Macbeth's Character Change

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        There are 3 main causes and influences in Act 1that contribute to the change in Macbeth’s character. The first is the role of the witches, where our first impression of Macbeth is a loyal warrior, but when he speaks to the Three Weird Sisters, we can see that beneath the loyalty he shows through the war, there is also his ambition of being king. The second is the role of Lady Macbeth, who has a strong character, and forces Macbeth to kill Duncan. The is the role of Macbeth himself, who lets Lady Macbeth push himself to plot the murder of Duncan, and letting ambition take over his loyal character.

        The Three Weird Sisters made a great impact on Macbeth’s character in Act 1. From Act 1 Scene 1 Line 11, “Fair is foul, and foul is fair” gives us an idea that the rest of the Acts in the play are going to be foul as the witch’s predictions of Macbeth’s future are accurate. They predict that many things that seem pleasant may happen, but as from the quote, it can be assumed that the fair things may turn out to be foul. At the start of Act 1 Scene 2 Lines 20, 24 and 25, the Sergeant recalled that brave Macbeth “smoked with bloody execution”, as he faced the traitor and “unseamed him from the nave to the chops, And fixed his head upon our battlements”. These quotes show how Macbeth’s loyalty towards the king as he fought violently for him. This portrays Macbeth as someone who will never oppose the king or kill him, but later in the play, in Act 1 Scene 4 Lines 55-56 and 57-58, Macbeth quietly thinks to himself “The Prince of Cumberland! That is a step on which I must fall down, or else overleap” and craves to himself “Stars, hide your fires! Let not light see my black and deep desires.” This shows the audience that Macbeth has evil desires to overthrow the Prince of Cumberland and take the throne. This is an example of how fair is foul, and foul is fair as presumed by the witches.

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        Apart from the Three Weird Sisters, Lady Macbeth has also made a great influence on Macbeth which causes his character to change. In Act 1 Scene 5 Line 72, she persuades Macbeth to “Look like the innocent flower, But be the serpent under it.” This is what Macbeth is intending to do as he wants to follow his ambition to king and overleap the Prince of Cumberland, and take the thrown. Lady Macbeth reinforces Macbeth’s way of getting the crown, and pushes Macbeth to commit crimes. Later in Act 1 Scene 7 line 50-51, Macbeth can be seen that ...

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