ENGL100A Lecture Notes - Masculinity, W. M. Keck Observatory, Lightning
16 Apr 2013
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Document Summary
The main theme of macbeth the destruction wrought when ambition goes unchecked by moral constraints finds its most powerful expression in the play"s two main characters. Macbeth is a courageous scottish general who is not naturally inclined to commit evil deeds, yet he deeply desires power and advancement. He kills duncan against his better judgment and afterward stews in guilt and paranoia. Toward the end of the play he descends into a kind of frantic, boastful madness. Lady macbeth, on the other hand, pursues her goals with greater determination, yet she is less capable of withstanding the repercussions of her immoral acts. In each case, ambition helped, of course, by the malign prophecies of the witches is what drives the couple to ever more terrible atrocities. The problem, the play suggests, is that once one decides to use violence to further one"s quest for power, it is difficult to stop. There are always potential threats to the throne banquo, fleance,
