Macbeth, Act 1
The witches
• Forces of darkness throughout the play (first characters we see tells us they will manipulate
the story)
• They plan to meet Macbeth and Banquo as they know Macbeth is ambitious and therefore
they can manipulate him.
Banquo & Macbeth
• Soldiers and Thane's in King Duncan's army.
• Performed like hero's, helped Scotland win the war against Norway, and at the beginning of
the play, Macbeth was seen as a noble hero, respected by many including the king.
The prophecies
• The witches greet Macbeth as 'Thane of Glamis' 'Thane of Cawdor' and 'King hereafter'.
• Macbeth is immediately drawn to the witches (even though he knows that the Thane of
Cawdor is still alive & he is not next in line to be king).
• Banquo demands that they tell him his future, "if you can look into the seeds of time...".
• The witches predict that Banquo will be 'lesser and greater than Macbeth (meaning that he
will father a line of kings but will not be king himself)
• Banquo warns Macbeth that the witches cannot be trusted (the witches disappear before any
more questions may be asked)
• But when the Thane of Cawdor is executed for Treason, Macbeth is given his title "Thane of
Cawdor" and he then starts believing what the witches have told him.
Macbeth's Reaction
• Macbeth immediately considers killing King Duncan, which initially horrified him as killing a
king was considered Treason, and his soul would be damned.
• He considers that he may become King naturally (like Thane of Cawdor) but when Duncan
announces that his son Malcolm known as "Prince of Cumberland" is next in line to the
throne, he realises that he will have to take action on the king.
• King Duncan is to honour Macbeth by spending the night at 'Inverness' (Macbeth's castle)
• Macbeth sends a letter to Lady Macbeth, telling her of the kings arrival and of the witches and
their prophecies.
The witches
• Forces of darkness throughout the play (first characters we see tells us they will manipulate
the story)
• They plan to meet Macbeth and Banquo as they know Macbeth is ambitious and therefore
they can manipulate him.
Banquo & Macbeth
• Soldiers and Thane's in King Duncan's army.
• Performed like hero's, helped Scotland win the war against Norway, and at the beginning of
the play, Macbeth was seen as a noble hero, respected by many including the king.
The prophecies
• The witches greet Macbeth as 'Thane of Glamis' 'Thane of Cawdor' and 'King hereafter'.
• Macbeth is immediately drawn to the witches (even though he knows that the Thane of
Cawdor is still alive & he is not next in line to be king).
• Banquo demands that they tell him his future, "if you can look into the seeds of time...".
• The witches predict that Banquo will be 'lesser and greater than Macbeth (meaning that he
will father a line of kings but will not be king himself)
• Banquo warns Macbeth that the witches cannot be trusted (the witches disappear before any
more questions may be asked)
• But when the Thane of Cawdor is executed for Treason, Macbeth is given his title "Thane of
Cawdor" and he then starts believing what the witches have told him.
Macbeth's Reaction
• Macbeth immediately considers killing King Duncan, which initially horrified him as killing a
king was considered Treason, and his soul would be damned.
• He considers that he may become King naturally (like Thane of Cawdor) but when Duncan
announces that his son Malcolm known as "Prince of Cumberland" is next in line to the
throne, he realises that he will have to take action on the king.
• King Duncan is to honour Macbeth by spending the night at 'Inverness' (Macbeth's castle)
• Macbeth sends a letter to Lady Macbeth, telling her of the kings arrival and of the witches and
their prophecies.
