WUTHERING HEIGHTS HEATHCLIFF'S REACTION IN CHAPTER SIXTEEN !

Heathcliff’s reaction to Catherine’s death is extraordinary and abnormal, never the less expected. Heathcliff thought out the novel has been depicted as something of dark nature, and devil like essence so for him to pray “his heart quelled and he prayed” shows a deep contrast in the depiction of his character, Bronte could have done this to emphasis the depth Catherine’s death pushed Heathcliff to. Heathcliff tries to hide his weakness and vulnerability; he tries to create a lack of sadness “attempting a sneer” by doing this Bronte creates an image of a man in disbelief who is taking reality as a joke , thus making the reader emphasize more with Heathcliff. As Heathcliff’s reality sets in , it becomes more clear how unstable he is , as his let alone unable to “pronounce the name” , at this point it is almost as if the “inward agony” within Heathcliff is awaken , and is one of “frightful vehemence”, and no limits . Nauture is a part of all of us , it is our life source so for someone to attack it , is something of great abnormality , even in some ways a possible for of treason. Heathcliff hits his head against the “knotted tree trunk” by doing this it was his way of attack nature , because nature took away Catherine , he had to get revenge , this could be considered the turning point , as at that time , its clear that Heathcliff will have his revenge on all that participated in his downfall no matter it be human or even bigger than everybody in this world. 

MACBETH ACT FIVE SCENE TEN TO ELEVEN

Macbeth and Macduff meet. Macbeth says he has avoided fighting Macduff because he has too much blood on his hands already. They fight. Macbeth mocks Macduff, saying his effort is wasted: no one of woman born can beat Macbeth. But Macduff replies that he was “untimely ripped” from his mother’s womb”. Macbeth, suddenly fearful now that the prophecy has turned against him, refuses to fight him. But Macduff calls Macbeth a coward and says that Macbeth will be mocked across Scotland if he surrenders. Despite certain death, Macbeth attacks. Macduff kills him.

Malcolm, Siward, Ross, and others enter. Ross tells Siward of Young Siward’s death. Siward asks if his son died from wounds on the front or back. Ross replies the front. Siward is content, denying Malcolm’s comment that his son is worth more mourning than that.

Macduff enters, carrying Macbeth’s severed head. He proclaims Malcolm to be King of Scotland and swears his loyalty. Malcolm accepts the thanes’ loyalty and makes them all earls . He pledges to “plant” a new peace, and to heal the wounds Macbeth and his “fiend-like queen” inflicted on Scotland.

Analysis :

It’s unclear if Macbeth is being honest or if he’s baiting Macduff, although by saying this it could be interpreted as a sense of remorse. The second block of Macbeth’s fate slides into place, inforcing the rule , fate is in no human being’s hands. Macbeth dies as he lived—a slave to ambition. Lady Macbeth convinced him to sacrifice his honor by questioning his courage, now Macduff gets Macbeth to fight for a lost cause to prove his courage.

Siward is an ambiguous part of an otherwise happy ending. Siward prizes strength and courage above all things, even love for his family, his ambiguity cause the audience to question whether or not he has the potential to become as corrupt as Macbeth.

Macduff shows his loyalty to King and country. Malcolm returns Scotland to political order, as his use of nature metaphors shows. Malcolm wants to make his country great, not himself.

MACBETH ACT FIVE SCENE SIX TO NINE

Malcolm orders his men to throw down the branches they carry. The first charge against Dunsinane commences under Siward and Macduff.

In the fighting, Macbeth encounters and fights Young Siward. Though Young Siward is brave, Macbeth quickly kills him and says in a mocking tone that he fears no man of woman born.

Macduff searches for Macbeth, vowing to kill him to avenge his family.

Malcolm and Siward meet. They have easily captured the castle because Macbeth’s men barely fight back.

Analysis :

A reminder of the second half of the prophecy protecting Macbeth. Emphasis on Macduff’s need for revenge against Macbeth. The play is building suspense , and thus creating a sense of excitement. Macbeth’s men don’t even fight for him. His rule is utterly hollow, his common man his turned against him , being King can no longer help him – Macbeth is completely weak, Ironically weaker than before he went on his tryant rampage. 

MACBETH ACT FIVE SCENE FIVE

Macbeth calls for the banners to be hung on the castle walls.

They hear a cry and Seyton tells Macbeth that his wife is dead. Macbeth mourns her death and is interrupted by a Messenger who tells his that to his disbelief on his watch the forest started to move toward the castle. Macbeth tells him that if he is lying he will hang for it.

Analysis :

The very quick and sudden scenes in the second half of Act 5 capture the chaos of battle. The death of Macbeth’s wife , is a symbol of all Macbeth’s life falling apart , and him falling to his demise. 

MACBETH ACT FIVE SCENE FOUR

Malcolm tells everyone to cut off a large branch and carry it before him so to confuse and make the scouts of the castle not be able to tell how many men they are. The men talk of hope for things to come.

Analysis :

The first block in Macbeth’s fate falls into place: Birnam Wood will march on Dunsinane.By doing this Shakespeare foreshadows Macbeth’s greatest fall to come. 

MACBETH ACT FIVE SCENE THREE

Macbeth refuses to hear anymore reports. He will not fear anyman until the Forest has moved. He laughs about Malcolm coming for him because Malcolm was born or a woman. He tells of how he was told by spirits who know all mortal things that he should not fear these things.

Enter a servant. He tells Macbeth that ten thousand soldiers are coming and he leaves.

Macbeth calls Seyton and asks him what news. Seyton and Macbeth talk about battle and Macbeth asks for his armor. The doctor tells Macbeth of Lady Macbeth’s condition, Macbeth simply tells him to fix her. The doctor tells Macbeth that for a mental disorder the patient must fix herself. Macbeth Is upset, he tells the doctor to do everything he can to fix it.

Analysis :

Macbeth is fearless because of the prophecies, but he seems to wish he weren’t. He knows his life is awful, but he’s so gripped by ambition that he can’t turn back. Macbeth seems totally out of touch with reality. He is a man warped beyond any semblance of humanity. The significance of the Name Seyton , is important as it phonetically sounds like Satan by doing this Shakespeare further creates an image of Macbeth conspiring with the devil. 

MACBETH ACT FIVE SCENE TWO

The country near Dunsinane. Drumming and colors enter Menteith, Caithness, Angus, Lennox and soldiers. Menteith talks about the men leading the army and how revenge burns in them. They discuss where they will meet the bulk of the army, near Birnam wood. They talk of how Macbeth has gone mad.

Analysis :

With the mention of Birnam Wood and Dunsinane, the audience can see that Macbeth’s fate is approaching. Macbeth’s efforts to maintain power through violence have, in fact, turned people against him and made him weak.

MACBETH ACT FIVE SCENE ONE

In dunsinane in a backroom of the castle.They are discussing Lady Macbeth’s insanity. Every night she goes to her closet, writes a letter, read it, seal it and go back to bed, all while fully asleep.Enter a physician and a nurse

Enter Lady Macbeth with a candle. They watch her a while and talk about her actions as they watch. She washes her hands, her eyes are open but she is asleep.She continues washing and talking to herself about how mmuch blood the old man had, the thane of fife had a wife and she is gone. She rambles on about her and her husbands guilt.then she goes to her room and the doctor says that this manner of affliction is far beyond his knowledge, but that he has known people who walk in their sleep to die in their beds.

Analysis:

Ironically When he killed Duncan, Macbeth thought he heard a voice say he had murdered sleep. Well, he did: Lady Macbeth’s sleep.Lady Macbeth, who once naively thought she could just wash her hands and forget Duncan’s murder, is now sleepwalking and so full of guilt that she imagines her hands are always covered in blood.Lady Macbeth’s guilt makes it impossible for her to hide the horrors that she and Macbeth have committed. Her conscience is rebelling against the unnatural fiend that ambition has turned her into.

MACBETH ACT FOUR SCENE THREE

 Macduff’s loyalty to Scotland leads him to agree that Malcolm is not fit to govern Scotland and perhaps not even to live. In giving voice to his disparagement, Macduff has passed Malcolm’s test of loyalty. Malcolm then retracts the lies he has put forth about his supposed shortcomings and embraces Macduff as an ally. A doctor appears briefly and mentions that a “crew of wretched souls” waits for King Edward so they may be cured . When the doctor leaves, Malcolm explains to Macduff that King Edward has a miraculous power to cure disease.

Outside King Edward’s palace, Malcolm speaks with Macduff, telling him that he does not trust him since he has left his family in Scotland and may be secretly working for Macbeth. To determine whether Macduff is trustworthy, Malcolm rambles on about his own vices. He admits that he wonders whether he is fit to be king, since he claims to be lustful, greedy, and violent. At first, Macduff politely disagrees with his future king, but eventually Macduff cannot keep himself from crying out, “O Scotland, Scotland!”

Ross enters. He has just arrived from Scotland, and tells Macduff that his wife and children are well. He urges Malcolm to return to his country, listing the woes that have befallen Scotland since Macbeth took the crown. Malcolm says that he will return with ten thousand soldiers lent him by the English king. Then, breaking down, Ross confesses to Macduff that Macbeth has murdered his wife and children. Macduff is crushed with grief. Malcolm urges him to turn his grief to anger, and Macduff assures him that he will inflict revenge upon Macbeth.

(Adapted from spark notes.)

Analysis:

Towards the end of this scene Malcolm receives support from Edward the Confessor. The English King had a reputation of being able to cure the sick.  He was regarded as a good and kindly King, who used supernatural forces for the benefit of his people.

The reference to the King of England indicates that Malcolm is the only one that can cure all Scotland’s ills, which emanate from the King.

Malcolm and his followers are, therefore, on the side of good, whilst Macbeth consorts with the devil.

MACBETH ACT FOUR SCENE TWO

At Fife (Macduff’s castle), Lady Macduff is angry. She demands to know why Macduff has gone to England, leaving her behind. She thinks Macduff is a coward. Ross says Macduff’s flight could results from wisdom, not fear.

After Ross leaves, Lady Macduff turns to her son. She tells the boy that his father is dead. The boy doesn’t believe her, but asks if his father is a traitor. Lady Macduff says yes, Macduff is a traitor: a man who swore an oath and broke it and now must hang. The boy thinks if traitors allow themselves to be hanged they must be fools, since there are undoubtedly more traitors than honest men in the world.

A servant bursts in to warn of coming danger, then rushes out. Before Lady Macduff or her children can run, murderers enter the chamber, stab Macduff’s son, and chase Lady Macduff offstage.

Analysis:

Shakespeare goes on to form another debate about manhood. Does a real man sacrifice the safety of his family for the good of his country, Shakespeare thus then leads the audience to think about what matters the most , the individual or everybody. Macbeth has ordered the murder of the innocent. His loss of humanity is complete, and the seeds of his self-destruction are sown. By doing this Shakespeare takes away all of the sympathy which the audience even if minor had for Macbeth thus transforming him to the Vilas of the play.

MACBETH ACT FOUR SCENE ONE

In a carven the three witches mix together strange ingredients. Hecate arrives and they begin to dance and sing.One witch cries out “Something wicked this way comes” : Macbeth enters. He commands the witches to answer his questions.

The witches conjure up three apparitions. First, a floating head appears and tells Macbeth to beware Macduff.

Next, a bloody child appears. The child says that “no man of woman born / Shall harm Macbeth”

Finally, a child wearing a crown and holding a tree appears. It says that Macbeth will not be defeated until Great Birnam Wood marches to Dunsinane Hill. Macbeth is pleased: since forests don’t march, he must be invincible!

Macbeth wants to know one more thing: will Banquo’s heirs have the throne? The witches perform a final conjuring. Eight kings appear walking in a line, the eighth holding a mirror, and all of them followed by Banquo’s ghost. Macbeth, furious at this sign that Banquo’s heirs will get the throne, demands answers. But Hecatemocks him and the witches vanish.

Lennox enters. He brings word thatMacduff has fled to England. In an aside, Macbeth scolds himself for failing to kill Macduff when he wanted to earlier. He vows in the future to act on every impulse, and decides to attack Macduff’s castle and kill anyone connected to him: servants, wife, and children.

Analysis:

Macbeth has become so evil that now even the witches can sense it , There is a resemblance between Macbeth and the witches now. All are wicked, all are unnatural. The head symbolizes either Macduff’s rebellion or Macbeth’s fate. By ordering everyone within Macduff's castle to be murdered are a symbol  Macbeth's  final step to madness : he is no longer targeting just his political enemies, but also their innocent families. Macbeth is now truly a monster.

MACBETH ACT THREE SCENE SIX

The other Lords present advise Lennox that Macduff has fled from Scotland and is with Malcolm in England. They have requested aid from King Edward the Confessor and they hope that with God’s help they will be able to overthrow the tyrannical Macbeth, and that Scotland can return to stability.

Analysis

Macbeth’s murder of Banquo, committed to control his fate, has had the opposite effects. Now the thanes see Macbeth for what he is: a tyrant.

Compare Macduff and Macbeth: Macbeth will do anything for personal power; Macduff will do anything to save his country.

Ambition has made Macbeth a violent tyrant who holds the throne only through fear.

MACBETH ACT THREE SCENE FIVE

The weird sisters meet with Hecate, the goddess of witches. She rebukes the sisters for meddling with Macbeth without first consulting her. But she says she’ll help them when Macbeth comes to see them tomorrow. She says that they’ll show him visions that will give him confidence and “draw him to his confusion”.

Analysis:

This scene no longer puts the witches at level which takes no sides , it no longer makes their attentions unclear. The audience is made aware of their bad intentions towards Macbeth , creating a sense of sympathy for Macbeth.

MACBETH ACT THREE SCENE FOUR

At the feast in Forres Castle, Macbeth and his wife greet the Thanes of Scotland.  Macbeth has just learned from one of the murderers that Banquo was killed, but Fleance escaped.  Macbeth toasts the Thanes and also his absent friend.  He then sees Banquo’s ghost, but nobody else there can see this apparition. As quickly as the ghost appeared, it disappears and instantly Macbeth’s confidence returns. This happens throughout the feast, and those assembled there wonder at Macbeth’s sanity.

This forces Lady Macbeth to ask the Thanes to leave, and when alone with her husband, she tries to calm his troubled mind. This deranged man is already planning the next murder, that of Macduff, but he needs to establish what the future is and, therefore, he plans to visit the witches once more.

Ananlysis :  

Macbeth's second attempt to control fate fails , This is important as the audience witness as Macbeth starts to doubt the his control.  By only allowing Macbeth to see Banquo’s ghost Shakespear leads us to question is  Banquo’s ghost real or a figment of Macbeth’s guilty mind? The uncertainty emphasizes that Macbeth’s fate is part of him, caused by his character: his ambition and guilt. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth continue to try to lie to keep their secrets and hold on power, but these lies become less and less effective as guilt about the violence they have committed begins to effect them.

MACBETH ACT THREE SCENE THREE

As Banquo and Fleance travel to the banquet, the hired murderers intercept them.  Banquo is killed and during the struggle, the murderers’ lantern is extinguished, giving Fleance the opportunity to escape.

Analysis: 

Shakespeare cleverly reverses the norm.  In the light of the murderers’ lanterns, the foul killing will take place, but when they are extinguished and the stage is plunged into darkness, Fleance makes his escape.  Shakespeare is emphasizing to the audience that in Macbeth’s Scotland, day is night, and night is day.

It is interesting that Shakespeare portrays the murderers as being able to speak poetically, but they are capable of doing the foulest deed.  It is the same hypocrisy shared by Macbeth who is also capable of poetry and murder. 

The audience has deep sympathy for Banquo who innocently rode towards his own demise.

MACBETH ACT THREE SCENE TWO

As the hired murderers make their way towards Banquo, the audience sees a short scene involving the Macbeth’s. 

Lady Macbeth attempts to take the burden of guilt away from her husband. The couple is facing more difficulties than they expected now that they are King and Queen, and she is amazed to find out that Macbeth has plotted to murder Banquo.

Analysis:

Macbeth tries to protect Lady Macbeth: traditional male-female roles, This is one of the few moments the audience is show something which a norm to them.  

In order to keep power built by violence, more violence is always needed. Macbeth knew this would happen he is now caught in a vicious cycle of violence and that vicious cycle begins to take a psychological toll on Macbeth. 

MACBETH ACT THREE SCENE ONE

Banquo is mindful of the witches’ predictions and suspects Macbeth of foul play.  What gives him confidence is that fact that his own children will be Kings.

Macbeth persuades Banquo to come to his new palace at Forres for a banquet. Macbeth realizes that the witches’ third prediction concerning Banquo threatens his hold on the crown.  He arranges for two hired murderers to dispose of Banquo and Fleance.

Ananlysis:

Banquo suspects Macbeth, but it is his own ambition—the possibility that the prophecy might be true for him too—that occupies his mind.

Macbeth wants to kill Banquo because he resents Banquo’s honor and because the prophecy makes Banquo a threat. Also, Macbeth’s guilt at murdering Duncan makes him want that murder to be “worthwhile.” Macbeth’s guilt about one crime pushes him to commit another.

Macbeth uses the same methods to get the murderers to kill Banquo and Fleance that Lady Macbeth used against Macbeth: he questions their manhood.

MACBETH ACT TWO SCENE FOUR

Ross and an old man stand near Macbeth’s castle. They discuss the unnatural portents just before and after Duncan’s murder: darkness during the day, owls killing hawks, horses eating one another.

Macduff enters. He says it seems Duncan’s attendants did commit the murder, and that because Malcolm and Donalbain fled they likely were behind the plot.

Macduff then says Macbeth has been made king, and that he has already gone to Scone for the coronation.Ross heads to the coronation. But Macduff returns to his own castle at Fife.

Analysis

Further havoc in nature caused by the murder of Duncan and destruction of the natural order.Macbeth’s plot worked , the audience begins to think . If he could be a good and virtuous King, perhaps it will all turn out well but at the same time we being to wonder does Macduff suspect him already? It isn’t clear. But the paranoid Macbeth must think he does: violence creates fear which leads to violence.

MACBETH ACT TWO SCENE THREE

A porter goes to the answer the door, joking to himself that he is the doorkeeper at the mouth of hell, and mocking whoever might be knocking to get into hell. At the door are Macduff and Lennox. Macduff good-naturedly asks what took so long. The porter blames drunkenness, and makes a series of jokes about alcohol and its effects on men.

Macbeth enters, pretending to have just woken up. Macduff asks if the King has woken yet: Duncan had asked to see Macduff early that morning. Macbeth points out where Duncan is sleeping, and Macduff goes off to wake him.

As they wait for Macduff to return,Lennox describes the terrible storm that raged the previous night and sounded like “strange screams of death”

Macduff cries out in horror and runs onstage. Macbeth and Lennox ask what happened, then run to Duncan’s chamber. Banquo, Malcolm, andDonalbain wake. Lady Macbeth enters, pretending not to know what happened, and expressing horror when Macduff tells her of the murder. Macbeth returns, and wishes he had died rather than have to see such a thing. Malcolm and Donalbain enter and ask what’s happened. Lennox tells them that Duncan was murdered by his drunken attendants.

Macbeth wishes aloud that he hadn’t killed the attendants. When Macduff asks why Macbeth did kill the attendants, Macbeth says he was so furious that they had murdered the Duncan that he couldn’t control himself. Lady Macbeth faints.

The thanes agree to meet in the hall to discuss what’s happened. Malcolm and Donalbain, though, remain behind. They realize that one of the thanes is probably the murderer and fear that they’ll be the next targets. They decide to flee: Malcolm to England and Donalbain to Ireland.

Analysis:

Shakespeare is keen to create a foreboding atmosphere using all the special effects that are available – screaming, wailing voices, birdcalls and thunderclaps. Lady Macbeth fainting is signal of weakness as she is afraid of getting caught Shakespeare could have done this to signal the beginning of her own downfall. 

MACBETH ACT TWO SCENE ONE

It is after midnight in Inverness.Banquo talks with his son Fleance and notices the stars aren’t shining. He prays for angels to “restrain in me the cursed thoughts that nature gives way to in repose”

Macbeth enters. Banquo tells Macbeth his sleep has been troubled by dreams of the weird sisters. Macbeth claims never to think about them. But he suggests they talk about the witches soon, and adds that if Banquo supports him when the time comes he’ll reward and honor Banquo for it.

Banquo says he’ll be receptive to what Macbeth has to say provided he loses no honor in seeking to gain more. Banquo and Fleance head off to bed.

Alone, Macbeth sees a bloody daggerfloating in the air. He can’t grasp it, and can’t decide whether it’s a phantom or his imagination. “Nature seems dead” to him

Offstage, Lady Macbeth rings the bell to signal that Duncan’s attendants are asleep. Macbeth goes to murder Duncan.

Analysis:

Banquo is also struggling against ambition. Earlier Macbeth begged the stars to hide They have.Banquo is open about the troubling “dreams” the witches have inspired in him. Macbeth, who has decided to act on his own slefish ambition, is not. Banquo believes true manhood means acting honorably—just what Macbeth used to believe. As Macbeth gets closer to the murder, nature starts to go haywire. Interesting that in Macbeth, most of the violence happens offstage.

MACBETH ACT ONE SCENE SEVEN

Macbeth, alone, agonizes about whether to kill Duncan. He’d be willing to murder Duncan if he thought that would be the end of it. But he knows that “bloody instructions, being taught, return to plague the inventor” .Also, Macbeth notes, Duncan is a guest, kinsmen, and good king. He decides ambition is not enough to justify the murder.

Lady Macbeth enters, asking where he’s been. Macbeth tells her they won’t murder Duncan. She questions his manhood. Macbeth replies: “I dare do all that may become a man; who dares do more is none” But Lady Macbeth continues: she says she has nursed his baby, but if she’d known her husband was such a coward she’d have rather “dashed [the baby’s] brains out”

Macbeth asks what will happen if they fail. Lady Macbeth assures him they won’t fail if they have courage. She outlines the plan: she’ll give Duncan’s bedroom attendants enough wine to ensure they black out from drunkenness. Then she and Macbeth will commit the murder and frame the attendants. Macbeth, impressed by her courage, agrees.

Analysis

Macbeth wrestles with his ambition and wins. He knows that murdering Duncan will only end up leading to more bloodshed, and ruin his honor, which he prizes. Lady Macbeth and Macbeth debate about manhood and courage. She says it’s taking what you want. He says it’s the power to put responsibility before selfishness, the power to not take what you want. Lady Macbeth’s tragedy is that she doesn’t realize that murdering Duncan will torment and ultimately destroy her. Macbeth’s tragedy is more profound: he does realize it, and still gives in to his ambition

MACBETH ACT ONE SCENE SIX

Malcolm, Donalbain, Banquo,Lennox, Macduff, Ross, and Angusarrive at Inverness. Duncan comments on the sweetness of the air. Banquo notes that martlets, a species of bird that usually nests in churches, have nested in the castle. Lady Macbeth warmly greets the Kingand the thanes, though Macbeth is nowhere to be seen.

Analysis :

Ironic that Duncan thinks the castle where he’ll be murdered is beautiful. Also shows what beauty Macbeth loses when he gives in to his ambition.

At this point, the planned murder weighs more on Macbeth than on Lady Macbeth.

MACBETH ACT ONE SCENE FIVE

At Inverness, Lady Macbeth reads a letter in which Macbeth tells her of the witches’ prophecy. Lady Macbeth worries Macbeth is too kind and honorable to fulfill his ambition and the prophecy. She decides to question his manhood to make him act.

A servant enters with news that Duncan will spend the night, then exits. Lady Macbeth says Duncan’s visit will be fatal, and calls on spirits to“unsex me here… and take my milk for gall” 

Macbeth enters, and says Duncan will spend the night and leave the next day. Lady Macbeth says Duncan will never see that day. She counsels Macbeth to look like an “innocent flower,” but be the viper hiding beneath it Macbeth remains unconvinced. Lady Macbeth tells him to leave the plan to her.

Analysis :

Lady Macbeth is established as power-hungry. She sees honor as a weakness, and knows how to push her husband’s buttons: question his courage.

In order to murder Duncan, Lady Macbeth not only renounces her womanhood, she literally asks to be turned into an unnatural fiend!

Macbeth is still struggling against his ambition. Lady Macbeth’s advice on how to hide one’s true intentions involves exploiting nature. (Note: in the Garden of Eden, the devil hid himself in the form of a snake.)

MACBETH ACT ONE SCENE FOUR

At a camp near the battlefield,Malcolm tells Duncan that the old Thane of Cawdor confessed and repented before being executed. Duncan notes that you can’t always trust a man by his outward show.Macbeth, Banquo, Ross, and Angus enter. Duncan says that even the gift of Cawdor is not as much as Macbeth deserves. Macbeth responds: “The service and loyalty I owe, in doing it, pays itself”
Duncan is pleased. He says: “I have begun to plant thee, and will labour to make thee full of growing” Next, he announces that Malcolm will be heir to the Scottish throne (the kingship was not hereditary in Scotland at that time). Duncan then adjourns the meeting and decides to spend the night at Inverness ,Macbeth’s castle.
Macbeth goes ahead to prepare for the King’s visit, but notes that Malcolm now stands between him and the throne. He begs the stars to “hide your fires, let not light see my black and deep desires”

Analysis :

Deeply ironic that just as Duncan comments about how you can’t trust people’s outward shows, Macbeth enters. Duncan’s great strength as a king is his trust in his people and his thanes, but it also makes him vulnerable to treachery.

Duncan thinks of his role as King in terms of what he can give. He’s like a gardener in nature; putting his country above his own desires...

Macbeth, in contrast, thinks in terms of what he can take. This makes his relationship with nature adversarial.

MACBETH ACT ONE SCENE THREE

On the heath the witches appear. They call themselves the “weird sisters” and brag of their dread and magical deeds such as killing swine and cursing a sailor to waste away.Macbeth and Banquo enter. The witches hail Macbeth as Thane of Glamis, Thane of Cawdor, and “king hereafter” . Banquo asks Macbeth why he seems to fear this good news, then questions the witches about his own future. They say that Banquo is “lesser than Macbeth and greater”because though he’ll never be king, his descendants will. Macbeth asks how the witches know this information. But the witches vanish, making the two men wonder if they could have imagined the whole thing. Just then, Ross and Angus enter. They tell Macbeth that the old Thane of Cawdor was a traitor and that Duncan has made Macbeth the new Thane of Cawdor.

As Banquo talks with Ross and Angus,Macbeth ponders the prophecy. If it’s evil, why would it truly predict his being made Thane of Cawdor? If it’s good, why would he already be contemplating murder, a thought that makes “my seated heart knock at my ribs” ? Macbeth feels that he’s losing himself, and hopes that if fate says he’ll become king, he won’t have to act to make it happen.

Macbeth and Banquo are shocked. Macbeth asks Banquo if he now thinks that his children will be king. Banquo seems unsure, and comments that “instruments of darkness” sometimes tell half truths to bring men to ruin. Ross and Angus think Macbeth’s reverie is caused by becoming Thane of Cawdor. Macbeth and Banquo agree to speak about the witches’ prophecy later.

Analysis

The witches are established as both wicked and magically powerful. the fear Banquo notes in Macbeth signal that Macbeth’s   doomed struggle against his ambition starts the instant he hears the prophecy The prophecy is fulfilled and the witches’ power is proved to be genuine. The traitorous old Thane of Cawdor is replaced by Macbeth. Thus creating an immense sense of fear from the witches Macbeth is already thinking about killing Duncan, but the thought terrifies him: he’s struggling against his ambition. His thoughts about fate are classic: does fate happen no matter what, or must one act? This exchange with Banquo is the last time Macbeth is honest in the play.

MACBETH ( ACT ONE SCENE TWO)

At a military camp King Duncan of Scotland his sons Malcolm and Donalbain and the thane of Lennox wait for news of the war. A captain enters, covered in so much blood he is almost unrecognizable The captain tells them of the state of the battle against the invading Norwegians and the Scottish rebels Macdonald and the thane of Cawdor. Two Scottish Nobleman have been especially brave, Macbeth ( the thane of glamis) and Banquo. Macbeth killed Macdonald “unseemed him from the nave th’chops”

The thane of Ross arrives and describes how Macbeth defeated Sweno , the Norwegian King who now begs for a truce. Duncan proclaims that the traitorous Thane of Cawdor shall be put to death and that Macbeth shall be made Thane of Cawdor

Analysis:

The blood covering the captain makes him unrecognizable monster just as Macbeth who in this scene is described  as a noble hero who is brave and loyal to his king , will be transformed into a monster a he becomes “covered” with the metaphorical blood of those he kills to achieve his ambitions

Duncan rewards and trust his subjects. This is the opposite personal ambition. Ironically though he replaces one traitor with a much worse traitor.

Key Themes : Ambition , Voilence

MACBETH ( ACT ONE SCENE ONE)

As a storm rages three witches appear speaking in rhyming paradoxical couplets: “when the battles lost and won”, “fair are foul and foul is fair”. They agree to meet again on the heath when the battle now raging ends. They plan to meet Macbeth.

Analysis:

The witches rhyming speech makes them seem inhuman, ominous and paranormal, which in fact they are.

Key themes: Fate, Nature, Unnatural