The opening scene of the play sets a mysterious tone with the witches chanting “fair is foul and foul is fair.” The contradiction in their words adds to the mysterious atmosphere. Furthermore, the play begins with three witches discussing a meeting. In Scene ii, Macbeth is initially portrayed as a heroic figure for his brave and loyal act of killing Macdonwald. He is deserving of the name “brave Macbeth” for his actions in service to Duncan.
Scene iii The witches have made great promises to Macbeth, but Banquo cautions him that the witches may speak partially true in order to trick and harm him. Banquo suspects that believing in the first prophecy’s accuracy might lead Macbeth into falling for a sinister plan concocted by the witches. As Banquo puts it, the instruments of Darkness often share truths with us, enticing us with seemingly insignificant things only to ultimately betray us in profound and far-reaching ways.
Scene iv. Macbeth is further tempted by the witch’s prophecy, as it coincides with King Duncan’s upcoming visit to Macbeth’s castle. This presents a perfect opportunity for Macbeth to attempt to fulfill the prophecy: “from hence to Inverness, and bind us further to you.” Additionally, Macbeth’s temptation is strengthened by the fact that the king has grown very close to him and places complete trust in him, eliminating any suspicion of treachery. The gratitude and reward that would have rightfully been mine, I am left with much more to express that is owed to you, more than I can repay.
In Scene v-vi, it becomes evident that Lady Macbeth plays a dominant role in plotting the murder of Duncan. There are clear signs of her assertiveness in this plan. She expresses her belief that Macbeth is too kind-hearted to take the quickest path towards their goal, stating that he possesses ambition but lacks the ruthlessness that should accompany it. This implies that she sees herself as the evil counterpart to Macbeth. Additionally, Lady Macbeth cleverly displays her loyalty to the king by showering him with flattery and presenting herself as a faithful subject. She states that all their past services pale in comparison to the deep and wide honors bestowed upon their house. We humbly acknowledge these old and recent dignities and remain your devoted servants. This cunning portrayal undoubtedly demonstrates Lady Macbeth’s loyalty to the king.
In Scene vii, Macbeth clearly convinces himself not to kill King Duncan for several reasons. He emphasizes his dual obligation towards Duncan, as both his relative and his loyal subject, which strongly opposes the act of murder. Furthermore, as the host, Macbeth should protect Duncan from any harm, instead of being the one to wield the knife. These two compelling factors underscore why Macbeth should not only safeguard Duncan but also refrain from committing the heinous crime himself.
Despite having numerous reasons not to kill King Duncan, Macbeth is persuaded by Lady Macbeth. She is not only wicked and cunning but also very persuasive. Lady Macbeth provokes Macbeth to make the choice of murdering Duncan. “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 more the man.” (Act II Scene i) This scene reveals a lot about Macbeth’s mental state as he imagines seeing a knife before him. “I have thee not, and yet I see thee still!”
Are you not, fatal vision, capable of feeling as well as being seen? Or are you simply a figment of the mind, a false creation resulting from a mentally strained state? This also highlights Macbeth’s extreme anxiety before he commits the act, fully aware of the dire consequences and the potential loss of everything if anything goes wrong. Scene ii provides multiple signs that Macbeth is damned after murdering Duncan. One person laughed in their sleep, another cried ‘Murder!’ … one cried ‘God bless us’ and ‘Amen,’ as if they had witnessed me with these hands stained by executioner’s work.
Listening to their fear, I couldn’t say amen when they said “God bless us.” Macbeth’s inability to say amen, a word that Christians were expected to say at the time, suggests that he had turned away from God. In Scene iii, Macbeth’s speech contains a terrible irony as he rambles on about how life would be better if he had died before Duncan’s murder, despite the fact that he is the one who killed the king. “Had I lived a blessed time; for, from this instant, there’s nothing serious in morality.”
It is ironic that if Macbeth had died before the murder, Duncan would not have died. In Act III Scene i, they placed a fruitless crown on my head and a barren sceptre in my grip. It was to be taken from me by an illegitimate hand, as no son of mine would succeed me. If this is true, I have plotted against Banquo’s descendants. I have murdered the gracious Duncan for them. I have stirred up conflicts in the vessel of my happiness only for them. I have given my eternal jewel to the common enemy of mankind to make them kings, the future kings from Banquo’s bloodline! Rather than allowing this to happen, let my fate be decided in a battle to the end.
This passage reveals Macbeth’s increasing desire for power. He has already acquired some power, but now he wants even more. The witches’ prophecy about Banquo’s descendants becoming kings worries Macbeth because he feels that he has done all the dirty work for Banquo’s children to eventually take the throne. To prevent this from happening, Macbeth decides to have Banquo and his son Fleance murdered. This shows Macbeth’s insatiable hunger for power, as he wants to eliminate any possibility of Banquo’s descendants becoming kings. In Scene ii, the imagery portrays Macbeth’s declining mental and moral state.
Macbeth seems to have taken control of the situation in order to secure the throne for his own family. The plan was initially conceived by Lady Macbeth, but now Macbeth has taken on the responsibility of maintaining power. My intention is also to do the same, my love, and I hope you will join me. It is crucial that we show Banquo respect and give him praise, both through our words and actions. However, it is risky for us to pretend to be honorable while hiding our true intentions. We must hide our genuine feelings and assume a different persona. Despite being one of Macbeth’s closest friends, Macbeth is willing to betray Banquo in order to protect his family’s claim on the throne.
Scene iv. Macbeth’s mental state is significantly declining, as evidenced by his delirious visions of Banquo. Take a look! Observe! Behold! See! What do you say? Well, what do I care? If you can nod, then speak as well. If corpses and graves must give rise to those we bury, our monuments shall be consumed by birds of prey. The numerous hallucinations and fits clearly indicate that Macbeth has been greatly affected by the toll of the murders and plotting.
Act IV Scene i: Be fierce, fearless, and determined. Laugh at the power of men because none who are born from woman can harm Macbeth.
Be lion-hearted, proud, and carefree about those who provoke, who worry, or where conspirators are. Macbeth will not be defeated until Great Birnam Wood reaches high Dunsinane Hill. These statements are made by the second and third apparitions respectively. Although the apparitions’ intentions are unclear, Macbeth interprets them literally. To take them literally means to believe that it is impossible for a man not born of a woman to exist. It is also impossible for a forest to move. Macbeth’s serious interpretation of these prophecies falsely assures him of his safety.
Scene ii depicts Macbeth’s reprehensible plan to murder Macduff’s family and everyone in his castle. This act demonstrates Macbeth’s descent into depravity, as none of the victims had any involvement in preventing Macbeth or his family from obtaining the throne. The killings were simply motivated by revenge against Macduff and to torment him. It is evident that Macbeth had developed a disturbing inclination towards murder, resorting to this gruesome act when he no longer had a justifiable reason to kill. Furthermore, the fact that Macbeth and Macduff are relatives intensifies the wickedness of these murders and highlights just how morally reprehensible Macbeth has become.
The murderer asserts that He (Macduff) is a traitor. In addition to planning to kill Macduff’s family and everyone associated with it, they also mock the people. In Scene iii, Malcolm presents a catalog of the most wicked human traits to test Macduff’s true intentions of wanting Malcolm to return and lead the war effort. Although these traits do not apply to him, he includes lust and greed as his own attributes, which greatly upsets Macduff. Malcolm further disturbs Macduff by proclaiming that he possesses no redeeming qualities. However, I possess none.
Malcolm enumerates the virtues of a king, such as justice, verity, temperance, stableness, bounty, perseverance, mercy, lowliness, devotion, patience, courage, and fortitude. However, he declares his lack of appreciation for these qualities and instead embraces various crimes in their divisive forms. In fact, if given the opportunity, Malcolm would even bring chaos to hell itself and disrupt the harmony of the entire world. Essentially, Malcolm rejects all the noble attributes that a king should possess and states his preference for acts of wrongdoing.
In Act V Scene i of Shakespeare’s play, Lady Macbeth reveals her vulnerability and guilt through sleepwalking. She exclaims, “Out, damned spot! Out, I say! —One, two. Why then ’tis time to do ’t. Hell is murky! —Fie, my lord, fie! A soldier and afeard? What need we fear who knows it when none can call our power to account? —yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him…” She mentions the wife of the thane of Fife and questions her whereabouts. Lady Macbeth laments over her perpetually dirty hands and urges Macbeth to wash his hands and put on his nightgown.
Don’t appear so pale. I want to remind you once more that Banquo is deceased and unable to return from the grave. Lady Macbeth is reflecting on her involvement in past events, namely the murder of Duncan, the murder of Banquo, and the murder of Macduff’s family. This narrative serves as a moral lesson, illustrating that one reaps what they sow. Lady Macbeth orchestrated these killings and now she must face the repercussions for her wicked deeds. In Scene iii, Seyton! It saddens me greatly when I witness…Seyton, I implore you! This action will either permanently uplift my spirits or lead to my downfall. I have lived long enough.
In Macbeth’s soliloquy, it is revealed that his way of life has significantly worsened, as symbolized by the fall of the sere and yellow leaf. Instead of experiencing honor, love, obedience, and friendships during old age, he anticipates curses and empty respect. The poor heart desires to reject these superficial displays of respectability but is unable to do so. Macbeth’s dissatisfaction with his role as king is evidenced by his rule over a lifeless country populated by individuals who despise him; moreover, he lacks any companionship or affection. At this juncture, Macbeth is essentially dead except for his castle.
Just like Macbeth, the same saying applies: what goes around comes around. Macbeth killed Duncan, and that is the worst thing that can happen to him without his own death. I will fight until my bones are chopped into pieces. Give me my armor. At this point, Macbeth believes that since he has initiated this tyrannical plan, he might as well follow it through to the end. Scene v: She should have died later; there would have been a suitable moment for such a word. Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow slowly progresses from day to day until the last syllable of recorded time, and all our previous days have led fools towards a death filled with dust.
Out, out, brief candle! Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more. It is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. Macbeth expresses his sorrow over the death of Lady Macbeth and acknowledges that life can be fleeting. He believes that life is merely a game controlled by an ignorant person, and in an instant, it can be abruptly taken away. Anyone who takes life too seriously may discover that despite their careful plans, life can disappear suddenly.
Scene v-vii. All of the witches’ prophecies about Macbeth’s death have come true: Be bloody, bold, and resolute. Laugh to scorn the power of man, for none of woman born shall harm Macbeth. Be lion-mettled, proud, and take no care who chafes, who frets, or where conspirers are. Macbeth shall never vanquished be until Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill Shall come against him. These prophecies have been fulfilled as Macduff underwent a vasectomy and the entire army that came to overthrow Macbeth disguised their numbers by each carrying a branch from Birnam Wood.
Every single one of the Witches’ prophecies proved to be true. Macbeth is furious about the deceptive language used by the witches. I curse whoever dares to tell me the truth, for it has crushed my noble qualities as a man! And why should we trust these deceitful creatures who manipulate us with double meanings, making promises that they do not fulfill. I will not engage in combat with you. Macbeth condemns the witches for tricking him with their word games and leading him to falsely believe that he was invincible, only to later discover that he was not.
Scene vii. We shall not waste much time before we settle accounts with all of your lovers and make things fair between us. My thanes and kinsmen, from now on you will be earls, the first ones in Scotland to receive such an honor. There are other things to be done as well, such as bringing back our friends who were exiled and escaped the traps of a watchful tyrant. We will also present the cruel servants of this dead butcher and his monstrous queen, who, it is believed, took her own life with violent means. We will accomplish all of this, along with anything else that needs attention, by the grace of Grace, in due time and place.
Thank you to everyone, both collectively and individually, who we invite to witness our coronation at Scone. Malcolm accurately describes the true nature of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, referring to Macbeth as a butcher and Lady Macbeth as a queen with devilish qualities. Macbeth’s actions align perfectly with the image of a butcher, as he has killed and orchestrated numerous deaths. Lady Macbeth’s characterization as a fiendish queen is not far off, as she played a fiend-like role in assisting Macbeth in his evil plot. Malcolm’s speech is fitting for the country and the soldiers, as it will bring peace to the land.
