... he says, "But "tis strange/ instruments of darkness tell us truths/ win us with honest trifles, to betray's/ in deepest consequence. Banquo tells Macbeth that he believes that the witches are cunning and scheming, as they tell truths about little matters but lie about big matters and tell half-truths - ... ambitions. This is shown when he says, "I have no spur/ but only/Vaulting ambition o"er leaps itself- Immediately after this soliloquy where Macbeth ponders over regicide, Lady Macbeth enters. She asks Duncan whether he will murder Duncan that night, and when he replies that he will not...

• Word Count: 3194
• Approx Pages: 13
• Grade Level: High School

... be the serpent under it', more advice for the killing of his king, and 'leave the rest to me' shows her cool control over the matter. Lady Macbeth also shows a more helpful side, offering help. 'I may pour my spirits in thine ear', which although seemingly providing a contrast to her cold hearted plotting earlier, ... 'so deeply', saying that thinking about the deed 'will make us mad' and 'unbend your noble strength'. Here we see a slightly weaker side to Lady Macbeth, she is herself feeling vulnerable to guilt, almost immediately after the murder. This is shown in 'will make us mad'. Th...

• Word Count: 2105
• Approx Pages: 8
• Grade Level: High School

... darkness. In Shakespeare's time, when this play would be shown in the theatres, the audience would be confused at this first scene, because they knew Macbeth as a heroic fighter and king from the 11th Century. Hearing his name from the witches would have stirred up some bewilderment. In the next scene ... rebellious arm "gainst arm, Curbing his lavish spirit; and to conclude, The victory fell on us" When the King is informed of this he complements Macbeth greatly and decides he should become the new Thane of Cawdor because of his fantastic victory and achievements. Act 1 Scene 3 returns ...

• Word Count: 2837
• Approx Pages: 11
• Grade Level: High School

... without the illness should attend it. What thou wouldst highly, that wouldst highly; wouldst not play false, and yet wouldst wrongly win." This description of Macbeth suggests that Macbeth, with out exterior influences, would not have acted in the murderous ways that he did. Rather he would have let his destiny come to him ... holly. The weird sisters do not play as a physical force on the actions of Macbeth, but as a mental force. "They should not interfere but to weave the fatal web, or unravel it; they ought to be the regrets of the ... the border of visible and natural, and their wor...

• Word Count: 1429
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... act and can also change a person's perception even if it is towards someone that you love, either it be a close friend or a relative. Since Macbeth had a craving for better things, he had changed his opinions of others that he once had used to love so that he could obtain control and achieve ... stench. He had turned the situation into a royal blood bath, and had brought all of his friends into the issue along with him. Macbeth and Duncan were once very close friends, but Macbeth's desires had lowered himself as a man to such a low level, that it would only be a matter of time before the ...

• Word Count: 1443
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... this it is too late to make up for this mistake, which makes him a tragic hero. The three witch play a huge role when talking about Macbeth and his decision taking. In the first scene, we are introduced to the three witch. At the end of the scene the witches join together in ... saying "fair is foul and foul is fair" however, in the next scene Macbeth says "so foul and fair a day I have not seen". This shows that there seems to be a link between them. The link could ... The massacre of Macduff's family is the outcome of the predictions, which the witches made. Therefore, the witches hav...

• Word Count: 1079
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... not trust fate to carry out this course of action, and believed that his own inaction would leave the witches" prophesies unfulfilled. This is a drastic change from Macbeth's prior philosophy that, "If chance will have me king, why/ Chance may crown me,/ Without my stir" (Act I, scene iii, 142-144). Also, ... before he resolves to finally kill Duncan, Macbeth lists a number of reasons why he should not take part in the assassination plot. Amongst these is the ultimate resting place of his soul, and his concern ... his own ascension to the throne. It is his own ambition, spurred by the ...

• Word Count: 1526
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... , / Strong both against the deed; then, as his host, / Who should against his murderer shut the door, / Not bear the knife myself" (I.vii.12-16). Macbeth then says, "Besides, this Duncan / Hath born his faculties so meek, hath been / So clear in his great office, that his virtues / Will plead like angles, ... is good at remaining cool in tense situations and is good at getting out of tense situations. For example, when Macbeth was hallucinating at the dinner party, and was seeing Banqou's ghost, Lady Macbeth remained cool and made up a plausible explanation for her husband's actions. Alt...

• Word Count: 1010
• Approx Pages: 4
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... play better, and have little to do with the personalities of the main characters. Shakespeare's motives for his major changes to Holinshed's tale of Macbeth were to flatter the king of England at the time, King James I. Shakespeare's source of information for the play was a source of ... because Malcolm allowed a great deal of English influence in Scotland. He is thus seen by many English scholars as a much more civilized king than Macbeth, who is barbarous by comparison. His father, Duncan, is also considered to have these qualities, which may account for Shakespeare's embellishment of ...

• Word Count: 3181
• Approx Pages: 13
• Grade Level: High School

... "dearest chuck." She is all duty and skillful hospitalities, greeted as "our honored hostess " by King Duncan, who favors her home. Later, serving Macbeth, and having proper knowledge of "natural herbs and all things physick," she prepares a potion to ensure the chamberlains will sleep through Duncan's murder. After ... his objections; when he hesitates to murder, she repeatedly questions his manhood until he feels that he must commit murder to prove himself. Lady Macbeth's remarkable strength of will persists through the murder of the king "it is she who steadies her husband's nerves i...

• Word Count: 1375
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... they were able to send tempests to start the boat rocking. They relate this to their current situation with Macbeth. When the witches 1st meet Macbeth, they greet him as "Thane of Cawdor." When Macbeth learns of the previous thane's execution, he's influenced into believing that the other prophecies of him becoming king ... not once is fate mentioned. In fact throughout the whole play fate and destiny is hardly mentioned at all. Macbeth even raises the prospect of failing to do the deed. Macbeth's soliloquy in Act I Scene VII lists various reasons why not to kill Duncan. Some of things ...

• Word Count: 1071
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... control the weather and many other things related to these so basically they were real and evil. Surprisingly people believed in every one of these. So Macbeth wasn't exactly mad to wonder about the witches prophecy. It started of with thunder and lightning and the three witches they were called the weird sisters. ... asks how this could possibly happen, but there is no answer and they just vanish. Duncan's Death Duncan's death starts getting definite when first Lady Macbeth hints to Macbeth about how she so much wanted to be the Queen of Scotland, and saying lines like, "The night's gre...

• Word Count: 1352
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

... He wants the ultimate power that comes with being king. The only way he can become king is by killing Duncan and this is the beginning of MacBeth's corruption. MacBeth then kills Banquo and MacDuffs family in order to stay in power. This displays that he has become even more corrupt as king. By the end he ... thou be none"(1.iii.70) This means that Banquo will have a long line of children who will all become king, starting with his son Fleance. If MacBeth was to stay in power he could not have his friend's children coming around to replace him so he convinces some of his men to kill Ban...

• Word Count: 1448
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... iii). The witches prophecies don't say when or how, and their meaning depends entirely upon the receiver's interpretation. When the witches tell him he will be King Macbeth's reaction is one of shock then a wish to know more. "He seems rapt withal / stay you imperfect speakers, tell me more" (I, iii). Stark ... contrast to Banquo who laughs his prophecies off as jokes. "Have we eaten on the insane root" (I, iii). Macbeth almost immediately begins to consider murdering Duncan. "If good, why do I yield to that suggestion, whose horrid image doth unfix my hair, my thought, whose ... murder...

• Word Count: 1441
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... they were able to send tempests to start the boat rocking. They relate this to their current situation with Macbeth. When the witches 1st meet Macbeth, they greet him as "Thane of Cawdor." When Macbeth learns of the previous thane's execution, he's influenced into believing that the other prophecies of him becoming king ... not once is fate mentioned. In fact throughout the whole play fate and destiny is hardly mentioned at all. Macbeth even raises the prospect of failing to do the deed. Macbeth's soliloquy in Act I Scene VII lists various reasons why not to kill Duncan. Some of things ...

• Word Count: 1068
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... , 143-145). For the first time in the story, we see a dark side to the brave and courageous Macbeth. Macbeth sees himself kill his ruler. Macbeth is horrified by the idea but his thoughts of going after his destiny still remain. Another example of Macbeth's early thoughts of treachery occurs when Duncan formally names his son Malcom as his successor. "Stars, hide your fires ... vexed at the Duncan's choice of successor and wishes to overleap the situation with murder. No one helps Macbeth's thoughts to prepare for the murder of Duncan. It is Macbeth and Macbeth only who is responsible fo...

• Word Count: 885
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... nature and become ruthlessly evil. She also appears to be a woman without any morals and is thoroughly determined that the witch's prophecies come true. When Lady Macbeth hears that Duncan, the king, will be coming to stay at the castle her ambition takes a sudden turn and her wickedness grows. She decides that he ... , "The Raven himself is hoarse that croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan under my battlements" (I.V 36-38). As time goes on one can see Lady Macbeth begins to invite evil into her body. She wants nothing to stand in her way of dark and evil deeds, and wants no remnants of h...

• Word Count: 1578
• Approx Pages: 6
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... vantage, or that with both He labour'd in his country's wreck, I know not; But treasons capital, confessed and proved, have overthrown him." At this point Macbeth is worried, and believes something evil may be informing him. "This supernatural soliciting cannot be ill, cannot be good: if ill, why hath it given me earnest ... set in Scotland, Duncan could have chosen anyone. It was not like the British where the eldest son of the King got be King. Therefore, Macbeth is extremely disappointed and begins to think evil thoughts. He wonders if the prophecies made by the witches would all come...

• Word Count: 1488
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... This is shown in after the three witches tell him and Banquo their prophecies. In line 48 the third witch says. "All hail Macbeth that shalt be king hereafter." Macbeth's weakness is shown in lines 133-136 where he states, "If good, why do I yield to that suggestion, whose horrid image ... he agrees that the witches may be preaching truths, they can bring grim consequences. Exploration 4: The first aside in scene three reveals much about Macbeth's character not known before. Macbeth's weakness is shown in lines 133-136 where he states, "If good, why do I yield to that suggestion, whose ...

• Word Count: 1090
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

Influences Decisions are always hard to make, but have to be made everyday. People tend to put pressure on others to force them to make the wrong decisions. Macbeth is influenced greatly by these people because he refuses to listen to his conscience. He starts out as a strong man but when he encounters the witches his whole mindset changes ... metaphysical aid doth seem To have thee crown'd withal. (1.5 23-33) In these lines you find out how badly Lady Macbeth wants Macbeth to become King. Maybe even more than even Macbeth does. Lady Macbeth even plans how to kill Duncan and tells Macbeth ex...

• Word Count: 872
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... provides an initial indication as to what will happen throughout the book. In this first scene the witches provide the "supernatural force" which helps bring about Macbeth's fall. Macbeth, Thane of Glamis, is content with his position, until the three witches inform him of his future: "Hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor, thou ... her. She asks him if he is a man, and tells him that he will be "so much more a man" after murdering Duncan. She gives Macbeth an example of how resolute and cruel he should be telling him that she - a woman who is supposed to be kind and compassionate--would be able ...

• Word Count: 892
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... that evil is present and also signifies rebellion in the kingdom. As the witches are talking in riddles and rhymes Macbeths name is mentioned. This suggests that Macbeth is cursed right from the very beginning as he has already been associated with the evil of the witches. Because the audience would have known this they ... even entered his head and the evil had no effect on him until he hears that he is Thane of Cawdor and the first prophecy had come true. Macbeth starts to think that if one came true then the others could to. However he tries to deny this and calls the thoughts "horrid...

• Word Count: 1443
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... in some Dark Spot"(Bradley, 214), such as "the vision of the dagger, the murder of Duncan, the murder of Banquo, and the sleepwalking of Lady Macbeth"(Bradley, 214). The darkness symbolizes many things. First, it stands for the death and evil in the play. "Stars, hide your fires; let not ... light see my black and deep desires. The idea that only in darkness can such evil deeds be done is ever present with both Macbeth and his wife, as is seen in their two different and most characteristic invocations to darkness"(Van Doren, 330). The darkness is supposed to show how ... consumed by dar...

• Word Count: 1850
• Approx Pages: 7
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... . He knew what he was doing and did it. The Three witches could be blamed for the murder of King Duncan. When encountering Macbeth and Banquo, they made three predictions. One, being that Macbeth would become Thane of Cawdor, two, Macbeth becoming King of Scotland, and three Banquo's children becoming King's as well. They laugh this off, thinking that these witches are nothing ... she states that she is "Full o" the milk of human kindness" and that this be taken out of her so she can perform this deed. Lady Macbeth creates the plan to kill Duncan, and when Macbeth says "We will proceed n...

• Word Count: 766
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... of great will and determination overcome a predetermined path? Do unnatural powers, such as witchcraft have the power to change fate? In William Shakespeare's Macbeth, these questions arise. Macbeth is described as a man who is brave and strong, a warrior. But what of his character, his moral fiber? After hearing a prophecy ... to feeling as to sight? Or art thou but a dagger of mind, a false creation proceeding from the heat oppressed brain? (2.1.46-50) Macbeth goes through many changes as the play progresses. His relationship with his wife changes. He becomes strong and more capable o...

• Word Count: 1316
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School