · guilt · appearance and reality

Macbeth asks the stars to go dark. He does not want anyone to see what he wants.

The Prince of Cumberland! That is a step On which I must fall down or else o'erleap

Macbeth · Act 1, Scene 4 · ambition · kingship

The king picks his son to be next. Now that son is in Macbeth's way.

Yet do I fear thy nature; It is too full o' th' milk of human kindness

Lady Macbeth · Act 1, Scene 5 · gender and manhood · ambition

Lady Macbeth thinks her husband is too kind. She wants to make him hard.

Thou wouldst be great, Art not without ambition, but without The illness should attend it

Lady Macbeth · Act 1, Scene 5 · ambition

He wants to be great. But he is not cruel enough. She thinks cruel is good.

If it were done when 'tis done, then 'twere well It were done quickly

Macbeth · Act 1, Scene 7 · ambition · guilt

Macbeth wishes the murder could be over as soon as it is done. He knows it will not be.

I have no spur To prick the sides of my intent, but only Vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself And falls on th' other

Macbeth · Act 1, Scene 7 · ambition

Macbeth has no good reason to kill. Only wanting more. Wanting more jumps too far and falls.

We will proceed no further in this business

Macbeth · Act 1, Scene 7 · ambition · gender and manhood

Macbeth says no. He will not do it. His wife changes his mind in forty lines.

Was the hope drunk Wherein you dressed yourself?

Lady Macbeth · Act 1, Scene 7 · gender and manhood · ambition

She asks if his courage was only drunk talk. She is making fun of him.

But screw your courage to the sticking place And we'll not fail

Lady Macbeth · Act 1, Scene 7 · ambition · gender and manhood

Hold your nerve tight, like a bow string. Then we will not fail.

To be thus is nothing, But to be safely thus

Macbeth · Act 3, Scene 1 · ambition · kingship

Being king is nothing if you are not safe. So Macbeth must kill again.

Naught's had, all's spent, Where our desire is got without content

Lady Macbeth · Act 3, Scene 2 · ambition · guilt

They got everything they wanted. They are not happy.