pronounce his present death, and with his former title greet Macbeth.”
Duncan says, as well as
“What he hath lost noble Macbeth hath won.”
Macbeth is obviously a brave soldier who is loyal honourable and famous for his bravery.
In scene III we see Macbeth for the first time. He is in a good mood and full of glory from the battle he has just won. The three witches are already at the scene when Macbeth and Banquo enter. The two solders are extremely fearful when they see the three witches who begin by saying to Macbeth
“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.”
This prophesies disturbs Macbeth. Banquo feels that Macbeth is disturbed by this and says
“Good sir, why do you start: and seem to fear things that do sound so fair?”
Macbeth tries to find out more from the witches, but they disappear leaving him and Banquo to think about what they have said. Macbeth and Banquo talk about the prophesy of the Witches. Banquo wonders if what they've witnessed was real.
In scene III Macbeth is made thane of Cawdor by Ross. Macbeth is puzzled by this because he is still thinking about what the witches told him and he thought he would be made heir to the throne not thane of Cawdor. Later in the scene Malcolm and King Duncan talk about the old thane of Cawdor who betrayed them. The king says
“he was a gentleman on whom I built an absolute trust.”
I think that this is, in a way, this is how Macbeth also turns out because he also betrays the king when the king trusted him.
Malcolm is then announced heir to the throne. Macbeth is again puzzled and annoyed by this
“The Prince of Cumberland! that is a step on which I must fall down,”
as he thought that he would be made heir not Malcolm.
Later on in the play Lady Macbeth reads a letter sent by Macbeth which tells her about the Witches prophesies. She tells the audience that she thinks Macbeth is too good to do anything bad to change the future and be disloyal
“It is too full o’ the milk of human kindness.”
She also says
"Hie thee hither that I may pour my spirits in thine ear and chastise with the valour of my tongue all that impedes thee from the golden round which fate and metaphysical aid doth seem to have crown'd withal”
she is saying “Come home so that I can encourage you into doing something about being King, because you have been told you will be.” So we can tell that she is thinking up a plan to make Macbeth king after all.
Macbeth and Lady Macbeth talk. They discuss the idea of killing King Duncan. Macbeth is not at all keen because he says
“But in these cases we still have judgement here”
he is saying that murder does not escape justice. In scene VII Macbeth says
“We will proceed no further in this business,”
this makes us think that he has abandoned the attempt to kill Duncan but Lady Macbeth persists
“And, to be more than what you were, you would be so much more the man.”
She tries to persuade him to do it by saying he is not a proper man if he does not. Macbeth begins to give in but needs a more assurance
“If we should fail,”
he says, needing proof that the killing could be successfully committed. Lady Macbeth reassures him
“When Duncan is asleep…”
She explains exactly how he will do it and makes it sound easy. Macbeth then agrees to go through with the crime. He has changed a lot by this point in the play because before he would have hade no intention what so ever to kill the king as he was so loyal. Everyone else thinks he is still loyal but inside Macbeth is full of guilt.
In act II the killing of King Duncan takes place. Macbeth is very twitchy and worried while committing the crime, but this does not stop him from doing it. He feels that he cant back out now because he wants to be king, Lady Macbeth wont respect him if he doesn’t do it and the plan has been set up. Lady Macbeth on the other hand does not seem to disturbed by the killing as she says to Macbeth
“Consider it not so deeply.”
She also says
“A little water clears us of this deed,”
when they both have blood on their hands.
Macbeth changes drastically from the start of the play up to the killing of King Duncan, as at the start he was loyal and trustworthy, but as the play progresses he begins to change in to a man who is thirsty for power and will do anything for it. This leads him to his death.