Macbeth - Shakespeare

Act One

1.) Macbeth’s reaction to the witches prophecy is one of surprise, and interest. He also wants to be told more, and know how the witches know these things. Banquo however, is more cautious, and not sure. Banquo also questions if the witches were even real; he is much more sceptical.
2.) Macbeth finds out in scene 4 that Malcolm, not him is chosen by the King to be his successor, this makes Macbeth decide that “chance” will not make him King, and to be King, he must do something about it.
3.) Lady Macbeth’s reaction to the letter is one of joy for Macbeth, and fear that Macbeth is too good a person to seize the opportunity and kill the King. “…I fear thy nature, It is too full o’ th’ milk of human kindness To catch the nearest way.”(p29) Lady Macbeth also “speaks” with “demons” to give her the courage and fill her with evil to allow her to carry out the murder of the King. “…fill me from the crown to the toe top-full Of direst cruelty…”(p30)
4.) This speech tells us that Macbeth does not wholly want to proceed with the murder of the King, and that the very idea scares Macbeth, and seems impossible to commit. “…Doth unfix my hair…murder yet is but fantastical…”(p19)

Act Two
1.) At first Macbeth sees a dagger floating, leading him to Duncan’s room, which existence he questions. After having murdered Duncan, Macbeth is jumpy and nervous, he imagines he hears things when they are owls. He also is afraid that he is damned to go to hell when he cannot say ‘amen’. He is afraid he will not be able to sleep in peace.
2.) At the end of scene two, Macbeth does show remorse that he has killed the King. When he hears the knocking at the south entry, he says; “Wake Duncan with thy knocking. I would thou couldst.”(p59)
3.) Malcolm and Donalbain leave Scotland because they suspect whoever killed their father, will be targeting them next.
4.) The strange occurrences that have taken place on the night of the murder are; it is dark when the sun should have come up, a falcon was killed by an owl and Duncan’s horses turning wild and turning on the humans and then eating each other.

Act Three
1.) Banquo’s attitude at the beginning to Macbeth having become King, is one of suspicion. He suspects Macbeth had something to do with it.