Key points
Macbeth is a play by William Shakespeare that tells the story of a Scottish nobleman called Macbeth.
Themes are the main ideas that appear repeatedly in a play. Some of the important themes in Macbeth are:
- Fate - the idea that life鈥檚 journey is already mapped out, and that this journey cannot be changed.
- Appearance and reality - the way that people can pretend to be something that they鈥檙e not, and how we sometimes fail to see situations as they really are.
- Ambition - the desire and determination to achieve something.
Did you know?
Shakespeare often uses similar themes across his plays. For example:
- The theme of fate is important in Romeo and Juliet.
- The play Richard III deals with an ambitious king.
Fate
Fate is the idea that our life鈥檚 journey is already mapped out ahead of us, and that this journey cannot be changed.
Watch this video about fate in Macbeth:
Narrator: Fate: whether it鈥檚 an explanation for something big happening, or an excuse for our own success or failure, fate is a popular idea. It鈥檚 the idea that our life鈥檚 journey is already mapped out ahead of us. It鈥檚 certainly popular with Macbeth. Especially when some witches tell him that it鈥檚 his fate鈥 to be king!
Does Macbeth have any choice? Or is it all down to fate? It鈥檚 not just the audience trying to figure this out. Macbeth is too. He鈥檚 happy to accept his fate to be king, but isn鈥檛 cheering fate on when Banquo鈥檚 kids get the thumbs up to be kings.
Macbeth thinks he can cheat fate. His fate cheating tactics aren鈥檛 subtle. None of Macbeth鈥檚 tactics are. Violence isn鈥檛 the only way to get to the top. What about flower arranging? I mean, I don鈥檛 know how fate works. Ah. That鈥檚 how.
Macbeth鈥檚 own attitude towards fate changes, depending on whether the Witches鈥 predictions are for or against him. He thinks he is justified in murdering King Duncan because the Witches have said he is fated to become king.
On the other hand, Macbeth tries to cheat fate by killing Banquo and trying to kill his son, Fleance. The Witches predict that Banquo鈥檚 children will be future kings of Scotland. Macbeth feels cheated. He has no children himself and begins to feel that his time as king will be pointless if the crown goes to Banquo鈥檚 family when he dies.
What is Macbeth鈥檚 response to the prediction that Banquo鈥檚 sons are fated to be kings?
Macbeth tries to cheat fate by arranging to have Banquo and his son murdered. Banquo is killed, but his son Fleance escapes. This means that Fleance or his future sons could become kings.
Appearance and reality
Shakespeare was fascinated by the way that people can pretend to be something that they鈥檙e not, and how we sometimes fail to see situations as they really are. This is known as appearance and reality.
In this play, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth must pretend to be good people so that they can get away with murder.
Watch this video about appearance and reality in Macbeth:
Narrator: Appearance and reality. Shakespeare was fascinated in the difference between how things appear and what鈥檚 really going on. In this play we see Macbeth and his wife pretend to be loyal subjects of Duncan鈥 so they can get away with his murder.
The Witches appear to promise Macbeth great things. In reality, they鈥檙e telling him he鈥檚 doomed.
Macbeth sees some odd things, which may be just his imagination. Imagination or not, that鈥檚 still scary. For example, on his way to kill Duncan, Macbeth sees a dagger floating before him. He鈥檚 not sure himself if what鈥檚 happening is really happening.
But for all the strange things Macbeth sees, reality catches up with him, hidden within an attack he dismissed as silly witch talk!
What appeared to be nonsense was actually inescapable reality. Macbeth still might have the last laugh. Look. He鈥檚 got a bad dose of the squirrels. That鈥檚 worse than the measles.
What object appears to Macbeth before he murders Duncan?
Macbeth thinks he can see a floating dagger. He thinks the dagger is pointing the way to Duncan鈥檚 bedroom. The audience are not sure if this vision is real or a part of Macbeth鈥檚 imagination.
What other examples of appearance and reality do we see in Macbeth?
- Many of the A title of nobility in Scotland. must pretend to be loyal to Macbeth in order to survive.
- The Witches make promises which are often only half-truths. They appear to be predicting Macbeth a powerful future, but in reality they are tricking him.
- There are ghosts and visions which may or may not come from Macbeth鈥檚 imagination, such as the appearance of Banquo鈥檚 ghost, which nobody else can see.
- During her sleepwalking scene, Lady Macbeth thinks she can see blood on her hands.
Ambition
Ambition is the desire and determination to achieve something.
Although ambition can be a positive thing, Macbeth鈥檚 ambition begins to control him and leads to his downfall.
Lady Macbeth knows that she can use his ambition to manipulate him. At first, Macbeth is unsure if they should murder King Duncan. However, his ambition allows him to be persuaded.
After he becomes king, Macbeth is convinced that he needs to continue to kill in order to keep his power. Although he has achieved his ambition to become king, he is troubled and haunted by his actions.
Watch this video about ambition in Macbeth:
Narrator: It鈥檚 good to get ahead. That鈥檚 not what I meant. Ambition. That鈥檚 what I meant. To want to be the best and reach the top.
We鈥檙e told, if we work hard, we can turn our dreams into reality. Macbeth however, with a push from Lady Macbeth, takes the short cut to the top.
Macbeth admits he鈥檚 ambitious. He compares his ambition to a race-horse. Which is interesting isn鈥檛 it? Because who鈥檚 really in charge? The jockey? Or the horse? Does ambition 鈥arry us away?
Lady Macbeth is worried that Macbeth is too kind to murder Duncan. She asks spirits to take away her femininity so that she can perform the evil task.
But to stay on top, Macbeth keeps on killing鈥 and is ultimately destroyed by his own ambition.
What animal does Macbeth use to represent his ambition?
Macbeth uses a horse to represent his ambition. He compares his ambition to a horse that jumps over an obstacle. However, he also says the horse may misjudge the jump and fall. This shows the audience that Macbeth sees both the power and dangers of ambition.
Did you know?
The themes in Macbeth have made the play relevant and popular across the world. There is a popular A group of people from South Africa who were a powerful military force in the 1800s. version of Macbeth from South Africa, which is called Umabatha: The Zulu Macbeth. In this version of the play, an Having a strong wish to be successful or powerful. Zulu warrior kills his leader.
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