| Battle Between Scotland and Norway | The King and leader of the Norwegian Army, Macdonwald, attacked Northern Scotland because he believed that the land was originally Norwegian land. Macdonwald tried to Invade Scotland to get the land back. |
| The Original Thane of Cawdor and Macbeth’s Succession to Thane of Cawdor | The original Thane of Cawdor joined the Norwegian King, Macdonwald, because he believed that Scotland would lose the battle. The Thane was captured and brought before King Duncan. He strips the Thane of his title, names him traitor, and has people prep for the Thane’s public execution. Because Macbeth helped in winning the war, King Duncan names Macbeth the new Thane of Cawdor. |
| The Three Weird Sisters (Witches) | There is no information about why these sisters have shown up, but when they are seen, they target Macbeth as the weakest link of Scotland (As will be later explained). It could be that they want some sort of revenge and they will get it through Macbeth. (Seems legit to me.) |
| Macbeth and Banquo | These two can be considered best friends and the most popular after the king (If the King Dies, they are most likely to be one of the two voted in as king by the Thanes of Scotland). |
| Macbeth’s First Three Predictions made by the Sisters | 1) “Hail Macbeth. Hail to thee, Thane of Glamis” – Macbeth already is Thane of Glamis, so this doesn’t surprise him.2) “All hail Macbeth. Hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor.” – Macbeth is unaware of the previous Thane’s betrayal, so he doesn’t believe this prophecy. He becomes Thane the next day. (Well would you look at that?)3) “All hail Macbeth, that shall be king hereafter.” (WHAAAAT?) – He will become king of Scotland. |
| Banquo’s First Three Predictions made by the Sisters | First we need to understand that Banquo does not believe the prophecies. To the sisters he says, “… who neither beg nor fear your favors nor your hate.” This basically means, “If what you say is true, prove it.” This is why the sisters give Banquo his predictions. 1) “Hail Lesser than Macbeth and greater.”2) “Not so happy, yet much happier.”3) “Thou shalt beget Kings, though thou be none.” – You wont be king, but your sons will. |
| Banquo and Macbeth’s response to the predictions. | Like it was stated earlier, at the point when the prophecies were made, none of them had come true, as it would be the next day that the first one was proved true. The two men laugh over the situation and Banquo says, “Have we eaten the insane root that takes reason prisoner?” Meaning: Are we high? |
| What happens when the predictions come true? | The day after the predictions Ross, Duncan’s messenger, brings Macbeth the news of his Thane-ship. Macbeth begins to believe that the predictions are true and that he will become King of Scotland. Banquo still tries to show Macbeth the realistic side of things. He says,”Often, to win us our harm, instruments of darkness tell (Half) truths.”Meaning: Is this really a prediction, or are the sisters the cause (Behind the previous thane’s downfall and Macbeth’s succession)? |
| Macbeth’s prediction of becoming king | This prediction has not came true, and King Duncan names his son, Malcolm, Prince of Cumberland (Remember that Macbeth or Banquo were more suitable to become the next kings of Scotland). Although all the Thanes and everyone present knows that that is a stupid idea, Macbeth is particularly mad. Macbeth hides his anger well enough that Duncan does not know it when he sends Macbeth to Inverness to prepare for his arrival at the castle. |
| Lady Macbeth’s contribution | After he was given the predictions, Macbeth sent a letter to Lady Macbeth to tell her about the prophecies. Her response to the letter was different from Macbeth’s and he will be surprised when she finally tells him her plan. When she sees the letter she says,”… it is too full of the milk of human kindness to catch the nearest way.”Meaning: Macbeth is to noble to find the fastest way to become king. – The fastest way is to kill King Duncan. |
| Weird Sister’s curse and how it affects Macbeth through Lady Macbeth | After giving the predictions, one of the sisters flashed Macbeth. At the time, when a person was flashed, it was known as the curse of woman. This meant that a woman was a man’s downfall. After Duncan informs Macbeth to prepare Inverness for his arrival, he goes home and informs Lady Macbeth. She forms a plan to kill Duncan that night, which surprises Macbeth, but he will eventually agree. This is where Macbeth’s life starts its downfall.LADY MACBETH + HER PLAN + HER PERSUASION ON MACBETH = MACBETH’S DOWNFALL = THE CURSE OF WOMAN |
Shakespeare’s: The Tragedy of Macbeth (Movie)
September 8, 2019