How does Macbeths portrayal of ambition reflect the Elizabethan

worldview?
Shakespeares seventeenth century Macbeth portrays the theme of
ambition through its impacts of the lust for power, mental imbalance and
the loss of morality. From these aspects, the values of Shakespeares
contemporary society such as The Great Chain of Being, The Divine Right
of Kings and The Supernatural are revealed and reflected throughout the
play through the portrayal of ambition.
In Macbeth, the lust for power and status demonstrates the Elizabethan
belief that witches used sorcery and divination to cause toil and trouble
for mankind and that they were responsible for social upheaval. This is
shown in Act 1 where Lady Macbeth is pouring her spirits into Macbeth:
Look like thinnocent flower, but be the serpent undert. The use of
metaphorical imagery demonstrates Lady Macbeths untamed ambition
that transforms into evil as she compares Macbeth to a serpent
representing a direct connection to sinful acts. Her desperateness, mad
and power hungry nature is shown through her desire for Macbeth to be
sly and sinister like a serpent regardless of the price, as the witches
prophecies of Macbeth being King becomes too tempting to ignore. This
contradicts the Elizabethan societys perception of ladies to be
submissive, well-mannered and proper but supports the belief that
witches used, duplicity, sorcery, prophecies and dark magic to influence
and tempt the moral mind in order to cause toil and trouble for mankind.
This idea is reinforced in Act 2 where Macbeth visualises a dagger in midair as he contemplates the consequences of killing Duncan: Is this a
dagger which I see before me, the handle towards my hand?
Shakespeares use of metaphorical imagery in Macbeths soliloquy shows
the inner demons of the supernatural inside his mind, urging him to
commit the murder. It shows the success of the witches use of sorcery
and divination to cause social upheaval by tempting Macbeth with aspects
of his fate, but also ultimately putting him on a path to his own ruin while
achieving their establishment of reversal of order in society. Therefore,
through the aspect of lust for power and status, the values of the
Elizabethan worldview are shown significantly.
The consequence of ambition such guilt and mental imbalance due to the
murder, deceit and evil deeds show the Elizabethan worldview of the
Divine Right of Kings and how an assault to the king is considered to be a
direct offence to God. This idea is demonstrated in Act 2 Scene 2 where
after the murder Macbeth comes to his senses and realises the terrible sin
he has committed and its consequences: Sleep no more, Macbeth does
murder sleep, the innocent sleep, that knits up the ravelld sleeve of
care. The motif of sleep emphasises and foreshadows the downward
spiral of Macbeth into insanity as he is tortured by his actions through his
restless state of mind. It supports the belief of The Divine Right of Kings
which considered any act on the king to be an attack on God and as
Macbeth committed the sin of murdering Duncan, natures enforcement of

justice can be shown through the motif of sleep as Macbeth will now never
be able to sleep and have peace in the mind, because he has abandoned
God. This idea is reinforced in Act 2 Scene 2 where Macbeth feels guilty of
the murder: Will all great Neptunes ocean wash this blood clean from
my hands? The motif of blood symbolises the stain of guilt which has
tainted and scarred Macbeth emotionally and mentally due to the terrible
sin he has committed. It also reflects the agonising regret that he feels
directly after the treacherous act that has disrupted the natural balance of
power and as a consequence of God and nature, he feels the guilt and
mental instability which will resonate with him until his death.
Consequently, through the portrayal of the consequences of ambition, the
Elizabethan worldview of the Divine Right of Kings is demonstrated.
The loss of morality due to untamed ambition in Macbeth demonstrates
the Elizabethan worldview of the Great Chain of Being and how the
disruption would result in universal disorder and the punishment of the
person. This is shown in Act 3 Scene 1 where Macbeth plans to murder
Banquo: To be thus is nothing, but to be safely thus. The use of soliloquy
demonstrates Macbeths inner thoughts as he realises that being King is a
fruitless title if there is no security and safeness. It shows how because of
this, he will go on killing anyone whom he suspects is suspicious of, to
gain the sense of security that he will never get anymore as he did not get
the title truthfully and morally. This idea supports the Elizabethan belief
that there would be disorder, a reversed society and punishment for the
person, as by killing Duncan he disrupted the Great Chain of Being
creating chaos, disorder, mistrust, insecurities and betrayal. Furthermore,
this idea is reinforced in Act 5 Scene 1 where Lady Macbeth is sleep
walking as she has also murdered sleep: Out damned spot, out!. The
use of the motif of blood and repetition shows how lacking of peace her
mind is, as she is so deeply troubled by what she has done, that she has
spiralled down the path into insanity as she unsuccessfully tries to wash
her conscience and soul clean from her sins. It shows the worldview of the
punishment of the person as shown by her insanity and eventual suicide
as a result of disrupting the Great Chain of Being. Consequently, the loss
of morality in Macbeth demonstrates the Elizabethan worldview of the
Great Chain of Being and how there would be universal disorder and chaos
due to the disruption until the Great Chain of Being is restored as seen at
the culmination of the play where Malcolm gains throne.
Therefore, through Shakespeares portrayal of the aspects of ambition in
Macbeth such as the lust for power, guilt and mental imbalance and loss
of morality, the values of the Elizabethan worldview are reflected.