The king and his retinue arrive at Inverness castle, they are greeted warmly. This is when Macbeth starts thinking about assassinating Duncan. He has thoughts about the consequences that the deed holds. Macbeth is Duncan’s double trust, his kinsman and his subject. After battling with his mind he comes to a conclusion.
“He’s here in double trust; first, as I am his kinsman and his subject, strong both against the deed; then, as his host, who should against his murder shut the door, not bear the knife myself.” (He has made up his mind not to murder Duncan)
Macbeth has realised that he has came far and to loose it now would mean to loose his self-respect and honour. But he knows that he could go further and the prophecies support his next decision.
Macbeth and lady Macbeth are very close and in love. She wants this event to happen as much as Macbeth. But she sees it unlike Macbeth. She persuades her husband by telling him what he would become if the deed were done. “Art thou afeared to be the same in desire? Wouldst thou have that which thou esteem’st the ornament of life, and live a comard in thine own esteem.”
Lady Macbeth has great control over Macbeth; he would do anything for her, including murdering Duncan. She manages to succeed in her task of persuading Macbeth. When lady Macbeth explains her plan, Macbeth is impressed both by his wife’s plan, and her attitude.
Macbeth imagines a dagger, leading him to Duncan’s room. This is when he murders Duncan; the scene is not shown in the play. He acts like he has been hypnotized or dazed. Lady Macbeth had a big influence to Macbeth. Macbeth's mind is in turmoil. He hears the signal and goes to commit the murder of Duncan. His mind has over taken his heart. Macbeth is battling with his mind, but he commits the murder any way.
After the murder he has thoughts of damnation and regret. He still had the daggers in his hands. When the plan was to leave them there. Macbeth is visibly shaken and refuse’s to return the daggers. Lady Macbeth takes them back to the murder scene. Blood is on both of their hands. His thoughts and behaviour has changed. He doesn’t care anymore but to become what the witches predicted. There’s no turning back, the deed is done. His honour and self-respect has gone to guilt and evilness. His power has decreased compared to when he was a honourable soldier. Lady Macbeth and the three witches have over taken his thoughts and mind. She has the control of Macbeth. Lady treats Macbeth like a child that got dirty playing. Macbeth is afraid to think what he has done. He wants no memory of the incident and dare not to think of it again. He is trying to block the experience from his mind and thoughts.
Lady Macbeth thinks differently from Macbeth, she treats it as nothing but pictures in the mind. She manages to block this from her mind but Macbeth cannot. Macbeth has lost a lot of things and finds it hard to accept this. Even being king would be good, but he would have the past that would haunt him. Lady Macbeth has not lost much until later on when she realises that she had lost her love. Macbeth has changed dramatically in mind, thoughts, and views.
The news of Duncan’s death murder is given to Banquo, Lady Macbeth, Macbeth, Malcom and Donalbain. It is assumed that Duncan’s guards are responsible. Lady Macbeth and Macbeth act as if the news was just know. They act innocent and shocked.
Macbeth had killed the guards for the murder of Duncan. Even though they were innocent there was no investigation taken out. Doing this Macbeth has sunken lower and more evil.
Macbeth is king, and Banquo suspects him of foul play. Banquo knows too much of Macbeth and begins to have suspicion about Duncan’s death. “I fear thou play’dst most foully for it.” Macbeth admits that Banquo worries him. Being the way he has changed he urges and persuade two assassins to kill Banquo and Fleance. His image of good and honourable has collapsed to pure evil. Planning a murder of a close friend shows that Macbeth has changed to the worse.
Banquo is then murdered, in confusion Fleance escapes. Macbeth is displeased to hear this news, but he turns his attention back to the banquet.
During the banquet Macbeth intends to sit down but sees Banquo’s ghost in his seat. He is shocked to see the ghost. His reaction startles the guest, and Lady Macbeth makes excuses for her husband. Macbeth at this stage thinks he’s going mad, maybe he is? The ghost ha s a big impact to Macbeth, It cause’s Macbeth to think about what he has committed. Murdering Banquo caused Macbeth to sink even lower. Banquo was a good friend, he was noble and trusted. But still Macbeth had him murdered.
“It will have blood, they say, blood will have blood.” Macbeth intends to learn his future from the witches. He means to continue his bloody course. So he seeks the three witches, and three more prophecies.
“Beware Macduff.”
“None of women born shall harm Macbeth.”
“Macbeth shall never vanquished be, until Great Birnam wood to high Dunsinane till shall come against him.”
The three prophecies tell Macbeth to be cautions of Macduff, no man born of women can harm him, and that he will not be beaten until Birnam wood moves to Dunsinane. These predictions give Macbeth confidence that he will be successful.
Macbeth decides to kill Macduff, but news tells him that he has gone to England. Macbeth intends to seize Macduff’s castle and slaughter his family. “The castle of Macduff I will surprise, seize upon fife, give to the edge o’th’sword his wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls that brace him in his line”. In England Ross arrives with news from Scotland for Macduff. He say’s that Scotland is suffering under Macbeth’s evil control. Then he gives Macduff the news of the murders. Macduff is stunned and seems unable to understand that it can have happened. Anger and talk of revenge begin to rise. He promise’s to settle his score with Macbeth when they meet on the battlefield. They leave to join up with the English forces and march to Scotland. Killing the innocents people meant that Macbeth has sank to lower then evil. He has committed so evil much to him self and the country.
A messenger reports that Birnam wood is moving towards Dunsinane Macbeth decides that there is no point in waiting or in running away, and he goes to meet the enemy. The two forces begin to fight. Macduff catches up with Macbeth, they begin to fight. Macduff calls him “hell-hound.” Macbeth tells Macduff that he is wasting his time because no man born of women can hurt him; he says, “ I bear a charmed life.” Macduff tells him that he was born by caesarean operation. All the prophecies where broken now and Macbeth is killed.
Macbeth started as a honourable, noble soldier. He was close to the king and highly respected. The king treated him as his kinsman and double trust. The influence of the witches caused Macbeth to slowly begin to change to the opposite of what he started out. He changed mentally and in views of how he thought. His mind was more clouded with evil thoughts. He didn’t want to loose what he had achieved. But his wife thought differently, she wanted him to be more and she wanted to be more then what she was. She had a big influence on Macbeth because he would do any thing for her. She persuaded him to kill Duncan by abusing him and telling him that he came become more then what he is now. The people that caused him to changed were the three witches and his wife. They put thoughts in his head and gave him confidence and ambition. Every deed caused him to change more and more to pure evilness. He manages to take down his wife with him, along with the country. In each murder he changed slowly to become “hell-hound.” He lost everything and gained only evil to himself. He even lost his wife. It ended in tragedy with Macbeth being killed by Macduff.
