Macbeth Ambition Timeline

Act I Scene II-III

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In scene two, Macbeth is unknowingly awarded thane of Cawdor for his bravery, and in act three, the witches prophesize that he will become the said thane of Cawdor before anybody really knows about it. When he returns and the prophecy actually comes true, he thinks about the other things the witches talked about, such as him becoming king. “Glamis, and thane of Cawdor! The greatest is behind.”

Act I Scene IV

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In scene four, Duncan announces that his son Malcolm will become his successor when he dies. Macbeth is quite upset and talks to himself about the measures he would take to make the witches’ prophecy come true. “Stars, hide your fires; Let not light see my black and deep desires.”

Act I Scene V

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In scene five, Lady Macbeth receives her husband’s letter detailing the witches’ prophecy. She begins plotting on how to kill the king and secure her husband’s position as king, however, the thinks that Macbeth is too full of human kindness, and will need her help. He only agrees after a lot of convincing and starts to become blinded by the power he was promised.

Act V Scene V

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Lady Macbeth commits suicide and Macbeth learns that the English army has come for him. He realizes that he is probably about to meet his end, and the consequences for his ambition become much clearer to him. “[Life] is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing.”

Act II Scene I

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As Macbeth prepares to murder Duncan, he is so intoxicated by his lust for power that he hallucinates a dagger pointed towards Duncan, as if telling him to kill him. “Is this a dagger which I see before me, The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee.”

Act II Scene II - Turning Point!

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Macbeth finally kills Duncan, but immediately regrets it. This is one of the few points where Macbeth is fully sane, and he truly regrets what he did. However, Lady Macbeth assures him that this was alright and that his ambitions are justified.

Act II Scene III

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Macbeth “discovers” that the king has been murdered, and kills the servants to keep them quiet, however, he tells the others that he did that in a fit of rage after seeing the king’s blood over them. In this chapter, he is completely prepared to use lies and deceit to keep a chance at obtaining power.

Act III Scene III, Act IV Scene II-III

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These scenes contain the atrocities that Macbeth is willing to commit to keep his power. In act III, he has Banquo murdered, but unfortunately for him, Fleance escaped and told Malcolm what happened, they would then go and request help from their relatives. In act IV, Macbeth orders the murder of the Macduff family, however Macduff isn’t there at the time. In the next scene, Macduff, hearing the news, recruits Malcolm and persuades him to help him overthrow Macbeth.

Act V Scene III

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Macbeth is preparing for battle and believes that he cannot lose because of the witches’ predictions saying that he cannot be killed by a man born of a woman. He is starting to realize however that he will never be able to live comfortably because of his ambition, and his wife’s condition cannot be cured by anyone other than herself.

Act V Scene VIII

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Macduff and Macbeth fight and Macbeth is killed. As it turns out this works with the prophecy because Macduff was not technically born of a woman, but cut out of his mother’s womb. It shows that the ultimate consequence for Macbeth’s greed and lust for power was death. “Tell thee, Macduff was from his mother’s womb Untimely ripped.”