“For brave Macbeth – well he deserves that name –“(Iii 16) This line informs us that Macbeth will be handed the title ‘thane of Cawdor’. Shakespeare creates irony here because this title first belonged to a person who was ‘a most disloyal traitor’. Hence the audience get a further incite as to the nature of Macbeth. Moreover to support this idea, we hear about how Macbeth killed Macdonwald;
“Which ne’er shook hands, nor bade farewell to him,
Till he unseam’d him from the nave to the chaps…” (Iii 21-22) We understand this to mean that Macbeth had ripped Macdonwald open from the navel to the jaws. Again Shakespeare informs the audience that Macbeth is a brutal, almost inhumane killer who seems to have no confines on the battlefield. The viewers would find this important to understand Macbeth’s actions later on in the play.
In addition, the Sergeant states –
“Except they meant to bathe in reeking wounds,
Or memorize another Golgotha…” (Iii 40-42) He means by this that he could not tell if Macbeth thought that he would swim in blood, or make it a scene of bloodshed as etched to your mind as Golgotha, where Christ was crucified. Again Shakespeare conveys a satire to the audience in the sense that will a death occur that will be unforgettable?
Once more in Act1 Scene3 the witches make their appearance. We see yet again their evil magic as they await Macbeth. Shakespeare changes the mood here by creating thunder in the background, hence the audience become aware to the fact that the witches are evil. We further notice that they have power over the wind;
I’ll give thee a wind…”(Iiii 11) Thus this adds to the mystical shroud that Shakespeare deliberately envelops them in to remain to the audience magical and evil. When Macbeth and Banquo enter onto the scene, Macbeth confronts the witches. The next statements the witches play a dramatic and essential role in the so called ‘destiny’ of 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.”(Iiii 48-50) Here, the witches make three prophecies of which two have already come true. Banquo takes an almost joking yet calm reaction to the witches; as if they are nothing more than insane old women, however Macbeth’s reaction is completely different. He is stunned to silence by their foretelling. Shakespeare has constructed this scene in a way that the audience can interpret the witches better than Macbeth can. Moreover, we know from the previous scene that Macbeth’s courage won him the battle and not the witches’ magic. This makes the audience feel secure and gives them a better understanding of the play because they are in a better situation at this moment than Macbeth.
Furthermore, Shakespeare gives the audience a first view into what Macbeth is thinking;
“[Aside] Two truths are told,
As happy prologues to the swelling act
Of the imperial theme.” (Iiii 127-129) Here Macbeth sees his future before him as though he were a king in a play. In addition, Shakespeare writes his first soliloquy for Macbeth. He reveals terrifying and alarming thoughts that frighten us as well as Macbeth –
“My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical,
Shakes so my single state of man that function
Is smother’d in surmise, and nothing is
But what is not. (Iiii 139-142) Shakespeare reveals to the audience Macbeth’s mind, which thinks of murder as simply a vision, perturbs his whole being. He can do nothing due to the fact he is wondering what will happen; only the future is real to him. This greatly enhances the audiences’ knowledge of Macbeth and further deepens their understanding of him.
Shakespeare then goes on to inform the audience that Macbeth tries to reject his first desire, instead saying that he will leave the whole thing to chance;
“[Aside] If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me,
Without my stir.” (Iiii 143-4) From here on the audience regards Macbeth with suspicion due to the way Shakespeare conveys his thoughts across to them.
The way the audience thinks about Macbeth via Shakespeare’s way of writing further intensifies in Scene 4. This is were Macbeth’s profound soliloquy takes place;
“[Aside] The Prince of Cumberland! That is a step
On which I must fall down, or else o’er-leap,
For in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires! Let not light see my black and deep desires;
The eye wink at the hand; yet let that be
Which the eye fears, when it is done, to see.” (Iiv 48-53) Throughout the play so far, Shakespeare has chosen to write in pros, but now he changes his style to poetry. He uses rhyming couplets, that is the end word of every second line rhymes. He has done this perhaps to imply to the audience about Macbeth’s dual personality; the good and evil. Moreover, he communicates with the audience the sense of irony because Duncan is also present at this point. Also, they learn through this soliloquy that Macbeth’s thoughts scare him, and that evil seems to possess his mind. In addition, also that he knows it is wrong, but he desperately wants to hide his feelings from himself.
In Act1 Scene5 Shakespeare informs the audience to the shadow partner behind the murder that will later be committed;
“Of direst cruelty; make thick my blood,
Stop up the access and passage to remorse,
That no compunctious visiting of nature…”(Iv 43-4) This is a fundamental point conveyed to the audience through Shakespeare’s writing as to why Macbeth will do what he does. Here, he describes how Lady Macbeth wants to block up all the pathways that remorse can get to her heart. Thus, she will have no natural feelings of guilt and she can carry out her scheme. He lets the audience know that Lady Macbeth knows her husband well; she knows he has great ambitions and a great sense of honour and loyalty. He enlightens them to the fact that she will have to urge her husband on to become king. Also, a key point that he also tells them is that she calls for evil spirits to help her; she will let go of everything that makes her a woman in order to succeed, yet Macbeth seems happy to let her take control. Evidence Shakespeare tells the audience of this is key words like, “unsex me” (40) which means to take away all that makes her a woman. Another detail that Shakespeare makes obvious is that her soliloquy mirrors that of a prayer – however a prayer to something dark and evil. At this stage, the audience can make an inference to the connection between the witches and Lady Macbeth. They notice that Lady Macbeth has certain traits of a witch in the fact that she calls upon familiars; spirits –
“Wherever in your sightless substances…” (48) Moreover, he reveals to us that she too has fantasies about the future; “The future in the instant.”(57) At this time she is transported in her imagination into the forthcoming future, and she feels that this is already among her. Macbeth is present while she says this, but is extremely reluctant to talk anymore about it at this time, consequently he will “…speak further…” (70) about it later.
In Scene 7 Macbeth is alone after dinner and has the opportunity to think about the murder of his king, probably for the first time. This is where Shakespeare presents to the audience the horrific change in Macbeth; loyal subject to king killer. He reveals to us that Macbeth tries to reason with himself, justifying his thoughts;
“If it were done, when ‘tis done, then ‘twere well
It were done quickly; if th’ assassination…”(Ivii 1-2) He feels here that if the murder were to be over with quickly then it would be a good thing to have it carried out. Furthermore, Macbeth again conjures up images in his head, “…upon this bank and shoal of time…” (6) Through this picture, Shakespeare suggests to the audience that Macbeth has lost control and maybe is unstable mentally. Moreover, Shakespeare goes on to inform the audience that it is not cowardice that restrains Macbeth from committing the murder, he is actually aware of the duty which he owes to Duncan. He does this through Macbeth wrestling with his conscience;
“He’s here in double trust:
First, as I am his kinsman and his subject,
Strong both against the deed; then as his host,
Who should against his murderer shut the door,
Not bear the knife myself.” (12-16) This makes the audience feel some sympathy for Macbeth, in the sense that they can realise that Macbeth is becoming psychologically insecure and is tremendously confused.
Shakespeare also shows the audience that Macbeth understands that the crime must be punished, yet he does not worry about his afterlife, but more about his punishment on earth – “…We still have judgement here…” (8) However, on the contrary Shakespeare’s writing reaches a climax and Macbeth’s thinking is completed twisted around when he thinks of his evil purpose for committing such a crime. He can find nothing except “…Vaulting ambition…” (27) and realises that there is no justification for committing such a crime. He makes up his mind; he has won a great victory over himself;
“We will proceed no further in this business…” (31) By Macbeth saying this to Lady Macbeth who has just entered the scene, Shakespeare informs the audience that Macbeth has saw the evil in his plan and is now totally against it, yet he then goes on to show them Lady Macbeth’s manipulation of him, thus again creating sympathy for Macbeth. Shakespeare then turns the audience’s attention to Lady Macbeth and shows them that she has no such conscience that Macbeth has. He clearly displays to them that she is the stronger of the two. He conveys to them that Macbeth cannot stand up to her insults and indictments that he is a coward, lacking in manliness, and a defector to his word;
“That made you break this enterprise to me?
When you durst do it, then you were a man…” (Ivii 48-9) Shakespeare here makes it clear to the audience that Macbeth does not want to commit this murder, yet he is not strong enough to stand up to his wife. Finally, he acquiesces to her, and in order to prove himself a valiant warrior and man in her eyes, succumbs to her guidance.
In Act 2 Scene 1, from the off we notice that Shakespeare very subtly implies the presence of an almost strange and evil spirit;
“Restrain in me the cursed thoughts that nature
Gives way to in repose.
Give me my sword.” (IIi 7-9) If we analyse this, we notice that Banquo feels particularly tired, yet he is afraid of the thoughts that will come to him if he sleeps. Moreover, he asks for his sword, even though he thinks he is in ‘friendly’ territory. This makes the audience feel that there is another presence in this scene and that Banquo is aware of this, hence he asks for his sword. Shakespeare has done this to infer to the audience that the murder will take place very shortly. Similarly, Shakespeare implies that Macbeth can sense that something else is there too. He does this by showing the audience that Macbeth speaks few words in his replies to Banquo;
“Who’s there?
A friend.” (IIi 10-11) Again Shakespeare is revealing to the audience here the company of evil is present.
Finally, Shakespeare reveals all in Macbeth’s final soliloquy before Duncan’s murder. He discloses that Macbeth is living in a nightmare. He is distressed by the dagger that his imagination creates, yet later he seems to enjoy the horror of the moment –
“Mine eyes are made the fools o’ the other senses,
Or else worth all the rest: I see thee still…” (IIi 44-5) Again this conforms to the audience that Shakespeare is trying to inform them of the fact Macbeth seems to be in a transition period of reality and a dream, thus making them nervous and apprehensive. Yet on the contrary, he shows them that Macbeth believes he will take pleasure in the terror of murdering Duncan;
“…the bell invites me.
Hear it not Duncan; for it is a knell…” (IIi 62-3) Here, Shakespeare finalises to the audience the change in Macbeth. He shows them that Macbeth is now to caught up in his fascination with murder and that there is no going back for him; he will become a king killer.
To conclude, I believe that Shakespeare presents the change in Macbeth from loyal subject to king killer very effectively. He works on the knowledge of the audience at that time, i.e. he uses the witches’ magic to show the evil influence on Macbeth and the power of Lady Macbeth’s thoughts over him. He reveals to them in a shrewdly way Macbeth’s thoughts, and how the lust for power has greatly blinded his loyalty and his debt to Duncan.