Macbeth/Theme Essy

Takierra Garth Block 50 March 13 2013 (Macbeth/Theme Essy) In the begging where it started off with three creepy witches cackling as they were discussing when they’ll meet again, and decide to hook up “When the hurly-burly’s done, when the battle’s lost and won. “(line 3-4) The implication is that they’ve been up to something really bad. They let the audience in on their plan to meet some guy name Macbeth. And then cut to post-battle, where we learn that this Macbeth has been kicking serious tail in battle so much that King Duncan has decided to give him the title Thane of Cawdor.
He’s prancing home on a dark and stormy night after defending King Duncan in battle with some skilled enemy-disemboweling. Understandably, he’s feeling pretty good about himself. The witches then call out to Graymalkin and Paddock, or spirits that serve the witches. All three witches start to say, “Fair is foul and foul is fair”(line10-11) before going back about their business. Just then, him and his good friend Banquo run into three bearded witches who rhymingly prophesy that Macbeth will be named Thane of Cawdor and King of Scotland. Just as Banquo is curious about his knowing what he will become.
And then they begin to say “lesser than Macbeth and greater but not so much happy, yet much happier thou shalt get kings. Though thou be none”. (line 65-68) And what they mean by that is he will be fortunate than Macbeth and be father to a long line of future kings of Scotland though he will not be king himself. The next thing we know, a guy named Ross shows up to say that, since the old Thane of Cawdor turned out to be a traitor and is about to have his head chopped off and displayed on a pike, so Macbeth gets to take his place as Thane of Cawdor then that takes care of the first prophecy.

His ambitious wife, Lady Macbeth, prods him into acting like a man and killing King Duncan when the poor guy comes to Macbeth’s castle for a friendly visit. When Macduff finds the king’s dead body, Macbeth kills the guards and conveniently accuses them of murdering the king. King Duncan’s two sons, Donalbain and Malcolm, find out what happened, then they ends up leaving out of Scotland so they can’t be murdered too. Macbeth is now named king of Scotland. Now Macbeth starts to worry about the witch’s prophecy that Banquo’s heirs will be kings.
Macbeth’s not about to let someone throw him off the throne so, he hires some hit-men name Fleance to take care of Banquo and his son. Banquo is murdered, but Fleance escapes. As Banquo and Fleance live, his mind is full of scorpions. Lady Macbeth states that everybody dies, which may be a warning to Macbeth to cool it, or may be a self-reassurance that everyone has to go sometime, so her husband might as well murder their friend and his kid. At a park near the palace, the two murderers are joined by a third.
Only a bit of light remains in the sky. Banquo and Fleance approach on horseback and dismount to walk the mile to the palace, as usual. Banquo starts up with a friendly conversation and is promptly stabbed. While being stabbed, he encourages Fleance to run away and eventually take revenge. In the meantime, the torch has gone out, and Fleance takes advantage of the darkness to escape. With Banquo dead and Fleance on the run, the murderers head off to the dinner party to report the half of the job they’ve done.