The task of reading this book was much less daunting once I broke it apart by weekly reading assignments (another win for making small goals!).
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| Photo I took and edited |
Act 1, Scene 1
The story starts with three witches. They discuss meeting later and a reference is made to their familiars - animals that do their bidding.
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Act 1, Scene 2
An injured Captain excitedly recounts
tales of bravery and bloodshed that occurred during not one, but two battles
that Macbeth effortlessly conquered. The King is all too impressed, what with
Macbeth cutting open a man belly to jaw and mounting his head on a stick. Even better
than two battles one, Macbeth has defeated a rebel, the Thane of Cawdor. So enamored,
the King strips this title from the former Thane and gives it to Macbeth (in
addition to putting the former Thane to death). He sends his men to announce
the good news to Macbeth.
Act 1, Scene 3
Once again we are greeted with three
witches, discussing their merriment in killing farm animals and putting curses
on the husbands of women who refuse to let the witches them steal their food.
Suddenly, Macbeth and his friend Banquo walk into the party and think they are
imagining things because the witches start praising Macbeth and announcing his
current title, future title, and that he will be king. As the men question the
validity of their statements, they vanish. And as the witches have dissapeared, the kings men
arrive to pronounce his new title as Thane of Cawdor – fulfilling the first of
two claims/prophecies the witches just made. Banquo questions the reality of
the moment with a line I really adore:
“What, can the devil speak true?” (sarcastically, since to him the
devil is the father of lie - but Banquo then makes a counterpoint) “oftentimes,
to win us our harm, instruments of darkness tell us truths, win us with honest
trifles, to betray’s in deepest consequence”
Macbeth thinks the witches may not have been lying, and this
causes him some distress. If it is a good thing, and he will be king, then why
would he ever kill the king? (I guess we are assuming murder is the only way to
get a pay raise around here). If it is bad, why has the title of Thane of
Cawdor been given to him? He instinctually says no – he would never kill the
king (his chiveralous side), however, he cannot get the idea of murder from his
thoughts (his soldier side).
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Act 1, Scene 4
In this scene, the King and Macbeth discuss his new title.
Lady Macbeth is introduced, reading a letter from Macbeth about
the events that have transpired. It is implied that Macbeth is onboard with the
possible murder to gain the crown, as she immediately starts to come to terms
that they have to murder the king. At first, she has similar thoughts that
parallel Macbeth’s, she wants to be a good person but the chance to be Queen is
so tempting. Upon finding out the King will be staying the night in their
castle, the nail is put in the coffin as she starts to form a plan –
ending the scene with a knife in her hand.
Act 1, Scene 6
The King has arrived, Lady Macbeth is trying very hard to act as
if she isn’t plotting his demise, and Banquo is comparing the nice weather to
birds having sex in their nest above the church.
Act 1, Scene 7
Macbeth is alone again, having an inner struggle again. He knows the king trusts him implicitly, and
has no real desire to see him dead other than getting the crown. He decides to
drop the idea of killing him, but his wife charges in calling him a coward. In
an analogy, she states; like a cat who wants a fish but is afraid to get its feet wet
(pretty tame analogy for murder). Much less tamely, she tells him she understands that the king adores
him but that he needs to, well, get over it:
"the
babe that milks me, I would, while it was smiling in my face, have plucked my
nipple from his boneless gums and dashed its brains out"
He caves to his wife and
is back on board with murdering the king. They make a plan to get the king
drunk, his two servants that guard his room drunk, and then murder him while
framing the servants.
Act 2, Scene 1
Alone, Macbeth hallucinates a vision of a dagger. After some deep thought, he takes his own from its sheath, casting away any last hesitations and goes to commit the act.
Act 2, Scene 2
Lady Macbeth has done her part, the servants are drunk and asleep
on the job. Macbeth enters, having killed the king, but is in complete shock. He
can’t cover up the evidence because he is too shaken, so his wife - appalled at
his emotions - finishes the job. They argue until a knock at the door forces
them to put on their pajamas and pretend they’ve been asleep this whole time.
Summary
I do not know the ending to this story, so this is all genuine
speculation. I believe the witches knew Macbeth would become Thane of Cawdor,
but had no idea if he would ever become king – that was a seed they planted in
his head, knowing the temptation would be too great for even the noblest of
men. It seems though he would have not succumbed, had he never told his wife of
the prophecy. He also might have backed out again, but I think the
hallucinations of the dagger are something supernatural to bring him back on
the path to death.
Some quotes that I think apply to the morals/themes of this story so far:
It has often been said that power corrupts. But it is perhaps equally important to realize that weakness, too, corrupts. Power corrupts the few, while weakness corrupts the many – Eric Hoffer; the idea of power almost corrupts Macbeth, but he is too noble indeed; however, his wife is not and his weakness to his wife is his real downfall.
Bad company corrupts good character – Menander; I believe this also adequately relates to his wife.
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