Macbeth later asks himself two questions: The first is, “If ill, why hath it given me earnest of success, commencing in a truth? I am Thane of Cawdor.” (p.17. Act 1 Scene 3, Line 130-132) So, here Macbeth is saying that if the witches’ predictions are evil, then why have good things come out of it so far. Why is he Thane of Glamis and now Thane of Cawdor? The second question that he asks himself is: “If good, why do I yield to that suggestion, whose horrid image doth unfix my hair and make my seated heart knock at my ribs against the use of nature?” (p.17. Act 1 Scene 3, Line 133) Macbeth asks himself that why, if the witches’ predictions are good, does he react so vigorously to allow his heart to race and his hair stand on end? However, Macbeth pulls himself together, at least to a certain degree and tells himself, as I mentioned earlier, that if the witches’ prophecies are correct that he doesn’t have to do anything further.
Upon greeting Macbeth, King Duncan refers to him as “O worthiest cousin” (p.19. Act 1 Scene 4, Line 14). In return, in order to prove his own respect and faithfulness, Macbeth answers, “The service and the loyalty I owe, in doing it, pays itself.” (p.19. Act 1 Scene 4, Line 22-23). Later, however, Macbeth starts to see Malcolm as an obstacle standing in his way before the throne. He says, “The Prince of Cumberland is a step on which I must fall down, or else o’erleap, for in my way it lies.” (p.21. Act 1 Scene 4, Line 48-50)
The audience is now seeing more of the true colours of Macbeth. Macbeth tells the king how much he means to him when, as known from previous scenes, all Macbeth really wants to do is kill him. The audience now see Macbeth as a devious character that, instead of leaving king to chance, wants to make sure that he becomes king no matter what stands in his way.
The second occasion that demonstrates how far Macbeth is driven by his own ambition is the murder of Banquo and his sons. Before Macbeth considers murdering Banquo, he tries sucking up to him. He did this because he knew that he was the only person, besides Lady Macbeth, who knew about the witches’ predictions. He says to Banquo, “If you shall cleave to my consent, when ‘tis, it shall make honour for you.” (p.39. Act 2 Scene 1, Line 25) Here Macbeth is trying to bride Banquo but it doesn’t work. Later Macbeth tells us that his fears of Banquo are “in his royalty and nature” (p.69. Act 3 Scene 1, Line 50-51) Macbeth’s ambition grows and he starts to really want to be king. He fears that “the seeds of Banquo” (p.69. Act 3 Scene 1, Line 71) will become kings. Therefore, Macbeth feels that Banquo needs to be got rid of because he also doubled-crossed them. He says to the murders, “Know that it was he in the times past which held you so under fortune, which you thought had been our innocent self" (p.69. Act 3 Scene 1, Line 78) He really wants to be king because he probably feels as though he didn’t murder Duncan just so someone else could become king. So now, he has to deliberately kill Banquo and his sons.
The third occasion is the murder of Lady Macduff. This murder didn’t actually serve a purpose. It was just for Macbeth’s own sake because Macduff had previously escaped to England. He also tells the audience that the murder was going to be of Macduff’s “wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls that trace him in his line” because they’re probably “boasting like a fool” (p.107. Act 4 Scene 1, Line 51-52)
Macbeth’s wife has a fairly big influence on many of the actions of Macbeth. She starts to plan the murder of Duncan right after she receives the letter from Macbeth. The audience are shown that she is ambitious and that she will probably stop at nothing because of the thought of future greatness. She is excited and decides that she will have to help him find the determination he needs. She says, “I may pour my spirits into 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 thee crowned withal.” (p.23. Act 1 Scene 5, Line 24-28) She will help him to become king because she feels as though he “is too full o’th’milk of human kindness”. (p.23. Act 1 Scene 1, Line 15) She thinks that he is too thoughtful and compassionate. She knows that he has ambition but fears that he “…wouldst not play false, and yet wouldst wrongly win”. (p.23. Act 1 Scene 5, Line 18-19)
The audience probably feel that Lady Macbeth knows her husbands characteristics fairly well and they may have noticed that she and her husband have similar natures. For instance, as mentioned earlier, Macbeth, after having thought of leaving becoming king to chance, decides later that the only way to become king would be through murder. This is also the notion of his wife.
Macbeth is having second thoughts about the murder of Duncan after previously being up for the idea. He is lashed out at by his wife who tells him that he can dream of being king only when he is drunk and asks him mockingly, “Wherein you dressed yourself? Hath it slept since? And wakes it now to look so green and pale.” (p.33. Act 1 Scene 7, Line 36-37) She tells him that he is a coward and if he doesn’t kill Duncan then he doesn’t love her and is no better than “the poor cat i’th’adage” (p.33. Act 1 Scene 7, Line 44) who wants a fish but does not want to get its paws wet. She tells her the action she would do to her baby if she had sworn to do so, trying to show him that she’s more man than he is. She says, “I would, while it was smiling in my face, have plucked my nipple from his boneless gums and dashed to brains out had I so sworn as you have done to this.” (p.33. Act 1 Scene 7, Line 56-59)
Macbeth asks his wife what shall happen if they fail. She replies, “But screw your courage to the sticking-place, and we’ll not fail.” (p.33. Act 1 Scene 7, Line 60-61) She basically tells him that they will not fail if he keeps his nerve. He then says, “I am settled and bent up each corporal agent to this terrible feat.” (p.35. Act 1 Scene 7, Line 79) He therefore gives in to his wife and changes his mind because of the cruel accusations about his lack of courage and the strength of Lady Macbeth’s determination for him to become king.
At this point of the story, I would describe the relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth as some-what stable. I feel that they still love each other and Macbeth is dependant on his wife and influenced by her. In previous scenes, Lady Macbeth is referred to as “my dearest partner of greatness” (p.23. Act 1 Scene 5, Line 9) and “my dearest love” (p.23. Act 1 Scene 7, Line 57). Towards the end however, Lady Macbeth is referred to as Macbeth’s “fiend-like queen” (p.157. Act 5 Scene 9, Line 36) By this the audience have probably realised that even the other characters in the story seem to notice Macbeth’s lost of interest of his wife. His love for her seems to fade away as he becomes more involved in gaining power. They know, however, that Lady Macbeth still loves Macbeth and shows this by her language that she uses towards him, and her affectionate attitude that is revealed. I think that she regrets convincing him to murder the king and testing his manhood.
At the beginning of the play, Lady Macbeth is portrayed to be the stronger person in their relationship. She is the one out of the two who devises the plans, is morally supportive, and urges her husband along with Duncan’s assassination. Yet, in act three, things being to change and the audience slowly notice how Macbeth regains control.
The witches additionally have an influence on Macbeth. They are quite important to the play and give the _________ of the play. It opens with lightning, thunder, and the three witches. By doing this, Shakespeare gives the audience the impression that the play is going to be about the forces of good against the forces of evil (struggle between light and darkness). Then, when the witches plan “to meet Macbeth” (p.3. Act 1 Scene 1, Line 9) it shows them that he will probably be the aim for the forces of evil.
Upon their disappearance, after they decide where to meet Macbeth, the witches chant, “Fair is foul and foul is fair” (p.3. Act 1 Scene 1, Line 12). The significance of this line is that things are not what they appear. The things that look good may actually turn out to be evil and vice versa (the things that seem evil may be good). The audience may feel that this also applies to some of the characters in the play. Macbeth, for instance, as mentioned earlier, is really nice to King Duncan and tells everyone that he is so important to him, when he actually wants to kill him. So, King Duncan thinks that Macbeth is loyal and trustworthy, and is mislead because Macbeth is just evil underneath.
Elizabethan audiences believed in witches and the supernatural. It is said that they believed witches possessed great powers and could predict the future, fly, sail in sieves and do various incredible things. In Act 2 Scene 1 Macbeth thinks that he sees a dagger before him is an example of what an Elizabethan audience would believe as supernatural. They believed that it was a symbol of the power of evil spirits in the world and of the evil that was growing in his heart, possibly sent by the witches. After Macbeth first meets his witches and is told his predictions he becomes very persistent to know if they speak the truth. He says, “Stay you imperfect speakers. Tell me more.” (p.13. Act 1 Scene 3, Line 68) He does not really want them to tell him more; instead he just wants them to clarify their predictions. He knows that he is Thane of Glamis because of his father’s death, “But how of Cawdor? The Thane of Cawdor lives a prosperous gentleman, and to be king stands not within the prospect of belief.” (p.13. Act 1 Scene 3, Line 70-72) He wonders how he can be king but he has previously led the army that defeated Cawdor and knows that he can become Thane of Cawdor and therefore may be thinking about becoming king.
Upon the second meeting with the witches, Macbeth has a different action towards the witches. It is obvious through his language that he uses. He is now demanding and uncaring. He says, “Even till destruction sicken: answer me to what I ask you” (p.101. Act 4 Scene 1, Line 56-57) Macbeth cures the witches for tricking him. He says to Lennox, “Inflected by the air whereon they ride, and damned all those that trust them.” (p.107. Act 4 Scene 1, Line 138-139)
In conclusion, it is obvious that there are numerous influences on the actions of Macbeth. Lady Macbeth drove Macbeth to murder Duncan, but after that, the murders of the others were from Macbeth’s own decision. She did nudge him on in the beginning and led him to that by accusing him of being a coward. Later on, however, she was shut out of Macbeth’s plans and regretted her determination for him. The witches, I think, had fairly more of an influence on Macbeth’s decisions. I think that since the witches spoke in confusing riddles it was hard for Macbeth to understand and he only heard what he wanted to. I also believe that he was only tempted by the witches’ predictions because they were similar to what Macbeth really wanted and imitated his own thoughts. Therefore, I think Macbeth’s own ambition was the main reason why he made the decision to murder Duncan. I think that because he listened to the witches, he was lead to his downfall. This was his own fault.