How Does Macbeth Change Throughout The Play

Macbeth is portrayed differently in each and every scene of the first act. In each scene, he is described by different characters, which may have influenced how differently he is portrayed.

In Act I Scene 1, the witches start the play by discussing their next meeting. Macbeth was mentioned by the witches, and this hints to the fact that he is possibly associated with the witches. This therefore taints our perception of him a little bit. It casts a cloud of doubt over his glorious reputation because since the witches are evil, and talk with their words laced with oxymoron’s. For example: “when the battle’s lost, and won”-(I, 1, 4) and “Fair is foul, and foul is fair” - (I, 1, 12).

In Act I Scene 2, King Duncan is questioning a captain that was wounded in battle for news about the Scots’ battle against Macdonwald. The captain described to the King Macbeth slew the traitorous Macdonwald, “For brave Macbeth-well he deserves that name- Disdaining Fortune, with his brandish’d steel”-(I, 2, 16-17). In this scene Macbeth is portrayed as a noble warrior. First by the captain, then by Kind Duncan himself. He is described in battle almost too

He then announces that his successor as king will be his eldest son Malcolm. Macbeth’s thoughts turn to the fact that Malcolm is now the sole obstacle in his way of becoming King. He is starting to be portrayed as more and more determined and corrupted.

In Act I Scene 5, Lady Macbeth receives a letter off of Macbeth, describing his encounter with the witches and recent events. She fears that he isn’t ruthless or cunning enough to perform the murder needed for him to be able to become King. She thinks that he is “too full o’ th’ milk of human kindness”-(I, 5, 15), to murder the King and assure that the prophecy comes true that Macbeth should become King.

Macbeth isn’t mentioned, or present in Act I Scene