![]() His boldness and impression of personal invincibility mark him out for a tragic fall. This feature of his personality is well presented in Act IV, Scene 1, when he revisits the Witches of his own accord. The appearance of Banquo's ghost, in particular, causes him to swing from one state of mind to another until he is no longer sure of what is and "what is not" (I:3,142).īut Macbeth's hubris or excessive pride is now his dominant character trait. First Apparition Macbeth Macbeth Macbeth beware Macduff Beware the thane of Fife. Nevertheless, the new-found resolve, which causes Macbeth to "wade" onward into his self-created river of blood (Act III, Scene 4), is persistently alarmed by supernatural events. MACBETH Tell me, thou unknown power,-First Witch He knows thy thought: Hear his speech, but say thou nought. Each successive murder reduces his human characteristics still further, until he appears to be the more dominant partner in the marriage. His ambition now begins to spur him toward further terrible deeds, and he starts to disregard and even to challenge Fate and Fortune. However, by Act III, Scene 2, Macbeth has resolved himself into a far more stereotypical villain and asserts his manliness over that of his wife. Macbeth is at his most human and sympathetic when his manliness is mocked and demeaned by his wife (see in particular Act I, Scene 7). When he is about to commit the murder, he undergoes terrible pangs of conscience. When Duncan announces that he intends the kingdom to pass to his son Malcolm, Macbeth appears frustrated. ![]() The couple resort to murder to cling to power, but a movement of resistance championed by Duncan’s sons Donalbain and. Despite his fearless character in battle, Macbeth is concerned by the prophecies of the Witches, and his thoughts remain confused, both before, during, and after his murder of King Duncan. Macbeth, known as Shakespeares Scottish Play,' weaves a tale of murder, treachery, and madness, as Macbeth and Lady Macbeth plot to kill King Duncan after Macbeth hears the witches’ prophecy about his impending kingship. ![]() These often conflict with the opinion others have of him, which he describes as "golden" (I:7, 33). Essentially, though, he is a human being whose private ambitions are made clear to the audience through his asides and soliloquies (solo speeches). He foresees a future marked by further violence.Macbeth is introduced in the play as a warrior hero, whose fame on the battlefield wins him great honor from the king. Alone with Lady Macbeth, Macbeth resolves to meet the witches again. While Lady Macbeth is able to dismiss as a momentary fit Macbeth’s expressions of horror at the ghost’s first appearance, the reappearance of the ghost and Macbeth’s outcries in response to it force Lady Macbeth to send all the guests away. Returning to the table, Macbeth is confronted by Banquo’s ghost, invisible to all but Macbeth. ![]() The Folger Shakespeare Macbeth audiobook is available on a wide variety of audiobook platforms.Īs Macbeth’s banquet begins, one of Banquo’s murderers appears at the door to tell Macbeth of Banquo’s death and Fleance’s escape. ![]() This production was performed by the professional actors of Folger Theatre, in consultation with the editors of The Folger Shakespeare. William Shakespeare’s Macbeth is one of his most often quoted plays, with famous quotes aplenty. The Folger Shakespeare Library and our publishing partner, Simon & Schuster Audio, hope you enjoy these excerpts from our audio performance of Shakespeare’s Macbeth. ![]()
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