![]() His boldness and impression of personal invincibility mark him out for a tragic fall. This feature of his personality is well presented in Act IV, Scene 1, when he revisits the Witches of his own accord. The appearance of Banquo's ghost, in particular, causes him to swing from one state of mind to another until he is no longer sure of what is and "what is not" (I:3,142).īut Macbeth's hubris or excessive pride is now his dominant character trait. Nevertheless, the new-found resolve, which causes Macbeth to "wade" onward into his self-created river of blood (Act III, Scene 4), is persistently alarmed by supernatural events. Each successive murder reduces his human characteristics still further, until he appears to be the more dominant partner in the marriage. His ambition now begins to spur him toward further terrible deeds, and he starts to disregard and even to challenge Fate and Fortune. Oxford Tables 1 2 Summary of Sullivan's incidental music to Macbeth. However, by Act III, Scene 2, Macbeth has resolved himself into a far more stereotypical villain and asserts his manliness over that of his wife. 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 Robespierre: Act V Scene 2: The Convention. Macbeth is at his most human and sympathetic when his manliness is mocked and demeaned by his wife (see in particular Act I, Scene 7). When he is about to commit the murder, he undergoes terrible pangs of conscience. Their conversation is filled with paradox and equivocation: they say that they will meet Macbeth 'when the battle's lost and won' and when 'fair is foul and foul is fair' (10). These often conflict with the opinion others have. Macbeth Summary and Analysis of Act 1 Act 1, Scene 1 On a heath in Scotland, three witches, the Weird Sisters, wait to meet Macbeth amidst thunder and lightning. Lady Macbeth enters and berates her husband when he tells her he no longer wants to go through with the murder. Secondly, Macbeth knows that he should be protecting Duncan as his follower and as his host. ![]() Essentially, though, he is a human being whose private ambitions are made clear to the audience through his asides and soliloquies (solo speeches). First, Macbeth knows that Duncan is a good king and he has done nothing to deserve an untimely death. When Duncan announces that he intends the kingdom to pass to his son Malcolm, Macbeth appears frustrated. Macbeth is introduced in the play as a warrior hero, whose fame on the battlefield wins him great honor from the king. ![]() Despite his fearless character in battle, Macbeth is concerned by the prophecies of the Witches, and his thoughts remain confused, both before, during, and after his murder of King Duncan. ![]() These often conflict with the opinion others have of him, which he describes as "golden" (I:7, 33). Essentially, though, he is a human being whose private ambitions are made clear to the audience through his asides and soliloquies (solo speeches). Macbeth is introduced in the play as a warrior hero, whose fame on the battlefield wins him great honor from the king. ![]()
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