First is the prophecy that the three witches proclaim to him and Banquo in the forest. This occasion is what starts the entire debate of possessing power or not through violence. Next is Lady Macbeth for the reason that she is thinking of the benefits being the queen will have. Lastly, Macbeth’s own ambition of gaining power and seeking the love he does not wish to be lost from his wife compels him to accomplish the cowardly act of murdering King Duncan while he is asleep. So far, Shakespeare wanted the audience to not necessarily villainize Macbeth, but see him in a bad
Hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor / All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter” (1.3.51-53). After hearing the witches’ prophecy, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth only focus on the last part of it which was Macbeth becoming king. This relates to the theme because Macbeth decides to take action and kill Duncan in order to make sure he is king. This also shows his disillusionment as he is doing anything for his fate to be proven true. Macbeth feels threatened by Fleance after the witches told Banquo his prophecy, which was that he will have a line of kings.
At first Macbeth seemed skeptical of what the witches were saying until the title of thane of cawdor is actually bestowed upon him. Another prophecy the witches gave was “ all hail, Macbeth, thou shalt be king hereafter!”. The witches telling him he will be king inspire him to plot the death of duncan the current king so can become the king of scotland. Macbeth acting on this prophecy eventually sets into motion the entire events of the play. The last of the first group of prophecies is when the witches say to banquo “ Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none”.
The witches ‘ignite’ his ambition, which is what eventually turns into greed. The three weird sisters decide to meet Macbeth right after the battle so the idea of violence is fresh in his mind. The witches and their seductive prophecies tap into Macbeths ambition making him crave the throne. After Macbeth becomes the thane of Cawdor; one of the prophecies, he realizes that the possibility of him becoming the king grows greater. Macbeth contemplates killing the king; “If good, why do I yield to that suggestion whose horrid image doth unfix my hair, and make my seated heart knock at my ribs, against the use of nature?” (1.3.134-137) It is evident that Macbeth’s ambition is getting the best of him because he is already considering committing regicide to get what he wants.
Although Macbeth begins to wonder how he could achieve becoming king. Murder comes to mind, although Macbeth does not approve of the option, he keeps it one. Proving Macbeth has ambition to improve himself and desires to become king. But Macbeth begins to have a murderous ambition, which will lead to a negative outcome. Continuing with Macbeth 's murderous ambition, Macbeth has a personal battle about the obstacles he must face to become King.
Macbeth, a conflicted character, changes throughout The Tragedy of Macbeth. The challenge of wanting the title of King of Scotland lives within Macbeth. This caused him to make irrational decisions that eventually lead to his downfall. Deserving respect, craving power, and staying determined are qualities that Macbeth possesses and cycles through during the play. At the start of the play, Macbeth was known as a respectable and honest soldier.
This proves the influential presence of the three witches. Macbeth never believed it would be possible for him to become king of Scotland. When he finally can visualize his path to the crown, it makes him greedy for the powerful title. Being a tragic hero, Macbeth’s greed and unchecked ambition leads to his demise. Rather than waiting for his time to be named king, Macbeth tried to rush the course to the throne.
Macbeth himself, is one of the reasons for the tragic events that occurs throughout Shakespeare 's play, Macbeth. Macbeth is known to be a dreadful hero with a troublesome flaw; his flaw, which is ambition, affects him to eventually make poor decisions guided by Lady Macbeth and the witches, and, he is manipulated to secrete his conscience which ultimately leads hims to a path of destruction and to his own death. For instance, when the witches come to tell him his three prophecies, he is Thane of Glamis, Thane of Cawdor and will be the king hereafter, his ambition leads him to think that to be king, he must murder Duncan. He says, “My thoughts, whose murder yet is but fantastical, shakes so my single state of man that function is smothered in surmise and nothing is, but what is not” (1.3.151-154). Here Macbeth realises that what the witches have told him are still a fantasy, yet he starts to think about murdering the king to become king himself.
At first, Macbeth believes that fate will make him king and he will not have to do anything. However, his ambition leads him to decide to kill Duncan and ????? to protect the crown. In order to keep the crown, he sent people to kill Banquo and his son so Banquo 's descendants will no longer become king. His fear of people taking his power and crown fueled his ambition to kill the people who used to be closet to him.
As a result the prophecies were the contemporary force plaguing Macbeth into slaughtering King Duncan for his aspiration. Being that Banquo seemed suspicious of Macbeth subsequently the night of the king 's death. Apprehensive of his throne Macbeth would do anything in his power to prevent even the slightest chance for anyone to take the throne from him.