Macbeth and Banquo think that the witches were speaking a load of nonsense, and carry on their trek to Forres. However during their journey to Forres, Macbeth is approach by a man who alerts him of being Thane of Cawdor. Both Macbeth and Banquo are shocked because it seems that one of the witches’ prophecies has become true. Banquo questions the witches’ prophecy “Does the Devil speak true?”
Immediately Macbeth starts daydreaming about becoming king. Banquo notices Macbeth and says, “Look how our partner’s rapt.” This means that Macbeth is not being his usual self.
In Macbeth’s mind, he says, “If chance will have me King, why chance may crown me.” Macbeth theory is that as hasn’t done anything to become Thane of Cawdor then he won’t have to do anything to become King.
In the next scene Duncan announces that his son, Malcolm, is to be king after him. If Duncan had not named his son as the next king, the thanes would then have met and elected a new king after Duncan’s death. This might explain why Macbeth had put such faith in the prophecy of the witches. He thought that as a general and Thane of both Glamis and Cawdor he might have been elected king after Duncan.
In the next scene Lady Macbeth has receives a letter from Macbeth explaining about the witches and their prophecy. The first part is that they said that Macbeth was to be ‘Thane of Cawdor’. The next part is that they said is, “Hail King that shalt be!”
After reading the letter Lady Macbeth thinks that Macbeth will become King as the first part of the prophecy came true. She also has evil thoughts of murder and death and says that Macbeth will not kill Duncan because he too kind. She says, “Glamis thou art and Cawdor and shalt be what thou art promised; yet do I fear thy nature, it is too full o’ th’ milk of human kindness to catch the nearest way.”
Shortly after reading Macbeth’s letter, Lady Macbeth receives the news that Duncan is to stay with them in their castle. Lady Macbeth starts chanting to invoke evil spirits, “The raven himself is hoarse that croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan under my battlements.” This means the croaking raven, a bird of ill omen, is more hoarse than usual. This is probably because it signals the death of Duncan.
Lady Macbeth goes on to say, “Come you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here. And fill me from the crown to the toe top-full of direst cruelty; make thick my blood. Stop up th’ access and passage to remorse.” Lady Macbeth wants evil spirits that serve murderous thoughts. She wants them to take away her femininity and to prevent pity from flowing in her veins making sure that she doesn’t feel compassion and feelings of humanity upset her ruthless intentions, or stop her from carrying out the deed.
Then Macbeth enters the scene and greets Lady Macbeth. Lady Macbeth tells Macbeth her intentions declaring that Duncan will not see the sun again; “O never shall sun that morrow see.” Lady Macbeth tries to persuade Macbeth to become deceitful; “Your hand, your tongue; look like th’ innocent flower, but be the serpent under’t. He that’s coming must be provided for.”
Macbeth replies, “We will speak further.” This is because he hasn’t made a decision whether to kill Duncan or not but it seems that Lady Macbeth has made a decision to kill Duncan. It seems that Lady Macbeth is in control. Later on Macbeth then tells Lady Macbeth to forget about their plan, as he will not kill Duncan. He says, “We will proceed no further in this business.” Lady Macbeth replies, “Was the hope drunk wherein you dressed yourself? Hath it slept since? And wakes it now to look so green and pale at what it did so freely? From this time such I account thy love.” This means if he doesn’t do the deed he doesn’t love her. She goes on to say, “And live a live a coward in thine own esteem.”
Macbeth replies by saying that he is a man. Then Lady Macbeth says, “What beast was’t then, that made you break this enterprise to me? When you durst do it, then you were a man; and to be more than what you were, you would be so much more than a man. This means if Macbeth doesn’t kill Duncan he is not a man. All this hurts Macbeth and eventually he is persuaded to play a part in the killing of Duncan.
Lady Macbeth explains to Macbeth her plan to kill Duncan. When Duncan is asleep his two chamberlains will be too drunk from wine and wassail to remember anything, leaving the king unguarded to be killed.
Lady Macbeth goes off to kill Duncan and comes back to Macbeth and says “I laid their daggers ready. He could not miss ‘em. Had he not resembled my farther as he slept, I had done’t.” Lady Macbeth doesn’t have the courage to carry out the murder, so Macbeth is forced to carry out the murder from pressure from lady Macbeth. The murder is the first of a series of brutal murders, which lead to Macbeth tragic downfall.
I only partially agree that Lady Macbeth is the real driving force behind the murder of Duncan. I think the death of Duncan is caused by a combination of the witches’ prophecy, Macbeth’s own ambition, fate and Lady Macbeth. Probably the main factors towards the murder of Duncan, are the prophecies of ‘Thane of Cawdor’ and when they say, ‘that shalt be king hereafter’. At first Macbeth doesn’t think much of it to begin with but when he is entitled ‘Thane of Cawdor’, he believes that he can become king. Also this makes Macbeth more ambitious to become king. When the news reaches lady Macbeth she wants Macbeth to become king.
The next factor is lady Macbeth. If it wasn’t for lady Macbeth, Macbeth wouldn’t have killed Duncan. Lady Macbeth calls him a coward and questions whether Macbeth really loves her or not. This is what pushes him into murdering Duncan. When Lady Macbeth receives a letter from Macbeth informing her of the witches’ prophecy. She is influenced the possibility of Macbeth becoming king.
Another factor, which contributes to the murder of Duncan, is fate. If it wasn’t for Duncan staying at Macbeth’s castle then he wouldn’t have been murdered and another bit of fate is that Prince Malcolm runs away leaving the Macbeth to become king.
The other factor is Macbeth’s own ambition, he wants to become king and when he has the encounter with three witches he becomes even more ambitious.
I partially agree that Lady Macbeth is the real driving force behind the murder of Duncan but the witches’ prophecy is a greater factor and also involved in the factor of Macbeth’s ambitions and also Lady Macbeth determination to murder Duncan, as she draws on evil spirits to infuse her with cruelty.
