![]() This is at odds with religious ideals, and presents the play as similar to mythological times when heroism was linked to feats on the battlefield and devotion to the gods was held by all. The presence of religion immediately creates an association with morality and doing what is right, however in this scene Macbeth’s virtuous character is associated with his brutal murder of Macdonwald which culminates with his placing the head of his opponent on the battlements of the castle. While not going into the exact presence of religion in the play it is certainly a social convention, seen in such moments as Macbeth later attempting to say ‘amen’ with the chamberlains. ![]() The world of the play is one based on contradiction, which may be seen as a reason for the ambiguity and uncertainty in the play. The contradictory manner of this, with the captain foreshadowing Macbeth’s deception while praising his dedication to defending Scotland and its king, once more presents the world of the play as a place where all is not as it seems. from the nave to th’chops’, who then hangs Macbeth’s head in public as Macbeth did to Macdonwald. ‘For brave Macbeth – well he deserves that name! – Disdaining fortune, with his brandished steel Which smoked with bloody execution, Like valour’s minion Carved out his passage till he faced the slave, Which ne’er shook hands nor bade farewell to him Till he unseamed him from the nave to th’chops, And fixed his head upon our battlements.’Īs shall be seen, Macbeth is ‘disdaining of fortune’ when he upsets the natural order and kills the king, who is god’s representative on earth, ‘with bloody execution’ and later is killed by Macduff who is born from a Caesarian section, as his mother is ‘unseamed. This is foreshadowed in the captain’s description of Macbeth’s actions on the battlefield: However as mentioned, the initial presentiaton of Macbeth as a character of virtue is the first stage in his state of tragic hero, as he will fall from this state of virtue due to his tragic flaw. In a world where there is disloyalty and betrayal, symbolized by the traiterous thane of Cawdor, Macbeth is a brave and loyal servant to the king of Scotland. While Macbeth wanders around in a haze, Banquo makes excuses for his war buddy until Macbeth finally snaps out of it, and they all head off to meet the king.The second scene serves one overriding purpose, to present Macbeth as a character of supreme virtue. There’s just one problem: to make that happen, he’d have to murder Duncan, and he can’t help but envision how he might pull that off. But Macbeth, muttering to himself, begins to imagine that he actually could become king. But Banquo’s a little worried, too: couldn’t the witches be agents of evil, sent to lead them to their own demise? Maybe. Macbeth and Banquo are starting to wonder if there really might be something to the witches’ prophecies. Ross tells him he’s about to become the Thane of Cawdor (so the witches were onto something), because the previous thane is now a traitor. Macbeth and Banquo are busy marveling over the mysterious witches when Ross and Angus arrive to tell Macbeth that the king wants him. As they start to leave, Macbeth begs them to stay, wanting to know more about their prophecies, but the witches are already gone. ![]() The three witches tell Banquo that his descendants will be kings, but he won’t. Banquo wants to know if they’re telling the truth - and he wants to know what lies ahead in his future, too. The witches greet a rather bewildered Macbeth as the “Thane of Glamis,” “Thane of Cawdor,” and “king hereafter.” Since he was, in fact, the Thane of Glamis, and he’s about to become the Thane of Cawdor, we can’t help but wonder if “king hereafter” might hold some water as well. The witches are back, and they finally get to meet Macbeth, who’s got Banquo in tow. ![]()
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