Macbeth - William Shakespeare Long Question-Answer

Macbeth | William Shakespeare

Question: How were Macbeth and Banquo affected by the prophecy of the three witches after the battle?

Ans: Macbeth and Banquo were two Scottish generals. They were returning victorious from the battlefield. They happened to come across three witches in the heath. Both were greeted by the witches. The first witch greet Macbeth as Thane of Glamis. Macbeth was not so much surprise at this. Macbeth had no pretention to receive the title of thane of Cawdor from the second of them. When the third witch prophesied that Macbeth would be the ‘King of Scotland’, Macbeth was rapt. Banquo was coldly promised that though no king himself, he would be father of kings. Then the three witches vanished into air.

But both of them— Macbeth and Banquo where tempted by the prophecy. Unlike Macbeth, Banquo could resist the temptation. Macbeth took the prediction seriously but Banquo was indifferent. When a part of the prophecy came true, Macbeth was astonished. He stood wrapped in thought. He was unable to make any reply to the massengers. He hoped that the third prophecy might be true. He imagined that he should one day reign king of Scotland.

On the other hand Banquo put himself on guard against any possibility of being allured. He warned Macbeth about those ministers of darkness. He had dark misgivings in his mind. He told that those suggestions might betray them into deeds of greatest consequences. But Macbeth could not get rid of the wicked proposals of the witches. He paid little heed to the warnings of Banquo. He jumped to the thought of compassing the throne of Scotland. Thus, Macbeth and Banquo were very different in their reactions to the predictions of the witches.

Question: What conflicts did Macbeth have in his mind before murdering Duncan?

Or, Describe the feelings of Macbeth as he went to murder Duncan?

Ans: Before murdering Duncan there were conflicting emotions in the mind of Macbeth. Macbeth hesitated a lot to murder Duncan. He was too kind to do a murder. He was not prepared for the crime for his moral scruple. So, his determination began to stagger.

Macbeth gave some strong reasons against killing king Duncan. He was not only a subject but also a close relative of Duncan. Moreover, he had always favoured Macbeth and bestowed upon him several honours. It was for Duncan that Macbeth stood high in the opinion of all sorts of men. This reputation of him would be stained by so foul a murder. Besides that, Macbeth was a host to the king. So he must protect Duncan against his murderers. He also said how just and merciful Duncan was to his subjects and nobility. All the subjects of such kings are so loyal that they will take revenge of their death. Macbeth himself had the favour of the king. So he thought not to kill king Duncan.

Thus Macbeth was about to give up the idea of murder. He was going to resolve that he would not proceed any more. He could have rejected the evil purpose.