When Macbeth hears he has become the new Thane of Cawdor Banquo suggests to him that the witches are trying to trick him, in the line ‘the instruments of darkness tell us truths, win us with honest trifles, to betray’s in deepest consequence’. Macbeth starts thinking to himself now that two of the prophecies are true, he is waiting for the third one to come true, that he will become King, he is now portrayed as ambitious when he’s quoted saying to himself ‘Commencing in a truth? I am Thane of Cawdor, if good why do I yield to that suggestion’. Here he is already thinking of murdering Duncan to become King. What’s important to remember here is that the witches never mentioned murder to Macbeth and their information does tempt Macbeth, but it is Macbeth who is ‘thinking ghastly thoughts’ that make his hair stand on end, like murdering the King. The witches symbolize evil and it is tragic that Macbeth comes to depend on their information.
In the next scene Duncan appears again and is asking if the old thane of Cawdor has been executed yet, he says ‘to find the mind’s construction in the face, He was a gentleman on whom I built an absolute trust’. Here is a perfect example of Duncan being a poor judge of character, which you could say contributed to his death.
Duncan announces that his son Malcolm will become the next King and this infuriates Macbeth. Duncan invites himself to Macbeth’s castle to ‘strengthen the friendship’ so Macbeth decides to go on ahead and tell Lady Macbeth he is on the way. Macbeth sees Malcolm being King as an obstacle that will trip him up unless he leaps over it. He says it lies in his way. He then says ‘Stars, hide your fires, let not light see my black and deep desires’, here he is considering murder but is asking for it to be dark. He is resolved about the inevitability of the deed. At the end of the scene we see another prime example of King Duncan being a poor judge of character. He is talking to Banquo of Macbeth ‘He is full so valiant, and in his commendations I am fed, it is a banquet to me. Lets after him, whose care is gone before to bid us welcome, it is a peerless kinsman’. Duncan is oblivious to what’s going to happen, and oblivious to Macbeths wife.
In scene 5 we are finally introduced to Lady Macbeth. She appears reading a letter from Macbeth. He mentions the day of victory, and the witches prophecies but he doesn’t mention murder. He trusts his wife and they are very much in love. In his letter Macbeth appears enthusiastic and excited as he tells her his news. After reading the letter Lady Macbeth is thinking that Macbeth shall be what he has been promised, King! She says ‘art not without ambition but without the illness should attend it’, she thinks that Macbeth hasn’t got the guts to do what’s needed to be done. She also suggests that she is going to inspire Macbeth to become what he has been promised.
Lady Macbeth is dominant, determined and powerful, she plans the details of the murder, she has the future all worked out, she calls upon the witches to possess her and get rid of her femininity so she can commit murder and not have a guilty conscience, we learn this when she says ‘and fill me from the crown to the toe top-full of direst cruelty’. She then decides what weapon to use and how the offence will take place, and mentioning the words ‘stop up th’access and passage to remorse, that no compunctious visitings of nature shake my fell purpose’ where she means ‘her’ plans and not ‘our’ plans, as if she is taking it on by herself. When Macbeth arrives home to tell Lady Macbeth that Duncan is on his way, she suggests Duncan will be killed that night, when she says ‘shall sun that morrow see’. Here Lady Macbeth is making all the decisions, she is portrayed as the stronger character of the two, while Macbeth is weak.
We next see Duncan in scene 6 when he arrives at Macbeth’s castle. The first thing he says is ironic really, he says ‘this castle hath a pleasant seat, the air nimbly and sweetly recommends itself unto our gentle senses’ but he couldn’t be more wrong, it isn’t a nice place for him because he is going to die there. Towards the end of act 6 we see the theme of appearances being deceptive again, mainly from Lady Macbeth, and also more of Duncan being a poor judge of character. Lady Macbeth tells Duncan ‘Ourselves, our servants, and all that we possess are yours to command’, but that isn’t true, she has planned his murder yet being deceitful by being nice to him. And Duncan replies with ‘give me your hand, take me to our host. We love him greatly and shall continue to favour him’ which shows him being a poor judge of character, like a lamb to the slaughter.
Scene 7 is focused on Lady Macbeth stirring up Macbeth’s spirits again. Macbeth is worrying about committing the murder, he feels Duncan has honored him recently and he has gained plenty of respect from people and he wants it to stay like that. Here again we see Macbeth being portrayed as weak, whilst Lady Macbeth calls him a coward and suggests he’ll be more of a man if he does the deed. Then Lady Macbeth decides Macbeth will use the guards daggers to kill the king, and then smoother them with Duncan’s blood and give the daggers back, so they can be blamed for Lady Macbeth and Macbeths murder.
Act two scene 1 is the night of Duncan’s murder. Duncan’s been in high spirits all evening and has gone to bed, totally oblivious as to what is about to happen. He doesn’t suspect a thing, shows his poor judge of character again. The atmosphere is tense and Banquo, who is outside with his son Fleance is feeling some sort of premonition, he cant sleep and is feeling nervous.
Anyway Duncan had decided to give Lady Macbeth a diamond ring for being such a kind hostess, ‘this diamond he greets your wife withal, by the name of most kind hostess’ which shows him oblivious to what is going on, poor judge of character because he wants to give the person who planned his murder a diamond. It could be said Duncan was far too trusting as a King and deserved to be killed.
The atmosphere is of horror just before the murder, as Macbeth is waiting for his time to do the dirty deed he is feeling nervous, and starts seeing things, ‘Is this a dagger I see before me? With its handle towards my hand? Come – let me hold you, nothing there, yet I can still see you’. He is seeing the weapon he will use for the murder. He is scared however he pulls himself together in time for his signal to do it.
We learn in scene 2 that Lady Macbeth would have done the deed, if Duncan didn’t look like her father in his sleep, ‘had he not resembled my father as he slept, I had done’t’. After Macbeth has murdered Duncan he comes down to Lady Macbeth with the daggers and is covered in blood. He is shaken up and is worried about what he has done, and why he cant say ‘amen’?, it is stuck in his throat. Lady Macbeth calls him a coward because he wont go back upstairs with the daggers, so she goes herself. She is far more courageous than Macbeth. Lady Macbeth tells him to pull himself together rather than be ‘lost in thought’ but he replies with ‘to know my deed, twere best not know myself.Wake Duncan with thy knocking. I would thou couldst.’
To conclude I think I have provided you with enough evidence that all four are to blame for the murder, the witches because of their prophecies to Macbeth, Duncan because he is such a poor judge of character and far too trusting, Macbeth for actually committing the murder and of course Lady Macbeth, perhaps more so than the others, for manipulating and influencing Macbeth, for questioning Macbeths love for her and calling him a coward, for planning what weapon was to be used and when he shall die.