From the outset, Macbeth has not shown any real fear of the witches. When he and Banquo encounter them the first time, he is his assertive self, demanding of them to:
"Speak, if you can: what are you?"
His response to the witches' prophecy is different from that of Banquo. Banquo is unaffected but he notices that Macbeth "starts" and asks him why he is startled and afraid when the prediction is so favourable. The fact that Macbeth responds in this manner is not because of his fear of the witches, but that they have so accurately expressed his ambition to become king - they have verbalised his innermost thoughts and desire.
After Duncan's assassination and his ascension to the throne, Macbeth becomes ruthless and bloodthirsty, suspicious and overwrought. He is in a state of continuous anxiety and has now completely given himself over to evil and therefore seeks out the witches to provide him with assurances.
On his next encounter, he shows them very little courtesy or respect. The witches' initial warnings and assurances please Macbeth, but he demands to know more and even threatens them with a curse if they do not cater to his request:
"I will be satisfied: deny me this
And an eternal curse fall on you!"
The Macbeth we see here has become the epitome of evil, unlike the man we met earlier - a man whose wife believed was "too full o' the milk of human kindness". The Macbeth we now know has become evil itself, so much so that he dares to threaten the servants with evil without any doubt or reservation.
No comments:
Post a Comment