Win us with honest trifles, to betray’s
In deepest consequence.”
Banquo is saying that because the witches have told one truth, so that we trust them, but they might deceive us in ones that are more important. This does not convert Macbeth into thinking that they might not be speaking truth in being King, but puts him in the opposite direction. He starts to see into the future and thinking about the ways, he can become King.
“ 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? Present fears
Are less than horrible imaginings”
The future seems real to Macbeth.
When Ross informs that Macbeth is the new Thane of Cawdor, he replies by saying
“The Thane of Cawdor lives: Why do you dress me in borrowed robes”
He speaks to himself and says that one of the three prophecies has come true and he wonders about the last prophecy will come true (that he will become King). He then says to Banquo. “Do you not hope your children become Kings?”
In a way, Macbeth has taken the bait from the witches because he starts thinking that the witches have told him three truths and he starts believing that he can become King. In Act 1 scene 3, Macbeth is questioning and examining weather, the Witches are good or bad.
“This supernatural soliciting
Cannot be ill, cannot be good.”
He is wondering whether good or bad will come out of what has happened.
When Duncan announced that Malcom was becoming heir to the throne by being the Prince of Cumberland. Macbeth then says that now there is another obstacle in the way so he might not be able to leave it to fate so he will leave it to the responsibility of the witches’ control. He then starts to think immoral thoughts.
“The Prince of Cumberland! that is a step
On which I must fall down, or else o’er leap.”
My thoughts on Macbeth are that he is a partial victim who cannot resist temptation. I think this because he was a victim that the thoughts were put in his head by the witches and of he never met the witches he would not of thought about it. He is a partial victim because he decided to leave it to fate and because he could not resist inducement, he wanted to make sure he would become King.
Straight after the murder of Duncan, Lady Macbeth takes charge ordering Macbeth to wash his hands and also blackmails and treatens against his manhood because he didn’t want put the knives back in the guard’s pockets. This also shows that Lady Macbeth contributed into Macbeth’s destiny.
“Infirm of purpose!
Give me daggers. The sleeping and the dead
Are but as pictures; ‘tis the eye of childhood
That fears a painted devil. If he do bleed,
I’ll gild the faces of groom withd,
For it must seem their guilt.”
There is a major of differences how Lady Macbeth would have been viewed in the 1600’s and in the 21st century. In the year 2000, she is seen as a very demanding, domineering and an evil character. Where as in the 1600’s she would have been seen as a witch.
Lady Macbeth aided the witches by demanding Duncan to be killed. She cooperated with the witches plan to work. Because she influenced Macbeth, she pressurized him to do it. I think that Lady Macbeth was part of the witches’ plan because after the killing her conscience was filled with guilt. If she was truly an evil person then I do not think that she would have suffered with guilt. I think that the witches put a spell on her to act like that. Without Lady Macbeth, I do not think that the Witches’ plan would have succeeded. Macbeth was in doubts before he spoke to Lady Macbeth but she persuaded him and encouraged him to go ahead with killing Duncan.
“Only look up clear
To alter favor ever is to fear
Leave all the rest to me.”
She tells Macbeth to look like he has a clear conscience and have an honest face because fear always shows in a change of expression and she will plan the killing. As the play progresses, we learn that she does not have the courage that we think.
When Macbeth had just killed Duncan, Lady Macbeth manipulates him and takes part in his destiny because she takes the leading role and orders him about.
“…. Go, get some water,
And wash this filthy witness from your hand”
Macbeth heard someone in the chamber shouted, “God bless us,” he could not say amen. To the 16th century audience this would have been seen as evil. But to us we see that Macbeth was distressed and full of discontent. “Wake Duncan with thy knocking. I would thou couldst!”
Macbeth killed Banquo because he was reliability and his children were predicted to become King, again this becomes another obstacle in his path. Macbeth did not kill Banquo himself but he hired three murderers.
The consequence of the murders effects Macbeth violently. He cannot sleep properly and begins to hear and see things, like the dagger pointing in the direction of where he had to go to kill Duncan.
“A dagger of the mind, a false creation,
Proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain?”
He also sees Banquo's ghost at the banquet and in front of the guests he shouts out at him. He is on the point of insanity. This also shows the evil in the 16th century but to us it is seen as madness.
After Macbeth sees Banquo’s ghost, he decides to go back to the witches for the second time. He is feeling very anxious and he makes them promise that they will answer whatever questions he wants to ask. Making them promise shows that Macbeth thinks he is in control. If he was in control, (which he really is not) he would not of come to see the witches. In this scene, Dramatic Irony is used because we know that Macbeth is going to be tricked but Macbeth is unaware, because he is inattentive, he is easily led. They show him three apparitions. The first apparition an armed head who warns Mabeth. “Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! Beware Macduff;
Beware the Thane of Fife. Dismiss me enough”
Macbeth is pleased and comforted by this first apparition and takes it as good advice. The second apparition is a baby covered in blood which smbolises new birth. This apparition tells him to be bloody, bold and resolute and that none born of a women can harm Macbeth. Macbeth thinks that this means that no one can hurt him because he thinks that everyone is born from a woman and it is not possible for anyone to hurt him. Then Macbeth thinks why should I kill Macduff, I don‘t have to be scared of him. “ Then live Macduff: What need I fear of thee?” Then he goes on to say that he will kill him just to make double sure. The third apparition is a child who is crowned with a tree in his hand. This could mean he is Banquo’s son who might become King. He says that Macbeth will never be killed until Great Birnam Wood meets Dunsinane Hill.
“Macbeth shall never vanish’d be until
Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill
Shall come against him”
Macbeth is not afraid of anything now because he thinks that nothing can harm him. He is very gullible and believes all this and it shows how the Witches manipulate him and lead him to do what he wants to do. But, he does not know this.
His last speech in the scene shows he intents to kill every relation of Macduff because he is a traitor because he has left Scotland and fled to England.
“His wife, his babies, and all unfortunate souls
That trace him in his line. No boasting like a fool;
This dead I’ll do before this purpose cool.”
The witches appear to take control over Macbeth’s life again. They do this by showing him the three apparitions to him and see him taking the wrong turn. The audience likes this because dramatic Irony is used (the audience know what is going to happen to Macbeth).
The killing of Macduff’s family was an act of revenge from Macbeth. This makes the situation even worse because people are starting to disapprove of Macbeth actions and his attitude. The people, who are starting disrespect Macbeth, join the English army. The murder of Macduff’s innocent family hurt him and made him angry and looking for vengeance to kill Macbeth.
The witches betray Macbeth by letting the ‘fairytale’ (Where Dunsinane hill meets the wood) come true and actually happens. Macbeth is then aware he has been tricked and then he realises that he is no longer in control over his own destiny. We are reminded about Banquo because his children were predicted to become King. I think that Macduff called Macbeth hell hounds “Turn, hell-hound, turn!” because that is the place where Macbeth will be going after all the evil deeds he has committed and that he has turned Scotland into Hell.
The audience would have loved this because they liked all gory details of the murders and things like hell and imaginary characters.
I do not think that it is just Macbeth’s tragedy. Although he did suffer from tragedy by meeting the witches who led him to life a bloody life and make him change from the valiant and admirable Macbeth to the cruel and vicious Macbeth. It was also the tragedy of Banquo, where he was violently murdered because Macbeth he was afraid that he might have found out. There was also the tragedy of Lady Macbeth who ended up killing herself at the end of the play of guilt.
“Of this dead butcher and his friend-like Queen.”
Various indicators showed that Lady Macbeth was in the league with the devil. She sleepwalked after Duncan’s murder and she had a spot that she could not get off her hand. The audience would have thought that this is where the devil sucked her blood
Lady Macbeth was one of the huge influences of Macbeth because Macbeth did not want to kill Duncun but because she questions his manhood and calls him a coward, he does it to prove her wrong. She would not do it as she said that he reminded her of her father but she forces him to do it.
Macbeth lost control after he killed Duncan; he got obsessed with people, who might know or find out, so he killed them. He was at a point of no return. Lady Macbeth influenced him because she forced him to kill Duncan (She wanted to become King more than Macbeth wanted to become King). The three witches who gave him the thoughts to do what he did also influenced him. I think he had control, but gave it up when he lost a conscience.
