Question

In a response of three to five sentences, explain how Macbeth changes throughout the scene in this lesson. Use the lines from Group A, when he first hears the weird sisters' greeting, and Group B, the aside he makes after he learns he has been named Thane of Cawdor, to support your answer. You must cite from and explain these lines in your response. (10 points)

Answer 1

Answer:

• Macbeth is shocked when he hears the witches' greeting, he remains silent, shocked and startled by their words

Act 1 Scene 3 Line 52: (Banquo to Macbeth) "Good Sir, why do you start and seem to fear things that sound so fair? " = Banquo is asking Macbeth why is he so shocked and astonished when the things the witches are saying are very nice (they greet him as the thane of cawdor and the king of Scotland)

• After that, he asks questions to the weird sisters because he can't believe them, he is incredulous.

Act 1 Scene 3 Line 72 (Macbeth to the Weird Sisters)" I know I am Thane of Glamis, but how of Cawdor? (...) Say from when you this strange intelligence (...)".  = Macbeth knows he is the Thane of Glamis because that's the only title he owns at the moment, but he doesn't understand how he will become Thane of Cawdor when the Thane of Cawdor is still alive, he demands the witches to tell him what is the source of this information.

• In the aside, when he is named thane of Cawdor he is surprised and hopeful, because if one of the prophecies of the witches became true, so will the others. But at the same time, in that aside he debates himself wether this prophecy is good or bad.

Act 1 Scene 3 Line  116-118 (Macbeth, aside) "Glamis, and Thane of Cawdor: the greatest is behind" = I am the Thane of Glamis, now Thane of Cawdor as the witches said, now the last and greatest title will be given to me, it's the greatest because it's the title of "King".

Response in 5 sentences:

Macbeth feels shocked and astonished by the prophetic greeting of the weird sisters, then he wants to know more details of this information because he is incredulous. When he is named thane of Cawdor ,he is still incredulous ( Line 108) "The Thane of Cawdor lives: why do you dress me in borrowed robes?" (= why do you give me a title that belongs to someone else?) After this, he is hopeful because now he thinks that the last prophecy will soon become true.