Macbeth Act 1 Analysis

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Shakespeare uses paradox, character development, and irony to help show the theme ambition. Macbeth is a very ambitious man and by using these devices, Shakespeare is able to show how deep his ambition goes and that it is not a good thing for him. In scene three of Act One, the witches tell Banquo that he will be “not so happy, yet much happier.” This line shows a paradox. How can Banquo be not as happy as Macbeth, but also much happier than him. The witches are not trying to be tricky and confusing, but are hinting at what is to become of Macbeth. They are telling Banquo that even though Macbeth is going to become Thane of Cawdor and eventually king, he is not going to be as happy as Banquo is. Macbeth’s ambition leads him to these positions of power, but he is not going to be happy with them. This helps show the theme that ambition does not always lead to good fortune by Banquo does not have as much ambition as Macbeth, but he is going to have a better life and more enjoyment with it than Macbeth will in the long run. Macbeth also develops as a character a little bit in Act One. In the beginning when Macbeth gets the prophecy about becoming king. He is excited at the idea that he will become king. His ambition is leading to good things, but he is horrified at the idea that he would have to murder Duncan to get the position. Macbeth’s ambition has not effected him negatively yet. He may have enough ambition to do it, but is not strong enough to act upon it. At the end of scene seven Macbeth agrees to kill the king and says, “I am settled, and bend up each corporal agent to this terrible feat.” Macbeth is saying that he will exert every muscle in his body to murder King Duncan. This helps show that ambition can lead to doing terrible things. His ambition got so strong that he's going to take all his willpower to kill Duncan. Macbeth's ambition

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