This document provides an analysis of ambition as depicted in William Shakespeare's play Macbeth. It begins with background on Shakespeare and an overview of the plot of Macbeth. It then analyzes how Macbeth's ambition for power, influenced by the witches' prophecies, leads him to commit regicide though illegitimate means, causing his downfall. Lady Macbeth is also depicted as intensely ambitious. The document discusses how ambition can be both a positive and negative force, and how its portrayal has evolved over time from the Elizabethan to modern eras.

1. ‘Concept of Ambition in
William Shakespeare’s
Play - Macbeth’

2. ❖ Personal Details :-
Presented by :- Hetal Pathak
Roll No. :- 12 Semester :- 1
Paper No. - 101
Paper Name :- Literature of the Elizabethan and
Restoration Periods
Paper Code :- 22392 Enrollment No. :- 4069206420220022
E- mail :- hetalpathak28@gmail.com
Submitted to :- Smt S.B.Gardi, Department Of English, M.K.B.U
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3. ● Points to Ponder :-
1. About William Shakespeare
2. About the play
3. Is Ambition good or bad ?
4. Ambition - In reference of the Play
Macbeth
5. Relation With Cinema
6. Our Way of Looking at Ambition in
Modern time
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4. ❖ About the Playwright - William Shakespeare:-
● William Shakespeare was an English poet, Playwright and
an actor.
● His life span was from 1564 to 1616.
● He has a Marvelously Imaginative and Creative mind.
● Shakespeare was trained first as an actor, Second as a
reviser of old plays and last as an independent dramatist.
● Of his life in London from 1587 to 1611, the period Of his
Greatest literary activity.
● Shakespeare’s dramas are usually divided into 3 genres,.
Tragedies, Comedies and Historical Plays.
● He worked with other playwrights and learn their Secrets.
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5. “I do not remember that
any book or person or
event in my life ever
made so great
impression upon me as
the plays of
shakespeare.”
-Goethe (Long )
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6. ● Macbeth Full Title - “ The Tragedies of
Macbeth” is a tragedy Written by William
Shakespeare.
● It is the Shortest of Shakespeare’s tragedies and
the second Shortest of all his plays.
● Macbeth is a Story of Crime and Punishment.
● It is a Play about the race of man and his life in
time.
● Macbeth and Lady Macbeth both elect to cut
themselves loose from moral purpose.
● This play includes Supernatural extensions also.
❖ About the Play - Macbeth :-
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7. “ Is Ambition
good or bad ? ”
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❖ Ambition - In reference of the Play Macbeth :-
● Macbeth is a tragedy of Ambition.
● It deals with Macbeth’s ambition to be a king of Scotland.
● Macbeth is an ambitious man; lusting for power who wants to
get a high position.
● He easily get influenced by the prophecies of the three Witches
because their Evil forces are too strong and these evil forces
have taken root in his mind.
● Lady Macbeth is also intensely as ambitious as her husband.
● Macbeth has Fulfilled his great ambition in a Wrong way.
(Mustafa)

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❖ Relation With Cinema :-

10. “The Ambition and
focus that propel
you to Success Can
also be Your
downfall.”
- ‘Judy
Smith’
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❖ Our way of looking at Ambition in Modern time :-
● Ambition helps in Structuring the life of Individuals.
● It plays vital role in human life.
● Ambition is the Foundation of Success.
● “ Is Ambition Vice or Virtue ? “
● “ To be an Ambitious one is a right or Not ? ‘’

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❖ Work Cited :-
khan, Farah, director. Happy New Year. 2014. Accessed 14 October 2022.
Long, William J. English Literature. Aitbs, 2017.
Mustafa. “Ambitious for Power in Shakespeare's Macbeth.”,
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/316068768_Ambitious_For_Power_in_
Shakespeare's_Macbeth#:~:text=This%20paper%20aims%20to%20describe,way
%20to%20reach%20his%20goals.
Reid, B. L. Macbeth and the play of Absolutes, vol. 73, 1965, p. 28,
https://www.jstor.org/stable/27541080 Cite. Accessed 14 October 2022.
Smith, Judy. “Judy Smith - The ambition and focus that propel you to...” Inspirational
Quotes at BrainyQuote, https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/judy_smith_823177.
Accessed 14 October 2022.

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