Theme Of The Witches Prophecy In Macbeth

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When the three sister Witches prophecy of Macbeth becoming Thane of Cawdor becomes a reality, Macbeth realizes that the witches prophecy may not be a hoax after all; perhaps he really is destined to be King of Scotland. As these thoughts linger in Macbeth innocent mind he states, “My thought, [Duncan], whose murder yet is but fantastical,/Shakes so my single state of man/That function is smothger'd in surmise,/and nothing is but what is not” (1.3.152-155). Shakespeare shows that the innocent mind of the noble Macbeth has been infected with the idea of murder for power. This act of taking a life for power begins to expand in Macbeth's mind, the odd thing is that the Witches never hinted committing murder, it is Macbeth who thinks of it first …show more content…
As Lady Macbeth reads the letter in her soliloquy she realizes that she has the opportunity to be queen if her husband becomes King as stated by the Witches. Lady Macbeth's states, “Yet do I fear thy nature;/It is too full o' th' milk of human kindness/To catch the nearest way: thou wouldst be great,/Art not without ambition, but without/The illness should attend it. What thou wouldst highly” (1.5.3-8). Here, Lady Macbeth's states that her husband really is innocent and noble, but he lacks the desired traits required to obtain the throne. She also perceives herself to more masculine because unlike her husband she doesn't mask her desires and has the stomach to chase after desires. Shakespeare lets the audience know that Macbeth's is a good person and that Lady Macbeth's evil ambition for power will deceive and motivate Macbeth to commit such treacherous crimes. After conceiving her husband to forcefully take the throne by killing Duncan, Macbeth agrees but as the dark hour approaches, he states, “I have no spur/To prick the sides of my intent, but only/Vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself/And falls on th' other” (1.7.25-27). At this point in the play, Macbeth states that there is no clear reason for killing Duncan, he just wants power for himself. Lady Macbeth has already infected Macbeth's mind of killing King Duncan, yet he is still hesitant …show more content…
[And] Upon my head they placed a fruitless crown and put a barren scepter in my grip, thence to be wrenched with an unlineal hand, no son of mine succeeding. If ’t be so, (3.1.65-69). Remembering this causes him to panic because he realizes that his throne is not promised and he has no son to pass it onto. Macbeth implies that he is scared of Banquo and the reign of his sons. Macbeth must do whatever is necessary to preserve his throne now and in the future, once again,the malignant ambition infects Macbeth's mind. This time he is not fantasizing of murder, but actually planning the murder of his best friend, Banquo, and his son Fleance. Macbeth doesn't like the witches prophecy, to preserve his throne, he decides to alter it my having his best friend and his son killed. After sending Banquo home, Macbeth hires two murderers to murder Banquo, “ I will advise you where to plant yourselves, acquaint you with the perfect spy o' th' time… [The killing] must be done tonight (3.2.147-150). This shows Macbeth hiring two murders who are later joined by a third to kill Banquo and his son. After receiving the orders form Macbeth, the murderer take off and enter the carriage on which banquo and his son are on, they brutally stab
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