With the witches’ prophecies mulling over in his mind, and knowing that he was not the successor of the throne, he knew he had to take matters into his own hands. With the support and persuasion of Lady Macbeth, he kills King Duncan and gains his kingship. When Banquo makes his vow to find out who killed Duncan, Macbeth knew he had to silence him. After Macbeth is named king, he seeks out hired murderers to kill Banquo and his son, Fleance. Macbeth does this because he is afraid that Banquo will get in the way of his new title and Fleance, because he is prophesied to be king.
She pushes for Macbeth to do the unthinkable all so that they may become Kind and Queen. She accuses Macbeth of not acting like a man. “When you durst do it, then you were a man”, if he went ahead with killing the King. This was a great force for Macbeth to proceed with the task. When he finally goes
That all changes when he returns home after telling his wife what had happened. She says “ Make thick my blood/ Stop up th’access and passage to remorse” (1.5 33-34) Lady Macbeth is the one who encourages Macbeth to become King. Now that they both believe that Macbeth is going to become king, there is nothing that will get in their way. Soon after, Macbeth decides that one of the only ways that he is going to become king, is to kill the current king, Duncan. He realized that the plan might not be reasonable and he started to second guess himself.
The devices make a suspenseful, shocking, spine-chilling play. This book is nothing short of ironic; Shakespeare uses the rhetorical device irony all threw Macbeth. For example the thane of Cawdor is killed over committing treason and treachery against the king, only to give the title to Macbeth who plans to commit worst things to the king. The king even goes on to state after killing the thane of Cawdor that “There's no art to find the mind's construction in the face He was a gentleman on whom I built an absolute trust” (I.IV.15). To then put his trust in Macbeth only to be betrayed by him.
When Macbeth debates with himself regarding the pros and cons of killing Duncan he states: “I go, and it is done. The bell invites me. Hear it not, Duncan, for it is knell that summons thee to heaven or to hell,” (Macbeth 2.1.62-64).It is clear from this quote that Macbeth’s ambition is stronger than his moral code and trustworthiness. Having murdered Duncan, the evil act of killing becomes easier to handle as he plots to murder Banquo
In Act 1 Scene 7 Macbeth says, “I have no spur To prick the sides of my intent, but only Vaulting ambition which o’erleaps itself And falls on th’other” In this soliloquy, Macbeth admits that his only reason for committing murder is ambition. The ambition presented him with negative characteristics such as greed, intolerance, ruthlessness and an unhealthy drive for power. In addition, it blocked out his respect for others and his compassion. Earlier in his soliloquy, Macbeth also uses foreshadowing as he declares, “Bloody instructions which, being taught, return To plague th’inventor” Here, Macbeth explained his deeds will eventually come back to haunt him. Earlier in the soliloquy ,he uses dark imagery, in phrases such as “Deep damnation” a “Poisoned Chalice” and “Bloody Instructions”.
Shakespeare incorporated the theme of madness to serve a motive for Hamlet in order to deceive others. Hamlet planned everything from what he was doing to what he was going to do. Hamlet did in fact pretend to be mad, just so he could follow through on his plan to avenge his father’s death. He acted like he was mad because he did not want to directly kill Claudius, because he wanted to make him suffer. Hamlet also knew that he could not tell anyone that Claudius has murdered his father or that he had seen the ghost of his father because no one would believe him.
Thou shalt be King hereafter'. They said this prophecy because the witches already knew Macbeth was going to be king, but Macbeth didn't want to wait so he had decided to kill Duncan, the current king, so therefore Macbeth would become king sooner. Macbeth himself did contribute to his downfall. If he hadn't killed Duncan to become king, the guilt and confusion would have not lead him to madness. After he killed Duncan, he thought highly of himself and nothing could stop him or get in his way.
When he finds out that he is the Thane of Cawdor, he realizes that the witch’s words were beginning to come true. Without thinking about whether the witches were good or bad, he and Lady Macbeth start to devise a plan. At his second encounter with the witches, they have a few more predictions for him. This time they are things he should beware because of all he has done. What Macbeth is not aware of is that if he believes what he is told by the witches again, his responding actions can ultimately impel the
showing us that the thought of murder was already at the back of his mind. Macbeth could not have been as honourable and trustworthy as people believed him to be, given that if he had had but a shred of integrity, murder would have been the last thing on his mind. Macbeth is given prophecies by the witches and he is encouraged to act on these suggestions by Lady Macbeth, but he ultimately makes the choices to murder Duncan, Macduff's family and Banquo. The fact that Macbeth feels guilt, fears being caught and fears losing the throne reveals he has hidden anxiety. If Macbeth was truly at the mercy of fate, following the prophesise that was “set out”, he would have no difficulties in carrying out his crimes.