"The Tragedy of Macbeth"

@Gene 00,

they told him to do his own homework

1 Reply

@djjd62,

and eat his vegetables to grow up big and strong

1 Reply

@Seed,

...and at least read the first scene of the play. That's all you need to do to answer your own question.

1 Reply

@Gene 00,

Quote:

Fearful of the witches’ prophecy that Banquo’s heirs will seize the throne, Macbeth hires a group of murderers to kill Banquo and his son Fleance. They ambush Banquo on his way to a royal feast, but they fail to kill Fleance, who escapes into the night. Macbeth becomes furious: as long as Fleance is alive, he fears that his power remains insecure. At the feast that night, Banquo’s ghost visits Macbeth. When he sees the ghost, Macbeth raves fearfully, startling his guests, who include most of the great Scottish nobility. Lady Macbeth tries to neutralize the damage, but Macbeth’s kingship incites increasing resistance from his nobles and subjects. Frightened, Macbeth goes to visit the witches in their cavern. There, they show him a sequence of demons and spirits who present him with further prophecies: he must beware of Macduff, a Scottish nobleman who opposed Macbeth’s accession to the throne; he is incapable of being harmed by any man born of woman; and he will be safe until Birnam Wood comes to Dunsinane Castle. Macbeth is relieved and feels secure, because he knows that all men are born of women and that forests cannot move. When he learns that Macduff has fled to England to join Malcolm, Macbeth orders that Macduff’s castle be seized and, most cruelly, that Lady Macduff and her children be murdered.

http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/macbeth/summary.html

1 Reply

@Merry Andrew,

I think the apparitions are about midway.

0 Replies

@Robert Gentel,

They appear twice...in act I scene I:

Thunder and lightning.
Enter three WITCHES.
First Witch
1 When shall we three meet again?
2 In thunder, lightning, or in rain?
Second Witch
3 When the hurlyburly's done,
4 When the battle's lost and won.
Third Witch
5 That will be ere the set of sun.

First Witch
6 Where the place?

Second Witch
Upon the heath.

Third Witch
7 There to meet with Macbeth.

First Witch
8 I come, Graymalkin!

Second Witch
9 Paddock calls.
Third Witch
10 Anon.
ALL
11 Fair is foul, and foul is fair:
12 Hover through the fog and filthy air.

Exeunt.

Then again in Act I, scene 3, where Macbeth meets them:

Enter MACBETH and BANQUO

MACBETH

So foul and fair a day I have not seen.

BANQUO

How far is't call'd to Forres? What are these
So wither'd and so wild in their attire,
That look not like the inhabitants o' the earth,
And yet are on't? Live you? or are you aught
That man may question? You seem to understand me,
By each at once her chappy finger laying
Upon her skinny lips: you should be women,
And yet your beards forbid me to interpret
That you are so.

MACBETH

Speak, if you can: what are you?

First Witch

All hail, Macbeth! hail to thee, thane of Glamis!

Second Witch

All hail, Macbeth, hail to thee, thane of Cawdor!

Third Witch

All hail, Macbeth, thou shalt be king hereafter!

BANQUO

Good sir, why do you start; and seem to fear
Things that do sound so fair? I' the name of truth,
Are ye fantastical, or that indeed
Which outwardly ye show? My noble partner
You greet with present grace and great prediction
Of noble having and of royal hope,
That he seems rapt withal: to me you speak not.
If you can look into the seeds of time,
And say which grain will grow and which will not,
Speak then to me, who neither beg nor fear
Your favours nor your hate.

First Witch

Hail!

Second Witch

Hail!

Third Witch

Hail!

First Witch

Lesser than Macbeth, and greater.

Second Witch

Not so happy, yet much happier.

Third Witch

Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none:
So all hail, Macbeth and Banquo!

First Witch

Banquo and Macbeth, all hail!

MACBETH

Stay, you imperfect speakers, tell me more:
By Sinel's death I know I am thane of Glamis;
But how of Cawdor? the thane of Cawdor lives,
A prosperous gentleman; and to be king
Stands not within the prospect of belief,
No more than to be Cawdor. Say from whence
You owe this strange intelligence? or why
Upon this blasted heath you stop our way
With such prophetic greeting? Speak, I charge you.

Witches vanish

BANQUO

The earth hath bubbles, as the water has,
And these are of them. Whither are they vanish'd?

MACBETH

Into the air; and what seem'd corporal melted
As breath into the wind. Would they had stay'd!

BANQUO

Were such things here as we do speak about?
Or have we eaten on the insane root
That takes the reason prisoner?

MACBETH

Your children shall be kings.

BANQUO

You shall be king.

MACBETH

And thane of Cawdor too: went it not so?

BANQUO

To the selfsame tune and words. Who's here?

2 Replies

@dlowan,

Quote:

What information does Macbeth gather from the witches' apparitions?

Quote:

Second Witch

All hail, Macbeth, hail to thee, thane of Cawdor!

Third Witch

All hail, Macbeth, thou shalt be king hereafter!

Here, the witches prophesy that Macbeth will add Cawdor to his properties (he is already thane of Glamis) and that he will be king at some stage.

Then further prophesies:

Quote:

First Witch

Hail!

Second Witch

Hail!

Third Witch

Hail!

First Witch

Lesser than Macbeth, and greater.

Second Witch

Not so happy, yet much happier.

Third Witch

Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none:
So all hail, Macbeth and Banquo!

The witches here hail Banquo, and make prophesies concerning him.

He is lesser than Macbeth, because he will not be king, but greater in that his descendants WILL be kings.

Thus, it is prophesied that Macbeth will be king, but his children will NOT be...that Banquo's issue will be kings.

This sets up both the murder of the current king, and Macbeth's desire to murder Banquo, to prevent the prophecy about him coming true.

Edit: I am an idiot! Macbeth seeks out the witches again later in the play to ask them if his throne is secure. This is the scene where he is told that no man born of woman can defeat him, and his throne is secure 'til Birnam come to Dunsinane. We all know how THAT ends!

1 Reply

@dlowan,

dlowan wrote:

They appear twice...

The witches or the witches' apparitions?

2 Replies

@dlowan,

Actually, I should include the third appearance of the witches, in Act IV to assist you with your homework.

(The play is great...please read it!)

Here, an increasingly paranoid and distraught and murderous Macbeth seeks to know if he and his crown are secure.

The first apparition warns him against MacDuff.

The second warns him he is secure against any man of woman born.

The third says he is safe until Birnam Wood assaults Dunsinane (where Macbeth is).

The fourth apparition is of Banquo's issue, all kings.

This sets in motion the final actions of Macbeth which lead to his downfall.

Look up dramatic irony.

As Macbeth says:

Quote:

Macb. Infected be the air whereon they ride;
And damn’d all those that trust them

Quote:

Enter MACBETH

Macb. How now, you secret, black, and midnight hags!
What is ’t you do? 48
All. A deed without a name.
Macb. I conjure you, by that which you profess,
Howe’er you come to know it, answer me!
Though you untie the winds and let them fight 52
Against the churches; though the yesty waves
Confound and swallow navigation up;
Though bladed corn be lodg’d 10 and trees blown down;
Though castles topple on their warders’ heads; 56
Though palaces and pyramids do slope
Their heads to their foundations; though the treasure
Of nature’s germens 11 tumble all together,
Even till destruction sicken; answer me 60
To what I ask you.
1. Witch. Speak.
2. Witch. Demand.
3. Witch. We’ll answer. 64
1. Witch. Say, if thou ’dst rather hear it from our mouths,
Or from our master’s?
Macb. Call ’em; let me see ’em.
1. Witch. Pour in sow’s blood, that hath eaten 68
Her nine farrow; 12 grease that’s sweaten
From the murderer’s gibbet throw
Into the flame.
All. Come, high or low; 72
Thyself and office deftly show!

Thunder. First Apparition, an armed Head

Macb. Tell me, thou unknown power,"
1. Witch. He knows thy thought.
Hear his speech, but say thou nought. 76
1. App. Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! beware Macduff;
Beware the thane of Fife. Dismiss me. Enough. Descends.
Macb. Whate’er thou art, for thy good caution, thanks;
Thou hast harp’d my fear aright. But one word more," 80
1. Witch. He will not be commanded. Here’s another,
More potent than the first.

Thunder. Second Apparition, a bloody Child

2. App. Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth!
Macb. Had I three ears, I’d hear thee. 84
2. App. Be bloody, bold, and resolute; laugh to scorn
The power of man; for none of woman born
Shall harm Macbeth. Descends.
Macb. Then live, Macduff: what need I fear of thee? 88
But yet I’ll make assurance double sure,
And take a bond of fate. Thou shalt not live;
That I may tell pale-hearted fear it lies,
And sleep in spite of thunder. 92

Thunder. Third Apparition, a Child crowned, with a tree in his hand

What is this
That rises like the issue of a king,
And wears upon his baby-brow the round
And top of sovereignty? 96
All. Listen, but speak not to ’t.
3. App. Be lion-mettled, proud, and take no care
Who chafes, who frets, or where conspirers are.
Macbeth shall never vanquish’d be until 100
Great Birnam wood to high Dunsinane hill
Shall come against him. Descends.
Macb. That will never be.
Who can impress 13 the forest, bid the tree 104
Unfix his earth-bound root? Sweet bodements! 14 good!
Rebellion’s head, rise never till the wood
Of Birnam rise, and our high-plac’d Macbeth
Shall live the lease of nature, pay his breath 108
To time and mortal custom. Yet my heart
Throbs to know one thing: tell me, if your art
Can tell so much, shall Banquo’s issue ever
Reign in this kingdom? 112
All. Seek to know no more.
Macb. I will be satisfied! Deny me this,
And an eternal curse fall on you! Let me know.
Why sinks that cauldron? And what noise is this? Hautboys. 116
1. Witch. Show!
2. Witch. Show!
3. Witch. Show!
All. Show his eyes, and grieve his heart; 120
Come like shadows, so depart!

A show of Eight Kings, the last with a glass in his hand; BANQUO’S Ghost following

Macb. Thou art too like the spirit of Banquo; down!
Thy crown does sear mine eye-balls. And thy hair,
Thou other gold-bound brow, is like the first. 124
A third is like the former. Filthy hags!
Why do you show me this? A fourth! Start, eyes!
What, will the line stretch out to the crack of doom?
Another yet! A seventh! I’ll see no more. 128
And yet the eighth appears, who bears a glass
Which shows me many more; and some I see
That twofold balls and treble sceptres carry.
Horrible sight! Now, I see, ’tis true; 132
For the blood-bolter’d 15 Banquo smiles upon me,
And points at them for his. [Apparitions vanish.] What, is this so?
1. Witch. Ay, sir, all this is so; but why
Stands Macbeth thus amazedly? 136
Come, sisters, cheer we up his sprites,
And show the best of our delights.
I’ll charm the air to give a sound,
While you perform your antic round; 140
That this great king may kindly say,
Our duties did his welcome pay. Music. The Witches dance, and vanish [with HECATE].
Macb. Where are they? Gone? Let this pernicious hour
Stand aye accursed in the calendar! 144
Come in, without there!

Enter LENNOX

Len. What’s your Grace’s will?
Macb. Saw you the weird sisters?
Len. No, my lord. 148
Macb. Came they not by you?
Len. No, indeed, my lord.
Macb. Infected be the air whereon they ride;
And damn’d all those that trust them! I did hear 152
The galloping of horse; who was ’t came by?
Len. ’Tis two or three, my lord, that bring you word
Macduff is fled to England.
Macb. Fled to England! 156
Len. Ay, my good lord.
Macb. Time, thou anticipat’st my dread exploits:
The flighty 16 purpose never is o’ertook
Unless the deed go with it. From this moment 160
The very firstlings of my heart shall be
The firstlings of my hand. And even now,
To crown my thoughts with acts, be it thought and done.
The castle of Macduff I will surprise; 164
Seize upon Fife; give to the edge o’ the sword
His wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls
That trace him in his line. No boasting like a fool;
This deed I’ll do before this purpose cool. 168
But no more sights!"Where are these gentlemen?
Come, bring me where they are. Exeunt.

0 Replies

@Robert Gentel,

Robert Gentel wrote:

dlowan wrote:
They appear twice...

The witches or the witches' apparitions?

Actually, the witches appear three times.

I haven't read the play for ages.

I am not sure how often their apparitions appear.

Once?

See my mea culpa edit?

0 Replies

@Robert Gentel,

Robert Gentel wrote:

dlowan wrote:
They appear twice...

The witches or the witches' apparitions?

Oh, I getcha.

Hmmmmmm....that's a fine distinction.

I would see the second appearance of the witches as the most important driver of the plot...and there they are themselves, as I recall, without apparitions.

The apparition scene really only brings home the already fast falling night.

But, technically, the scene in Act IV is the apparition scene.

I imagine the homework will get a great mark if our questioner draws THAT distinction!

Which appearance do you think is meant?

1 Reply

@dlowan,

dlowan wrote:

Which appearance do you think is meant?

I think it's the one with the apparitions, but I remember next to nothing about this play. Here is what I did, in case it helps the original poster: I was Control F'ing my way through the full text, searching for "witch" when I ran across "apparition" and noticed that there were a lot less of those mentions (8) so it narrowed it down to Act 4 - Scene 1 for me. I skimmed it but wasn't completely sure what the key revelations were (without the rest of the context) so I read the plot overview that I linked to earlier in its entirety and it seemed pretty clear that those three things I bolded are the key pieces of information to answer that question.

0 Replies

"The Tragedy of Macbeth"

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