Act One

Act 1 Scene 1: The WitchesQuote: “Fair is foul, and foul is fair:Hover through the fog and filthy air.”

Meaning/s: It is about how appearances can be deceiving that what may seem “fair” may actually be “foul” and vice versa. This may refer to two things:•Character of Macbeth VS Lady Macbeth•The “good” news and prophecy of him becoming the King of Scotland.

Importance: Sets the scene and the tone. We know they are up to something and their target is Macbeth. It also warns readers of the deception that will run throughout the play.

Act 1 Scene 3: The ProphecyPart 1: The Witches’ characterisation p.39-41

The witches describe the brutal revenge they will take on a sailor’s wife who refused the first witch some chestnuts and told her to go away.

Relevance of this scene:•Shows the maliciousness and vengefulness of the witches: The first witch promises to sabotage the sailor’s ship and cause him to not be able to sleep in “neither night nor day” and “live a man forbid”. It is an extreme and cruel punishment for an offence done against her that was so minute that was not even committed by the sailor! The cruelty shown by the witches is unjustified and shows how they love to harm others and how evil they really.•Shows how cunning and scheming they are. They seem to egg one another on in the plot against the sailor.

Act 1 Scene 3: The ProphecyPart 2: Macbeth & Banquo meet the Witches p.43-45

Macbeth: “So foul and fair a day I have not seen.”This is the portion that first begins all the trouble. Without the witches’ prophecy and the fulfilment of them later on, Macbeth would have never have dreamt of even becoming King.Prophecy 1: Thane of Glamis (current title)Prophecy 2: Thane of Cawdor (soon to be title)Prophecy 3: King

Macbeth echoes the witches words and yet does not seem to grasp that there may be evil in the “good” news that is presented to him.

Act 1 Scene 3: The ProphecyPart 3: Macbeth’s reaction VS Banquo’s reaction

Macbeth Banquo“Stay you imperfect speakers, tell me more.” “Would they had stayed!”Macbeth is clearly intrigued and his ambitiousness is showing as he desires more of the witches to tell him about his rise to being King.

“Or have we taken the insane root/That takes the reason prisoner”Banquo is warier and unbelieving. He thinks that they may have been imaging or hallucinating, having perhaps eaten “the insane root”, which is a plant that causes insanity.

“Your children shall be kings…And Thane of Cawdor too; went it not so?”Macbeth is serious about the prophecy and seems to believe the prophecy.

“To the selfsame tune and words. Who’s here?”Banquo replies Macbeth jokingly, as if they were trying to recall a song.

“Glamis, and Thane of Cawdor; The greatest is behind.” Macbeth is clearly ambitious and upon hearing of the second prophecy coming true, he becomes firm in his belief that the title of King is yet to come to him.

“But ‘tis strange,/And oftentimes, to win us to our harm,/The instruments of darkness tell us truths,/Win us with honest trifles, to betray/In deepest consequence.”Banquo is discerning and wise. He realises that there may be a deeper deception involved in the recent spate of events.

Act 1 Scene 5: The LetterCharacteristics of Lady Macbeth in this scene: Characteristics Evidence and ExplanationShe knows her husband well.

She states that she fears that Macbeth’s nature “is too full of the milk of human kindness/To catch the nearest way”. She knows that Macbeth may be too kind to commit murder even though it is the most convenient way.

Ambitious Immediately starts plotting upon reading the letter as she is very eager to remove “all that impedes (Macbeth) from the golden round”. Lady Macbeth does not seem to consider anything else but helping Macbeth attain the title.

Scheming She considers the announcement that King Duncan is coming as “great news” as she has plotted to kill him, making it his “fatal entrance”.

Ruthless Lady Macbeth asks of the spirits to “unsex” her and “fill (her), from crown to the toe, top-full/Of direst cruelty” so that she may be completely ruthless in the murder.

Controlling She orders Macbeth to “leave all the rest to (her)” and that he “shall put/The night’s great business into (her) dispatch”.

Act 1 Scene 7: Macbeth’s apprehensionsReasons not to: Evidence and ExplanationDivine judgment Macbeth knows that there would be eternal repercussions if he

were to commit murder knowing that he might as well “jump the life to come”. In committing murder, Macbeth would be forgoing eternal life altogether.

Relations to King Duncan

Duncan was there in “double trust”. Macbeth was not only “his kinsman” but also “his subject”. Killing Duncan would be a grave betrayal of both blood and country (treason).

Macbeth is his host

Moreover, Macbeth is Duncan’s host. This means that he is supposed to be the one who shuts the door “against his murderer” and not “bear the knife (himself)”. As a host, Macbeth ought to protect Duncan, not harm him.

Duncan’s character

Duncan’s character is described as the best, almost divine. He was “so meek” in his virtues and “so clear” that “his virtues/Will plead like angels trumpet-tongued” if he were to be taken. It shows that Duncan’s character was so good that there would be an outcry in the heavens if he were killed.

Fears public opinion and death

Macbeth states that Pity would “blow the horrid deed in every eye” and that “even-handed justice” would serve him the same fate. He is afraid of tarnishing his reputation and of earthly death.

Act 1 Scene 7: The PersuasionPersuasive techniques LMB employs Technique Evidence and ExplanationChallenging his masculinity

P93. L49 “when you durst do it, then you were a man”This line would make Macbeth feel emasculated as LMB is challenging him to commit the murder. Macbeth would then feel a need to prove his manhood by daring to “do it” so that he would become a man in her eyes.

Emotional Blackmail

P91. L39 “Such I account thy love.” LMB says that MB is fickle about his ambition and thus, that is the way “(she) accounts (his) love”. This would make Macbeth feel that he has to prove his love for her by committing the murder.

Taunts him P.91. L43 “live a coward in thine own esteem” LMB insults his reasons for wanting to keep his own reputation and says that he would be a coward if he were to just be outwardly brave and valiant. This would cause MB to desire to prove his own bravery through his actions, in turn, committing murder as an act of courage.

Act 1 Scene 7: The PersuasionPersuasive techniques LMB employs

Technique Evidence and ExplanationFalse claim/lying

P.95. L57 “had I so sworn/As you have done to this.” LMB lies that she would do it if she had promised to, as MB has promised but MB did not even promise to kill KD in the first place. In doing this, MB would feel a sense of obligation that he must fulfil his promise to her.

She claims that she, a woman is capable of extreme ruthlessness

P95. L54 LMB said that she would “(dash) the brains out” of the “babe that milks (her)” if she had promised to. In making such a comparison between herself and MB, she is egging him on to commit murder. MB would feel that if a woman could be capable of such ruthlessness in killing her own baby in such a brutal way, he too should be capable of such brutality.

Providing MB with a fail-proof plan

Evidence: She says that “we’ll not fail” if MB “screws (his) courage to the sticking-place”. The plan is elaborate and uses the chamberlains as the scapegoats, ensuring that MB and LMB would never be blamed for the murder. This would assure MB’s doubts and ease his fears about getting caught, giving him the confidence and courage to commit the murder.

Act Two

Act 2 Scene 1: The Dagger SceneMacbeth is in a TRANCE-like state:1)He hallucinates and sees a dagger with its “handle toward (his) hand”.2)Talks to an imaginary AND inanimate object, saying “Come, let me clutch thee” to it. 3)He knows it must be imaginary but takes it as a sign anyway! He says, “Thou marshall’st me the way that I was going,/And such an instrument I was to use.”4)He has a “heat-oppressed brain”. This further shows how he is not in the right state of mind but in a feverish, trance-like state.

Act 2 Scene 2: After the MurderImportant segments of this scene:1)Lady Macbeth’s anxious thoughts before MB returns from the murder2)The initial confusion and frenzy3)Macbeth VS Lady Macbeth’s state of mind and character after the murder

Act 2 Scene 2: After the MurderContrasting reactions/states/evident character traits

Macbeth Lady MacbethFrantic & DistractedMB is clearly distracted as he keeps jumping on to another topic, unable to answer LMB or keep to the same topic for long. He continues in a ramble about the incident and about Sleep even after LMB tries to stop him.

Calm & Focused She remains focused even after noticing that MB has forgotten to leave the daggers behind. She orders MB to continue with the plan and “smear the sleepy grooms with blood”.

Full of guiltMB looks at the blood on his hands and proclaims that it is a “sorry sight”. He also says that “great Neptune’s ocean” will not be able to wash the blood from his hands but rather, his bloody hands will turn “the multitudinous seas incardine”.

Still guiltless and unfazedLMB on the other hand, keeps telling him to “consider it not so deeply” and forget the incident. She also seems to think that “a little water” will “clear (them) of this deed”. In contrast to MB, LMB obviously feels very little guilt at the moment.

Fearful MB, traumatised by the blood, is “afraid to think what (he has) done” and dares not “look on’t again”. He refuses to return to the scene of crime to finish up the plan as he is filled with fear .

Strong , domineering and decisiveLMB on seeing the state of her husband, decides quickly that she would take the daggers and “gild the faces of the grooms withal”. She also commands him to carry on with the plan and retire to their chamber. Moreover, LMB scolds him throughout about his weakness and his frenzied state.

From the rest of the text: CHARACTER OF MACBETH VS LADY MACBETHMacbeth Lady Macbeth• Displays more of a conscience initially

(“too full of the milk of human kindness” & “I dare do all that may become a man; who dares do more is none”)

• Naïve and easily controlled (eagerly believes witches’ prophecy & LMB is able to persuade him so easily from his decision not to “proceed no further in this business” to being “settled” in killing KD.)

• Cowardly (fears getting caught for murder and fears the repercussions & he also was fearful and refused to return to finish the crime)

• Indecisive (MB changes his mind constantly about even killing KD. He goes from deliberating the murder, to convincing himself otherwise, only to be again changed by LMB)

• Is more ruthless (“fill me… with direst cruelty” & she claims that she would have “dashed the brains out” of her newborn baby if she had promised it.)

• Scheming/manipulative and controlling (uses a total of 6 methods in persuading and manipulating MB into killing KD. She seems to use her husband’s need to prove himself in her favour to manipulate him & she constantly commands him and chides him for his weakness)

• Courageous and brave (she seems to show no fear at all in the plotting of the murder as well as in scene right after the murder)

• Decisive (She decides from the very start that KD has to die and creates a plan that she follows through with.

Ambitious MB’s reaction to the witches’ prophecy reveals his ambitious nature

AmbitiousShe is determined that nothing “impedes (MB) from the golden round” and plots to kill KD.

Act Three

Act 3 Scene 1: Macbeth’s murderers

Macbeth regards Banquo as a threat, saying that BQ has “royalty of nature”. Macbeth recognizes that Banquo would make a better king than he and is also fearful that the witches’ prophecy would come true.

Act 3 Scene 1: Macbeth and the murderers

Important segments of this scene:1)Macbeth’s character VS Banquo’s character2)Macbeth’s manipulation of the murderers is the way LMB has manipulated him into committing murder•Lies that BQ is to blame for their misfortune L75-77 “Know that it was he... Which held you So under fortune.”•Taunts using rhetorical questions L86 “are you so gospelled/To pray for this good man… whose heavy hand hath bowed you to the grave,/And beggared yours for ever?”•Challenges their worth L101 “Now, if you have a station in the file,/Not in the worst rank of manhood.”

Act 3 Scene 4: Banquo’s ghost!

Act 3 Scene 4: Banquo’s ghost!

Important notes about this scene:1)TURNING-POINT in Macbeth’s career and power – fatal collapse of his power due to his hallucination and guilty conversation with a ghost. Out of his own control, unable to keep his composure in front of the guests.2)LMB loses her hold over him – She is unable to restrain him at all, even though she was always able to direct and control him before.3)MB’s downward spiral – moral degeneration and the collapse of his mental powers.

1) Quote evidence2) Paraphrase it-explain fully3) Effect-how does it affect whoever? How does

this show this trait?