Macbeth appears first time in scene 3. His opening words are “So foul and fair a day I have not seen…” This was the first words that the witches said in the previous scene. Macbeth and Banquo encounter the witches “…so withered and wild in their attire…” on the heath and three prophecies are spoken. “All hail Macbeth, hail to thee, Thane of Glamis” “All hail Macbeth, hail to thee Thane of Cawdor!” “All hail Macbeth that shalt be king hereafter.” The first prediction would have not come to a surprise as he was already Thane of Glamis and therefore is true. The second would have shocked him because the Thane of Cawdor lives. The final would have given him a very big shock as the king was his cousin and this would have seriously worried him. He would never betray the king. Banquo asks what will become of him: the witches reply “Thou shalt get kings, through thou be none”. This means that he will never be king but will be an ancestor of kings so this makes it sound that his son Fleance might be king. The reactions Macbeth and Banquo to the witch’s word are completely opposite Macbeth want to know more.” Say you imperfect speakers, tell me more…” “…Stay from whence you owe this strange intelligence, or why…” But Banquo is more suspicious warning Macbeth to be wary of the supernatural “Or have we eaten an insane root that taken the reason prisoner?” However when Ross arrives with the news that Macbeth is the new Thane of Cawdor “What, can the devil speak true?” Macbeth replies that the Thane of Cawdor lives “Why do you dress me in borrowed robes” When the real Thane of Cawdor treachery and fate are revelled we start to see a change in Macbeth’s character “…the greatest is behind…” However, Banquo is doubtful and warns him against him against believing “this supernatural solicilliy…” he says that they are outing thoughts into his heads and to be weary of them. “…The instrument of darkness tell us truth…to betray us in the deepest consequences…” it is at this point that Macbeth thinks that he will have do something about Duncan on his own. “…that suggests (murder) whose horrid inside doth unfair my hair and make by seated heart knock at my ribs…” He would be happier if he did not have to do anything violent or brutal to his cousin Duncan. “If chance will have me king, why chance may crown he without my sir” This makes it sound that Macbeth has secretly always wanted to be king but never did as he was family. But now he thinks he has a chance to do so. Some of Macbeth’s finer qualities are now being thrown away and being replaced by evil ones. When Banquo and the others remind him they have been waiting for, he says, he was preoccupied with he’d forgotten. Macbeth is entering the world of dishonesty and corruption.
The story now moves to Duncan’s castle Malcolm Forres. Malcolm informs the king about Macbeth saving Scotland many times “He was a gentleman on whom I built an absolute trust” this is ironic as Macbeth who is the new Thane of will betray him. Duncan’s then makes a critical decision even though he can make anyone he wants to be king he choices his elder son Malcolm. Macbeth fells that this is the very unfair as he has saved Scotland twice and he is a relative of Duncan he seemed the perfect person to be king. Instantly you can see Macbeth change and the way he describes his feelings “Stars hide your fires, let not light see my black and deep desires”. He now realises that the only way he can become king is to kill Duncan. This is showing how Macbeth is changing. Duncan has no idea what is in store for him and ironically calls Macbeth “It is a peerless kinsman…” He then departs for his castle.
In this scene we first meet Lady Macbeth. She makes a very strong impression as dominates the whole of scene 5. It opens with her reading a letter from Macbeth about the three witches’ predictions. She has absolutely no doubt about what she has to do “…my dearest partner of greatness…” ”Glamis thou art, and shalt be what thou art promised…”She thinks that Macbeth is too noble to carry out such a deed “…yet do I fear thy nature, it is too full o’ th’ milk of human kindness…Thou wouldst be great…” “…Art not without ambition…” She feels that she will have to give Macbeth the courage to perform the deed. There is a strong difference between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. She seems evil and fully formed. In some ways Lady Macbeth reminds us of the witches in her evil intentions. She wants Macbeth to hurry home so that she can begin to influence him …”Hie thee hiliter, that I may poor my sprits in thine ear, and chastic with the valour of my tongue”. Then a messenger arrives and tells her that Duncan will be staying at her castle for the night, he reply does not make it seem to go in Duncan’s favour ...”The raven himself is hoarse that croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan under my battlements…” She means that without agrees the king will die tonight. There are more references to the paranormal and supernatural in this scene ...”Come you sprits that tried my mortal thought unsex me here…” “…make my blood thick…” Macbeth now enters the scene she immediately starts her intentions. She has thought of the plan from reading the letter and now is determined to make the witches third prediction come true “…Thy letters have transported me beyond the ignorant present, and feel now the future in the instant…”. Lady Macbeth feels that Macbeth need lessons in deception as she fells that his face shows what he is thinking about “…bear welcome in your eye your, hand your tongue; look like the innocent flower but be the serpent under it…” This reference reminds of the Adam and Eve story making it seem that she is slightly satanic and her influence over Macbeth is going to be strong. She says her planes are not to be delayed and that she will organise everything “To alter favour ever is to fear leave all the rest to me”. In this lady Macbeth dominates it making the scene hers. She is power mad, ruthless, a control freak and wants the money and status.
Duncan and his entourage arrive at Macbeth’s castle, Dunsiane. There are many ironic references in what he says and how he praises the location. “…pleasant seat…” “…air is nimble and sweet…” Lady Macbeth shows her skills deception and lies “…In every point twice done…” “…at your Highness’ pleasure.” Duncan even called her a “…fair hostess…” This scene tells us that Duncan has no idea of what is going on and what is to happen to him. Murder is the last thing that he would expect and if so Macbeth would be the last person to every commit such a deed. It also shows us that Lady Macbeth is a hypocrite and is very skilful at hiding her own feelings she needed these skills to be given to Macbeth. That evening Macbeth is alone and is thinking about the murder of Duncan. At this point he has decided that he does not want to go through with the Murder” WE WILL PROCEDD NO FURTHER IN THIS BUSSINESS. He hath horned me late…” This shows that his conscience is going against him and feels that it is wrong and that he would loose his reputation. When Lady Macbeth enters, she chastises him for his lack of courage and sets about changing his mind. She overpowers him and suggests that he is a coward “…lives a coward in thine own extinct…” Macbeth knows that he is not a coward and would feel upset about this. However his reply is quite revealing “…I dare do all that may become a man…” He means that he has done al he needs to do but if he does any more it will be wrong. But once again Lady Macbeth influence Macbeth in some sort of satanic way “…I have given suck, and know how tender tis love to love the babe that milks me I would while it was smiling in my face have plucked my nipple from his boneless gums and dashed the brains out, had I so sworn as you have done this.” After this speech of violent and graphic images he starts to feel her power over him and begins to change his mind about the plan. Her plan is to drug the guards then when they have fallen asleep steel their daggers and kill Duncan with them then smear the blood all over the guards. Macbeth’s final words in this scene echo the theme of deception a trend that has been running throughout the play that things are not as they seem. He says a person cannot be judged by his face alone. “False face must hide what the false heart doth know…” he then leaves to murder Duncan.
In conclusion I believe that not just one person was to blame for the changes in Macbeth but are several people. First I blame the three witches this is because they but the idea that Macbeth could be king into his head and he then carried them on. But also Lady Macbeth who drove him to commit deeds that he would not normally do. Thirdly Macbeth himself is to blame as I believe the ideas of him becoming king were also ways there he just never have the guts to do it. Lastly I believe that Duncan hade something to do with it as when he could have made anybody king he made his son when Macbeth is a much more worthy person. So overall I would say that Macbeth changes throughout the first scenes but is not all his fault.
