What influences Macbeth to make the decision to kill Duncan in Act 1?

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What influences Macbeth to make the decision to kill Duncan in Act 1?

William Shakespeare wrote a thrilling, dramatic, theatre production, filled with witchcraft, betrayal and women with the lust for power. Between 1603 and 1606 Macbeth was written for James who was king of Scotland, the play is set in 1050 and with king James obsessed with witchcraft and paranoia with killings of kings which links to his ancestors Banquo. Also this theatre production compliments James ancestor Banquo as a hero on this production. This theatre production includes the murder of a king which in the time when James was on throne this would not be allowed because kings were chosen by God and only a king could kill a king. Also the use of witches within the story line, which James the king of Scotland was interested in. James was so obsessed with the subject he wrote a book ‘Demonology’. This play explores kingship and loyalty which were most important to James who had earlier in his life survived an assassination attempted followed by his father’s murder.

There are three major influences which affect Macbeth and cause him to commit regicide:

Macbeth was a very ambitious man so when he hears that he will not be king after the glorious king Duncan dies, although he has gone to war and slaved over the king’s feet for them to push him aside. Macbeth meets the 3 witches to hear what the witches had to say about him becoming king. He starts to consider if this is even possible and how he can become king. Also Lady Macbeth manipulates Macbeth into killing king Duncan. She bullies him, threatens him and calls him a ‘coward’ to manipulate Macbeth.

The opening of scene 1 is dramatic and atmospheric, Shakespeare deliberately uses pathetic fallacy, through the ‘thunder and lightning’ to evoke the evilness of the witches.  The sudden introduction of witchcraft would have unsettled both James and the audience and created an omen of things to come.

 

The violent nature of the surroundings ‘a desolate place’ again emphasises how destructive the witches are as a stereotypical location is suggested.  The opening lines give the impression that the witches have control of the weather ‘when the hurly-burly’s done’ the wish to summon a storm to cover up their evil intentions.

From the start you can tell that this play is about evil, obsession of glory and betrayal. Shakespeare used pathetic fallacy to catch the eyes of the watchers. This method emphasises the three witch’s evilness and shows from the start how evil and persuasive they can be. This makes the audience integrate the meaning of this play. At this time witches was more of an obsession than a mythical creature of the deep and evil. This would have show King James that there are witches and evil, mean while he is watching this play they are casting spells and predicting evil. Also King James had influenced his subjects and more than ever they will be frightened and intrigued by this performance. This opening will also show the intentions of the witches toward Macbeth and wanting him to slaughter the king. Which bring me to think that all the cursing toward the witches the king had done might have aggravated them so when a very easily influenced person comes along they take full advantage.

 The spell that the witches are casting is to lure their vulnerable victim Macbeth in to a trance, where he can be easily manipulated. Their final couplet gives the illusion of a spell being cast. The beginning of scene 1 the language in very different, the witches created an evil atmosphere by the ‘thunder and lighting’ being stated within the poetic structure of a spell. Shakespeare uses the stage direction to give the opening a dangerous tension and to shock the audience. Also within the poetic spell we know that there is a structure to this poetic spell by ‘foul is fair, and fair is foul’. The spell they are casting is to lure their victim Macbeth to them so they can manipulate him to kill Duncan; this is a rhyming couplet to help the flow of the dramatics of the witches throughout out the whole of the beginning of scene one.

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In scene two we emerge from the dark, oppressive and ominous atmosphere that Shakespeare created by pathetic fallacy for the witches to a horrific battle of an over powering army ageist a struggling force, until Macbeth and Banquo, in acts of outstanding courage and ferocity, destroyed the traitor Macdonwald and his army. But as this occurs, reinforcements from the king of Norway and the traitor, counterattack Macbeth and Banquo. Subsequently these two are not at all dismayed but as the captain is taken away to tend his wound, the outcome is still unsure. The Thane of Ross arrives to ...

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