3.1.2

Ambition & Fate

Test yourself on Ambition & Fate

Test your knowledge with free interactive questions on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

Macbeth - Ambitious, but Torn

Macbeth meets the three witches while returning from the battle. They greet him as Thane of Glamis (which he is), Thane of Cawdor (which the audience knows he is, but Macbeth does not) and tell him he shall be king.

Impulsive reaction

Impulsive reaction

  • When he finds out that he is in fact Thane of Cawdor, as the witches have told him, his mind leaps to the possibility of becoming king: 'Two truths are told / As happy prologues to the swelling act / Of the imperial theme' (1,3).
  • But he is immediately not sure if what he has been told is for the best. It's good because he is now Thane of Cawdor. But if it was truly good, he would not feel so unsettled: 'If good, why do I yield to that suggestion / Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair, / And make my seated heart knock at my ribs, / Against the use of nature?' (1,3).
Death of the king

Death of the king

  • His mind jumps to the death of King Duncan. This is the only way that Macbeth can become king.
  • The imagery of terror that Shakespeare uses, like Macbeth’s hair standing on end and his heart thumping, suggests that Macbeth is already thinking about murder.
  • This shows how quickly the possibility of power has moved him from a loyal subject to the worst kind of traitor.
  • This is also the start of Macbeth having torn thoughts.

Fate and Macbeth's Ambition

As Macbeth becomes more ambitious, his acceptance of fate changes:

Accepts fate

Accepts fate

  • Towards the beginning of the play, Macbeth decides that if fate has said he will be king, then that will happen without him interfering: 'If chance will have me king, why then chance may crown me, / Without my stir' (1,3).
Tries to change fate

Tries to change fate

  • However, as the play progresses we see Macbeth actively attempting to change the fates so that he can keep his power.
    • He kills Banquo in an attempt to avoid Banquo’s sons taking the throne (as the witches prophecised).
    • He kills Lady Macduff and her son in an attempt to remove any competition from the Macduff family.
Jump to other topics
1

Literary & Cultural Context

1.1

Context

1.1.1Tragedy1.1.2The Supernatural & Gender1.1.3Politics & Monarchy1.1.4End of Topic Test - Context
2

Plot Summary

2.1

Act 1

2.1.1Scenes 1 & 22.1.2Scene 32.1.3Scenes 4-52.1.4Scenes 6-72.1.5End of Topic Test - Act 1
2.2

Acts 2-4

2.2.1Act 22.2.2Act 32.2.3Act 4
2.3

Act 5

2.3.1Scenes 1-32.3.2Scenes 4-82.3.3End of Topic Test - Acts 2-52.3.4Diagnostic Misconceptions - Ambiguous Ending2.3.5Diagnostic Misconceptions - Jacobean
3

Characters

3.1

Macbeth

3.1.1Hero vs Villain3.1.2Ambition & Fate3.1.3Relationship3.1.4Unstable3.1.5End of Topic Test - Macbeth3.1.6Diagnostic Misconceptions - Cowardice3.1.7Diagnostic Misconceptions - Madness3.1.8Diagnostic Misconceptions - Power
3.2

Lady Macbeth

3.2.1Masculine & Ruthless3.2.2Manipulative & Disturbed3.2.3Diagnostic Misconceptions - NOT a Man3.2.4Diagnostic Misconceptions - Villain
3.3

Other Characters

3.3.1Banquo3.3.2The Witches3.3.3Exam-Style Questions - The Witches3.3.4King Duncan3.3.5Macduff3.3.6End of Topic Test - Lady Macbeth & Banquo3.3.7End of Topic Test - Witches, Duncan & Macduff3.3.8Diagnostic Misconceptions - Banquo
3.4

Grade 9 - Key Characters

3.4.1Grade 9 - Lady Macbeth Questions
4

Themes

4.1

Themes

4.1.1Power & Ambition4.1.2Power & Ambition HyperLearning4.1.3Violence4.1.4The Supernatural4.1.5Masculinity4.1.6Armour, Kingship & The Natural Order4.1.7Appearances & Deception4.1.8Madness & Blood4.1.9Women, Children & Sleep4.1.10End of Topic Test - Themes4.1.11End of Topic Test - Themes 2
4.2

Grade 9 - Themes

4.2.1Grade 9 - Themes4.2.2Extract Analysis
5

Writer's Techniques

5.1

Structure, Meter & Other Literary Techniques

5.1.1Structure, Meter & Dramatic Irony5.1.2Pathetic Fallacy & Symbolism5.1.3End of Topic Test - Writer's Techniques
6

Recap: Main Quotes

6.1

Characters Quotes

6.1.1Macbeth6.1.2Macbeth 26.1.3Macbeth 36.1.4Macbeth 46.1.5Lady Macbeth6.1.6Lady Macbeth 26.1.7Banquo6.1.8Banquo 26.1.9The Witches6.1.10King Duncan6.1.11Macduff
6.2

Text Structure - Quotes

6.2.1Violence6.2.2The Supernatural6.2.3Ambition6.2.4Armour, Kingship & the Natural Order6.2.5Appearances & Deception6.2.6Lady Macbeth's Masculinity6.2.7Madness & Blood6.2.8Men, Children & Sleep

Practice questions on Ambition & Fate

Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

  1. 1
    Complete these quotes, showing Macbeth's response to the witches' prophecies:Fill in the list
  2. 2
    <b>'Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair, / And make my seated heart knock at my ribs'</b><br>What does the imagery of terror suggest in this quote?Multiple choice
  3. 3
    Who does Macbeth kill in an attempt to keep his power?True / false
  4. 4
    What does the following quote show Macbeth has decided?<br><b>'If chance will have me king, why then chance may crown me, / Without my stir'</b> (1,3)Multiple choice
  5. 5
    What does Macbeth do to try and change fate to keep his power?True / false
Answer all questions on Ambition & Fate

Unlock your full potential with Seneca Premium

  • Unlimited access to 10,000+ open-ended exam questions

  • Mini-mock exams based on your study history

  • Unlock 800+ premium courses & e-books

Get started with Seneca Premium

Hero vs Villain

Relationship