MACBETH ACT 1 active reading notes

• Macbeth subtly introduced into the play.
• Witches foreboding and controlling.
• Macbeth accepts that he will be Thane of Cawdor and King after meeting the witches and hearing their prophecy, showing his ambitious side.
• Macbeth is pronounced Thane of Cawdor due to his loyalty in fighting the rebels for the king, this brings credibility to the Witches in his eyes.
• Thane of Cawdor before Macbeth is to be executed for treason.
• Macbeth reveals more of his ambitious side when he says that he is now Thane of Glamis and Cawdor, and the best is still to come (he becomes King). Banquo skeptical about Witches---> they usually lead men to their demise with tricks.
• Macbeth begins to think about murdering King Duncan to precipitate his becoming King. Yet despite all his battle gore and ambition, murder frightens him (irony).
• Macbeth meets King Duncan and praises him. Macbeth is dishonest and untrustworthy.
• Duncan admires Macbeth deeply. The fact that Macbeth was thinking about murdering him earlier now makes the reader resent him for wanting to kill a man who admires him as much. Ironic that last Thane of Cawdor was executed for treason, and now Macbeth occupies his place?
• Duncan is to name Malcolm heir to the thrown (could this precipitate Macbeth to take action?)
• Macbeth makes up his mind to kill the King and anyone else who stands between him and the thrown.
• Lady Macbeth is introduced, she has guts and no morals as apparent from her way of speaking and acting. She characterizes Macbeth for us as a man who wants something but is too afraid to go after it.
• Lady Macbeth determined to kill Duncan when she finds out he is coming to her castle. She is EVIL.
• As soon as Macbeth and Lady Macbeth speak it is apparent that she dominates him. She tells him what to do and how to behave.
• The deep love expressed by Duncan to Macbeth only makes the treason more unforgivable to the reader. Is Shakespeare setting us up to hate Macbeth?
• Macbeth is already feeling remorse for planning to kill Duncan but his ambition is greater.
• Macbeth has second doubts and Lady Macbeth scolds him and essentially forces him to stick to his words. She is ruthless. She says she would kill the baby eating from her breasts while he smiled if she had given her word that she'd do it.
• The plan: Get Duncan's servants drunk so they pass out. Once they are unconscious, they will take their daggers and kill Duncan. Then they will cover the servants in his blood to make everyone think they were the ones who did it.