Macbeth's first line in the whole play echoes the witches chants again. "So foul and fair a day." This has a enourmous impact on the audience because although Macbeth and the witches have not met yet, there seems to be a paranoraml relationship between them. In question of what the whitches have proclaimed, to Macbeth, Banquo "neither begs nor fears their favour nor their hate." Macbeth on the other hand desires them to "stay." He wants to know more, hinting to the audience he has a selfish side benith the outside appearance of his character. At the news that Macbeth will be "Thane of Glamis" then "Thane of Cawdor" and finally "King" Banquo asks Macbeth why he "fears" the good news but Macbeth does not reply because he is "rapt withal." The witches use "all hail" in conjunction with the news, which Shakespeare associates this with Jesus' traitor Judas and so the audience would be fearful. Judas was hated because of his actions against Christ. The use of religious events were frequent in Shakespeares plays, because they add another dimension to the evil trying to be portrayed.
When Ross and Angus appear with the news that Macbeth will be Thane of Cawdor. The timing of this is extremely dramatic. Macbeth, Banquo and even the audience watching, realise that if this is true, then maybe the third prediction, that he will be King, is true too. Banquo knows the witches are evil and says "What can the devil speak true?" which shows his presence as a definite contrast to evil. The witches' prophecy is underway.
Macbeth is clearly shocked and so protests to the title by saying "why do you dress me in borrowed robes?" which reveals he senses he doesn't belong in that role. It never even crossed his mind, as he doesn't think he deserves the role which shows his modesty.
Aside, Macbeth is thinking to himself if he is "Glamis" and now "Thane of Cawdor" why not king? He speaks aside because this allows the audience to explore their inner feelings and characters without the knowlage of other characters on stage. This may be performed as a freeze frame where all but Macbet freeze or the others carry on doing things silently in the background, with Macbeth talking in the foreground.
Macbeth is thinking that even if he is king he doesn't deserve it, and it would be false and unreal like acting in a play. "Two truths are told as happy prologues to the swelling act of the imperial theme" tells the audience how he believes this. Macbeth states "Cannot be ill, cannot be good", again reminding us of the presence of the withces, even though they cannot be seen on stage Macbeth is confused about the matter. He is arguing with himself about it since on one hand he thinks it must be good because it is "commencing with a truth" and therefore it will happen, but then on the other hand if it is good why does the "horrid image" (of killing the king) "affix my hair and make my seated heart knock against my ribs."
There have been suggestions, but it is only now that "murder" is mentioned for the first time, which attracts the attention of the audience even more and grips the with suspense of what will follow. Macbeth becomes lost in his thoughts. Once he loses sight of what is good and what is not, he is lost in uncertainty and "Nothing is but what is not".
He believes that if "chance will have me king, why chance will crown me," showing that if it is fate that he will be king, then it will happen without him having to do anything.
In this part of the play Macbeth is smothered by his thoughts. It is a strong contrast to when the audience only heard of him by his actions. Before he was portrayed as a man of actions, whereas now he is one of thought.
In the next scene the entrance of Macbeth is important as he enters just after Duncan says of the Thane of Cawdor "There's no art to find the mind's construction in the face. He was a gentleman on whom I built an absolute trust." This is dramatic timing. The fact that Macbeth enters just after this makes the audience think that maybe we shouldn't judge Macbeth either. Shakespeares use of dramatic irony links Macbeth directly to Duncan's comments.
Macbeth learns that "Malcolm" will "establish upon our estate" (is next in line for the throne.) Macbeth reacts to this by thinking "it is a step to which I must fall down or o'erleap, for in my way it lies." It appears that he has come to terms with the fact that he will now become king, but this news suggests that he cannot become it. Macbeth knows his thoughts are wrong because he doesn't want "light to see my black and deep desires." He doesn't want people to tell from his expression what dark and devious thouhts he is concucting.
In Act 1 scene 5 we get an insight into the relationship between Lady Macbeth and Macbeth. The stage direction of "reading a letter" shows us they are very intimate and they share everything. It is a very valuable relationship and it is needed by both of them to survive. Lady Macbeth obviously know her husband very well as she he remarks he's "too full o' th' milk of human kindness". She sees him as having ambition without wickedness in order to get what they both desire. She knows he will need persuading and plans to use strong words that she knows will have an effect on her husband. She tells him to "look like th' innocent flower, but be the serpent under't'." This is also a biblical metaphor going back to the time of Adam and Eve and the serpent who tricked Adam into eating the forbidden fruit, casting wickedness into a previously perfect existance. The serpent is therefore associated with evil and wickedness. Shakespeare includes references to this is many plays, again using the importance of religion, because everyone understood and could relate to it.
Lady Macbeth is certain Macbeth will "be What thou are promised." She knows he will need help and says "put this night's great business into my dispatch" and "leave all the rest to me". She says "to alter favour ever is to fear." This sentence is inappropriate and so arouses suspicion, because it reveals even she cannot always be this strong, dominating, literate persons she appears to be. Her weakness signifies the weakness of the plan she is producing. This along with the other suggestions is proving her evil side, as she has violated her own nature as a woman. The audience therefore believe she will do what it takes, no matter what.
In the next stage Macbeth is again undecided. He is only dealing with reasons against killing Duncan which is significant because it makes the audience think it won't happen, and therefore leads to suspense because we know Lady Macbeth strongly wants to do it, and we constantly think who is going to get their way in the end. He thinks Duncans death will lead to the throne, but they will "jump the life to come" if they commit a sin, and not go to heaven. Heaven was of massive impotance in the days when this play was written, and to not go there because of sin, made sinning even more forbidden than it is today.
Macbeth thinks that "bloody instructions" will "return to plague the inventor" and make hime worse off than he is now. Macbeth is arguing to himself against killing Duncan. He says how Duncan is his "kinsman" (relative) and his "subject" and these are "strong" reasons against the "deed." Also "as his host" Macbeth "should against his murder shut the door, not bear the knife" and therefore it will get "blown" everywhere because Duncan is so innocent.
When Lady Macbeth returns Macbeth says "we will proceed no further in the business" because Duncan has given Macbeth "honours". Macbeth doesn't want to murder Duncan, but Lady Macbeth does. She accuses him of being a "coward" and she says he doesn't "love" her as much because he is going against her word by not killing Duncan. She thinks he is letting fear get the better of desire, and is playing their love in hope to overcome it.
Because she knows him so well she is attacking him at his weakest point. She is questioning his bravery and "manhood", but still Macbeth has his sense of morality by responding with "I dare do all that may become a man; who dares do more is none"
Lady Macbeth finally breaks through to him by threatening to kill he own "babe" which he knows she loves so much. She is so trusting of him to succeed she would have "plucked my nipple from his boneless gums, and dashed his brains out, had I sworn as you have done this." She is playing her womanliness against his manliness by using this strong, meaningful language, yet another ploy to win him over.
Macbeth asks "if we should fail" which shows us he is now convinced to commit the murder because he is questioning what will happen if, when they attempt to kill him, it doesn't work. Lady Macbeth replies by saying "we fail?……we'll not fail" Macbeth is now in her world. Lady Macbeth has the idea to blame it on the "chamberlains" by getting them so drunk they won't remember what happened. Macbeth is no longer thinking about the morality of it; he is thinking of the practicality of it. since he knows the necessity of a false appearance and says "False face must hide what false heart doth know".
The stage directions in Act 2 scene 1 have Fleance with a torch, which means it must be dark. This is a pathetic fallacy because the darkness shows the mood of the characters and play at this instance in general. The world is becoming darker in reality, but not only literally. The darkness signifies that the heavens are not allowed in, because this dark evil is preventing it. The audience now know that something is about to happen, and it draws their attention.
Throughout the whole play Banquo is used as a contrast between good and evil. Macbeth now begins to lie Banquo. When Banquo says how he thinks of the "three Weird sisters" Macbeth lies "I think not of them" when that is really all he has done. The once strong friendship bond between them has vanished for the sake of desire and greed.
Macbeth begins to hallucinate. "Is this a dagger I see before me" he states. "I have thee not, and yet I see thee still" The turmoil which we have seen in Macbeth's mind, makes this hallucination believable to the audience. This all adds to the dramatic effect which is made by the illusions. Macbeth says "Nature seems dead" because he knows the world might revolt against him. He is saying that the while world sleeps, his nightmares run wild. He follows Lady Macbeth by doing instead of actually thinking about what he is doing which is shown by him saying "Whilst I threat he lives: Words to the heat of deeds too cold breath give".
Also metioned here is "Hecate" She is the goddess of witchcraft and the audience would have feared her greatly, because she was heavily belived in alongside withcraft itself.
Act 2 Scene 2 is a scene of extreme tension. The appearance of Macbeth here is extremely dramatic. He comes in with two daggers dripping with blood, which makes the audience fearful of what he has done. They would be shocked, because he has committed this sin which he once was so against doing. Lady Macbeth has pushed Macbeth to using all their relationship to committing the murder. The relationship from this part has increasingly little meaning for Macbeth and Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are forced to speak together in short questions and answers, showing that they are both terrified and it makes the audience realise this aswell. Macbeth is upset because he couldn't say "amen" to the guards' prayers to try and ammend what he was doing to God showing he knows he has done wrong. Lady Macbeth is more calm and just replies "consider it not so deeply." She is taking charge of the situation. She gives orders to Macbeth and demands of him to "go carry them" and "wash this filthy witness from your hand." He cannot cope with it himself. He says "Macbeth will sleep no more." His hands are tainted with blood and everything he now touches he will now be covered in blood; a disturbing metophoric sight fot the audience.
Lady Macbeth says "be not lost so poorly in your thoughts" to which he replies "To know my deed, 'twere best not know my self" which tells us he doesn't want to face the reality of his crime. The last thing he says in this scene is "Wake Duncan with thy knocking. I would thou couldst". He wishes he could wake Duncan, revealing he deeply regrets what he has done.
Despite this, Macbeth is now a traitor himself. He is not at ease with himself or his relationship with Lady Macbeth. He seems untrustworthy and not the strong independent warrior he once was. In act 1 scene 2 when we heard about him, he was portrayed as loyal. The thought of killing the King for his own sake was out of the question to Macbeth. There is a big difference between fighting for the country and killing the King, but with the influence of the witches, ambitions of Lady Macbeth and his own desires he overcame this to become this selfish person who he now is. Even if he does become king, his relationship with Lady Macbeth is in jeopardy, he has lied to his trusted friend Banquo, and he cannot cope with the guilt. Was becoming king more important to him than that?