WITCHES
“When the hurly-burly’s done, When the battle’s lost and won”
predicting the mischief, and foreshadowing Macbeth’s torture and torment
“Fair is foul, and foul is fair! Hover through the fog and filthy air.” (19)
(The witches predict the turmoil and moral conflict that will soon befall Macbeth).
The witches make him fearful. He has a “horrid image” which
“doth unfix my hair, And make my seated heart knock at my ribs Against the use of nature?
Banquo comments that he seems “rapt withal”.
The witches capture his imagination because the fuel his ambition. He is captured by their “strange intelligence”.
They start the incredible battle for Macbeth’s soul…. “This supernatural soliciting Cannot be ill, cannot be good”
MACBETH
Before
He fears his conscience. He knows the “even-handed justice” will exact its own revenge on the perpetrator of evil deeds. He knows that every action has consequences and one day they will return to haunt the perpetrator. He also knows that if you commit a crime it gives other people reason to use violence against you. (He will become a target of suspicion …. )
“Bloody instructions, which, being taught, Return to plague th’ inventor.” 57
“Stars, hide your fires Let not light see my black and deep desires.”
He experiences “present fears” and “horrible imaginings” that “shakes so my single state of man”.
Macbeth is gaining a noble reputation as a galliant warrior, and perhaps he thinks he should enjoy these “golden opinions”. “Which would be worn now in their newest gloss, Not cast aside so soon.”
He knows he is very ambitious.
Macbeth addresses Lady Macbeth as “my dearest partner of greatness”. (“art not without ambition”)
(Both are in many ways equally responsible; both share ambitions for greatness.)
He refers to his “vaulting ambition, which o’erleaps itself And falls on th’ other –“ 57
King Duncan announces that the Prince of Cumberland will be his heir. Macbeth feels affronted:
“This is a step On which I must fall down, or else o’erleap, For in my way it lies”
His ambition both fascinates and terrifies him because he reminds him of his “deep and dark desires”.
He decides to do nothing. (Lady Macbeth appears as the evil witch, and takes decisive action.)
“If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me, Without my stir.” p 35
“We’ll proceed no further with this business.” (because of his guilty conscience and all his reasons)
AFTER
Macbeth immediately loses sleep and loses peace of mind:
“Sleep no more. Macbeth does murder sleep.”
Macbeth is paranoid about Banquo’s nobility of spirit. He is jealous and furious.
“for Banquo’s issue have I filed my mind.”
“Under him My genius is rebuked.” 101
“All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand. “
He kills Banquo and not Fleance.
“We have scorch’d the snake, not kill’d it.” (107/ 46)
Macbeth believes that he will become desensitized to murder if his gets more practice. He thinks he will not feel guilty if he keeps on his murderous path.
“My strange and self abuse
Is the initiate fear, that wants hard use
We are yet but young in in deed.” 125/57
MB has been involved in so many murders that he has become completely desensitized. He has relinquished his moral code and entered the evil world of murder and horror.
“I have supped full with horrors; Direness, familiar to my slaughterous thoughts
Cannot once start me.”
LADY MACBETH
Lady Macbeth conjures up evil spirits and does not want to feel sympathy or remorse. She yearns to be cruel.
“Come, you spirits …
unsex me here
And fill me from the crown to the toe topful
Of direst cruelty”
Lady Macbeth is determined that their plans will succeed. They will not fail.
“But screw your courage to the sticking-place, And we’ll not fail.”
On conscience – which is “brain-sickly”
“tis the eye of childhood that fears a painted devil” (2/2)
She fears Macbeth’s kind nature.
“Yet do I fear thy nature, It is too full o’the milk of human kindness To catch the nearest way.”
She taunts him about his manhood: “When you durst do it then you were a man.”
Firstly, she believes that conscience is just for cowards and for little children.
“A little water clears us of this deed.”
She believes it is despicable to break a promise. She would have plucked a baby from her breast and “dash’d the brains out” had she made a promise such as Macbeth did. This shows just what evil she is capable of.
Shortly before her death, she is haunted by her conscience.
“All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand.”
Return to Macbeth: A study in power
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