Act I, Scene III
A heath near Forres. Thunder. Enter the three Witches
First Witch Where hast thou been, sister?
Second Witch Killing swine.
Third Witch Sister, where thou?
First Witch A sailor's wife had chestnuts in her lap,
And munch'd, and munch'd, and munch'd:--
'Give me,' quoth I:
'Aroint thee, witch!' the rump-fed ronyon cries.
Her husband's to Aleppo gone, master o' the Tiger:
But in a sieve I'll thither sail,
And, like a rat without a tail,
I'll do, I'll do, and I'll do.
Second Witch I'll give thee a wind.
First Witch Thou'rt kind.
Third Witch And I another.
First Witch I myself have all the other,
And the very ports they blow,
All the quarters that they know
I' the shipman's card.
I will drain him dry as hay:
Sleep shall neither night nor day
Hang upon his pent-house lid;
He shall live a man forbid:
Weary se'nights nine times nine
Shall he dwindle, peak and pine:
Though his bark cannot be lost,
Yet it shall be tempest-tost.
Look what I have.
Second Witch Show me, show me.
First Witch Here I have a pilot's thumb,
Wreck'd as homeward he did come.
Drum within
Third Witch A drum, a drum!
Macbeth doth come.
ALL The weird sisters, hand in hand,
Posters of the sea and land,
Thus do go about, about:
Thrice to thine and thrice to mine
And thrice again, to make up nine.
Peace! the charm's wound up.
Enter MACBETH and BANQUO
MACBETH So foul and fair a day I have not seen.
BANQUO How far is't call'd to Forres? What are these
So wither'd and so wild in their attire,
That look not like the inhabitants o' the earth,
And yet are on't? Live you? or are you aught
That man may question? You seem to understand me,
By each at once her chappy finger laying
Upon her skinny lips: you should be women,
And yet your beards forbid me to interpret
That you are so.
MACBETH Speak, if you can: what are you?
First Witch All hail, Macbeth! hail to thee, thane of Glamis!
Second Witch All hail, Macbeth, hail to thee, thane of Cawdor!
Third Witch All hail, Macbeth, thou shalt be king hereafter!
BANQUO Good sir, why do you start; and seem to fear
Things that do sound so fair? I' the name of truth,
Are ye fantastical, or that indeed
Which outwardly ye show? My noble partner
You greet with present grace and great prediction
Of noble having and of royal hope,
That he seems rapt withal: to me you speak not.
If you can look into the seeds of time,
And say which grain will grow and which will not,
Speak then to me, who neither beg nor fear
Your favours nor your hate.
First Witch Hail!
Second Witch Hail!
Third Witch Hail!
First Witch Lesser than Macbeth, and greater.
Second Witch Not so happy, yet much happier.
Third Witch Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none:
So all hail, Macbeth and Banquo!
First Witch Banquo and Macbeth, all hail!
MACBETH Stay, you imperfect speakers, tell me more:
By Sinel's death I know I am thane of Glamis;
But how of Cawdor? the thane of Cawdor lives,
A prosperous gentleman; and to be king
Stands not within the prospect of belief,
No more than to be Cawdor. Say from whence
You owe this strange intelligence? or why
Upon this blasted heath you stop our way
With such prophetic greeting? Speak, I charge you.
Witches vanish
BANQUO The earth hath bubbles, as the water has,
And these are of them. Whither are they vanish'd?
MACBETH Into the air; and what seem'd corporal melted
As breath into the wind. Would they had stay'd!
BANQUO Were such things here as we do speak about?
Or have we eaten on the insane root
That takes the reason prisoner?
MACBETH Your children shall be kings.
BANQUO You shall be king.
MACBETH And thane of Cawdor too: went it not so?
BANQUO To the selfsame tune and words. Who's here?
Enter ROSS and ANGUS
ROSS The king hath happily received, Macbeth,
The news of thy success; and when he reads
Thy personal venture in the rebels' fight,
His wonders and his praises do contend
Which should be thine or his: silenced with that,
In viewing o'er the rest o' the selfsame day,
He finds thee in the stout Norweyan ranks,
Nothing afeard of what thyself didst make,
Strange images of death. As thick as hail
Came post with post; and every one did bear
Thy praises in his kingdom's great defence,
And pour'd them down before him.
ANGUS We are sent
To give thee from our royal master thanks;
Only to herald thee into his sight,
Not pay thee.
ROSS And, for an earnest of a greater honour,
He bade me, from him, call thee thane of Cawdor:
In which addition, hail, most worthy thane!
For it is thine.
BANQUO What, can the devil speak true?
MACBETH The thane of Cawdor lives: why do you dress me
In borrow'd robes?
ANGUS Who was the thane lives yet;
But under heavy judgment bears that life
Which he deserves to lose. Whether he was combined
With those of Norway, or did line the rebel
With hidden help and vantage, or that with both
He labour'd in his country's wreck, I know not;
But treasons capital, confess'd and proved,
Have overthrown him.
MACBETH [Aside] Glamis, and thane of Cawdor!
The greatest is behind.
To ROSS and ANGUS
Thanks for your pains.
To BANQUO
Do you not hope your children shall be kings,
When those that gave the thane of Cawdor to me
Promised no less to them?
BANQUO That trusted home
Might yet enkindle you unto the crown,
Besides the thane of Cawdor. But 'tis strange:
And oftentimes, to win us to our harm,
The instruments of darkness tell us truths,
Win us with honest trifles, to betray's
In deepest consequence.
Cousins, a word, I pray you.
MACBETH [Aside] Two truths are told,
As happy prologues to the swelling act
Of the imperial theme.--I thank you, gentlemen.
Aside
Cannot be ill, cannot be good: if ill,
Why hath it given me earnest of success,
Commencing in a truth? I am thane of Cawdor:
If good, why do I yield to that suggestion
Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair
And make my seated heart knock at my ribs,
Against the use of nature? Present fears
Are less than horrible imaginings:
My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical,
Shakes so my single state of man that function
Is smother'd in surmise, and nothing is
But what is not.
BANQUO Look, how our partner's rapt.
MACBETH [Aside] If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me,
Without my stir.
BANQUO New horrors come upon him,
Like our strange garments, cleave not to their mould
But with the aid of use.
MACBETH [Aside] Come what come may,
Time and the hour runs through the roughest day.
BANQUO Worthy Macbeth, we stay upon your leisure.
MACBETH Give me your favour: my dull brain was wrought
With things forgotten. Kind gentlemen, your pains
Are register'd where every day I turn
The leaf to read them. Let us toward the king.
Think upon what hath chanced, and, at more time,
The interim having weigh'd it, let us speak
Our free hearts each to other.
BANQUO Very gladly.
MACBETH Till then, enough. Come, friends.
Exeunt
First Witch Where hast thou been, sister?
Second Witch Killing swine.
Third Witch Sister, where thou?
First Witch A sailor's wife had chestnuts in her lap,
And munch'd, and munch'd, and munch'd:--
'Give me,' quoth I:
'Aroint thee, witch!' the rump-fed ronyon cries.
Her husband's to Aleppo gone, master o' the Tiger:
But in a sieve I'll thither sail,
And, like a rat without a tail,
I'll do, I'll do, and I'll do.
Second Witch I'll give thee a wind.
First Witch Thou'rt kind.
Third Witch And I another.
First Witch I myself have all the other,
And the very ports they blow,
All the quarters that they know
I' the shipman's card.
I will drain him dry as hay:
Sleep shall neither night nor day
Hang upon his pent-house lid;
He shall live a man forbid:
Weary se'nights nine times nine
Shall he dwindle, peak and pine:
Though his bark cannot be lost,
Yet it shall be tempest-tost.
Look what I have.
Second Witch Show me, show me.
First Witch Here I have a pilot's thumb,
Wreck'd as homeward he did come.
Drum within
Third Witch A drum, a drum!
Macbeth doth come.
ALL The weird sisters, hand in hand,
Posters of the sea and land,
Thus do go about, about:
Thrice to thine and thrice to mine
And thrice again, to make up nine.
Peace! the charm's wound up.
Enter MACBETH and BANQUO
MACBETH So foul and fair a day I have not seen.
BANQUO How far is't call'd to Forres? What are these
So wither'd and so wild in their attire,
That look not like the inhabitants o' the earth,
And yet are on't? Live you? or are you aught
That man may question? You seem to understand me,
By each at once her chappy finger laying
Upon her skinny lips: you should be women,
And yet your beards forbid me to interpret
That you are so.
MACBETH Speak, if you can: what are you?
First Witch All hail, Macbeth! hail to thee, thane of Glamis!
Second Witch All hail, Macbeth, hail to thee, thane of Cawdor!
Third Witch All hail, Macbeth, thou shalt be king hereafter!
BANQUO Good sir, why do you start; and seem to fear
Things that do sound so fair? I' the name of truth,
Are ye fantastical, or that indeed
Which outwardly ye show? My noble partner
You greet with present grace and great prediction
Of noble having and of royal hope,
That he seems rapt withal: to me you speak not.
If you can look into the seeds of time,
And say which grain will grow and which will not,
Speak then to me, who neither beg nor fear
Your favours nor your hate.
First Witch Hail!
Second Witch Hail!
Third Witch Hail!
First Witch Lesser than Macbeth, and greater.
Second Witch Not so happy, yet much happier.
Third Witch Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none:
So all hail, Macbeth and Banquo!
First Witch Banquo and Macbeth, all hail!
MACBETH Stay, you imperfect speakers, tell me more:
By Sinel's death I know I am thane of Glamis;
But how of Cawdor? the thane of Cawdor lives,
A prosperous gentleman; and to be king
Stands not within the prospect of belief,
No more than to be Cawdor. Say from whence
You owe this strange intelligence? or why
Upon this blasted heath you stop our way
With such prophetic greeting? Speak, I charge you.
Witches vanish
BANQUO The earth hath bubbles, as the water has,
And these are of them. Whither are they vanish'd?
MACBETH Into the air; and what seem'd corporal melted
As breath into the wind. Would they had stay'd!
BANQUO Were such things here as we do speak about?
Or have we eaten on the insane root
That takes the reason prisoner?
MACBETH Your children shall be kings.
BANQUO You shall be king.
MACBETH And thane of Cawdor too: went it not so?
BANQUO To the selfsame tune and words. Who's here?
Enter ROSS and ANGUS
ROSS The king hath happily received, Macbeth,
The news of thy success; and when he reads
Thy personal venture in the rebels' fight,
His wonders and his praises do contend
Which should be thine or his: silenced with that,
In viewing o'er the rest o' the selfsame day,
He finds thee in the stout Norweyan ranks,
Nothing afeard of what thyself didst make,
Strange images of death. As thick as hail
Came post with post; and every one did bear
Thy praises in his kingdom's great defence,
And pour'd them down before him.
ANGUS We are sent
To give thee from our royal master thanks;
Only to herald thee into his sight,
Not pay thee.
ROSS And, for an earnest of a greater honour,
He bade me, from him, call thee thane of Cawdor:
In which addition, hail, most worthy thane!
For it is thine.
BANQUO What, can the devil speak true?
MACBETH The thane of Cawdor lives: why do you dress me
In borrow'd robes?
ANGUS Who was the thane lives yet;
But under heavy judgment bears that life
Which he deserves to lose. Whether he was combined
With those of Norway, or did line the rebel
With hidden help and vantage, or that with both
He labour'd in his country's wreck, I know not;
But treasons capital, confess'd and proved,
Have overthrown him.
MACBETH [Aside] Glamis, and thane of Cawdor!
The greatest is behind.
To ROSS and ANGUS
Thanks for your pains.
To BANQUO
Do you not hope your children shall be kings,
When those that gave the thane of Cawdor to me
Promised no less to them?
BANQUO That trusted home
Might yet enkindle you unto the crown,
Besides the thane of Cawdor. But 'tis strange:
And oftentimes, to win us to our harm,
The instruments of darkness tell us truths,
Win us with honest trifles, to betray's
In deepest consequence.
Cousins, a word, I pray you.
MACBETH [Aside] Two truths are told,
As happy prologues to the swelling act
Of the imperial theme.--I thank you, gentlemen.
Aside
Cannot be ill, cannot be good: if ill,
Why hath it given me earnest of success,
Commencing in a truth? I am thane of Cawdor:
If good, why do I yield to that suggestion
Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair
And make my seated heart knock at my ribs,
Against the use of nature? Present fears
Are less than horrible imaginings:
My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical,
Shakes so my single state of man that function
Is smother'd in surmise, and nothing is
But what is not.
BANQUO Look, how our partner's rapt.
MACBETH [Aside] If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me,
Without my stir.
BANQUO New horrors come upon him,
Like our strange garments, cleave not to their mould
But with the aid of use.
MACBETH [Aside] Come what come may,
Time and the hour runs through the roughest day.
BANQUO Worthy Macbeth, we stay upon your leisure.
MACBETH Give me your favour: my dull brain was wrought
With things forgotten. Kind gentlemen, your pains
Are register'd where every day I turn
The leaf to read them. Let us toward the king.
Think upon what hath chanced, and, at more time,
The interim having weigh'd it, let us speak
Our free hearts each to other.
BANQUO Very gladly.
MACBETH Till then, enough. Come, friends.
Exeunt
Plot developments
Following the first scene about witches and the second about humans, this scene brings the two worlds together for the first time in the play. The evil nature of the witches is revealed within moments of the scene opening. The second witch has been killing swine for no apparent reason and this is treated as a perfectly reasonable activity by the others. We then hear that the first witch has been in a fight with a sailor’s wife, who refused to give her chestnuts. The witch decides that, using her magic, she shall sail in a sieve to meet the sailor and get revenge on him. The other witches decide that they will summon a storm to get her there. This part of the scene seems to have no significance in relation to the story’s plot, other than showing how evil the witches are.
A drumbeat heralds the arrival of Macbeth and Banquo. At the mention of Macbeth’s name, the witches begin to chant, as though they are trying to enchant Macbeth. Macbeth’s first words of the scene echo those of the witches in Act 1 Scene 1, strengthening the link between them.
“So foul and fair a day I have not seen.”
Banquo spots the witches, and the pair is aware from the start that these are unnatural creatures. It becomes apparent that Macbeth has never met the witches before from his reaction, so the idea of him being in an alliance with them disappears.
Macbeth is hailed by the witches as the Thane of Glamis and of Cawdor and as the future King of Scotland.
“All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Glamis!”
“All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor!”
“All hail, Macbeth! That shall be king hereafter!”
“Thane of Glamis” is Macbeth’s current title, and “Thane of Cawdor” is the title King Duncan has just given him, although he does not yet know this. It is obvious that the creatures have a supernatural knowledge of affairs. This scares Macbeth,
“That he seems rapt withal:”
Banquo asks if the witches are real. Macbeth has heard these prophecies, and he is entranced by them. At first he seems shocked, then becomes lost in his own thoughts. Banquo is much more practical, wanting to know what lies in his own future rather than that of Macbeth. Again, the witches deal in equivocation. Banquo is greeted as the begetter of kings. Macbeth is fascinated by these prophecies, and finally regains the ability to speak to express curiosity. He orders the witches to tell him what they are talking about.
The witches vanish and the truth of one of their prophecies is confirmed when Ross gives Macbeth the news that the king has made him Thane of Cawdor. Macbeth begins to think, more seriously now, about the witches’ predictions. Banquo knows that they are evil, and warns Macbeth of the dangers posed by such powers. Macbeth, in soliloquy, reveals his trouble mind.
“This supernatural soliciting
Cannot be ill, cannot be good. If ill,
Why hath it given me earnest of success,
Commencing in a truth? I am Thane of Cawdor:
If good, why do I yield to that suggestion
Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair
And make my seated heart knock at my ribs,
Against the use of nature? Present fears
Are less than horrible imaginings:
My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical,
Shakes so my single state of man that function
Is smother'd in surmise, and nothing is
But what is not.”
A drumbeat heralds the arrival of Macbeth and Banquo. At the mention of Macbeth’s name, the witches begin to chant, as though they are trying to enchant Macbeth. Macbeth’s first words of the scene echo those of the witches in Act 1 Scene 1, strengthening the link between them.
“So foul and fair a day I have not seen.”
Banquo spots the witches, and the pair is aware from the start that these are unnatural creatures. It becomes apparent that Macbeth has never met the witches before from his reaction, so the idea of him being in an alliance with them disappears.
Macbeth is hailed by the witches as the Thane of Glamis and of Cawdor and as the future King of Scotland.
“All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Glamis!”
“All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor!”
“All hail, Macbeth! That shall be king hereafter!”
“Thane of Glamis” is Macbeth’s current title, and “Thane of Cawdor” is the title King Duncan has just given him, although he does not yet know this. It is obvious that the creatures have a supernatural knowledge of affairs. This scares Macbeth,
“That he seems rapt withal:”
Banquo asks if the witches are real. Macbeth has heard these prophecies, and he is entranced by them. At first he seems shocked, then becomes lost in his own thoughts. Banquo is much more practical, wanting to know what lies in his own future rather than that of Macbeth. Again, the witches deal in equivocation. Banquo is greeted as the begetter of kings. Macbeth is fascinated by these prophecies, and finally regains the ability to speak to express curiosity. He orders the witches to tell him what they are talking about.
The witches vanish and the truth of one of their prophecies is confirmed when Ross gives Macbeth the news that the king has made him Thane of Cawdor. Macbeth begins to think, more seriously now, about the witches’ predictions. Banquo knows that they are evil, and warns Macbeth of the dangers posed by such powers. Macbeth, in soliloquy, reveals his trouble mind.
“This supernatural soliciting
Cannot be ill, cannot be good. If ill,
Why hath it given me earnest of success,
Commencing in a truth? I am Thane of Cawdor:
If good, why do I yield to that suggestion
Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair
And make my seated heart knock at my ribs,
Against the use of nature? Present fears
Are less than horrible imaginings:
My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical,
Shakes so my single state of man that function
Is smother'd in surmise, and nothing is
But what is not.”
Character developments
Witches
In this scene, we are shown the true evil powers of the witches. As the scene opens, we see that one of the witches has been out killing pigs for no particular reason, and this is not considered strange in any way. Another witch came across a sailor’s wife who had chestnuts and refused to give them to her. As revenge, the witch resolves to make the woman’s husband’s life a misery. However, her plans to harm this man do not reveal the witches’ powers as much as they reveal their various weaknesses. She is able to control the wind and give him a storm, but not kill him. We also see that the witches have a supernatural knowledge of affairs, which greatly disturbs the other characters of the scene.
Macbeth
Macbeth is greeted by the witches as the Thane of Glamis, Thane of Cawdor, and as the future king of Scotland. Following this greeting, he spends much of his meeting with the creatures dumbstruck. When he eventually regains his ability to speak, he is filled with curiosity. Macbeth’s preoccupation upon hearing the predictions of the witches seems to show him with a cautious nature, seeming to feel the need to think things through before coming up with a suitable response to give the witches.
Also, despite his loyalty to the current king of Scotland, when it is suggested that he might take his place, he is less than reluctant. This does not necessarily make him a traitor, though it may slightly lessen the strength of his loyal characteristics.
Banquo
Upon hearing the predictions of the witches regarding the future of his dear friend, Banquo is automatically enticed by the witches’ powers and wants to know what his own future holds. This shows him as having a slightly selfish nature, as his is more interested in his own future than the wellbeing of his friend. It also suggests that he may be more practical than Macbeth, trying his best to retain as much information as possible the witches while he had the chance.
In this scene, we are shown the true evil powers of the witches. As the scene opens, we see that one of the witches has been out killing pigs for no particular reason, and this is not considered strange in any way. Another witch came across a sailor’s wife who had chestnuts and refused to give them to her. As revenge, the witch resolves to make the woman’s husband’s life a misery. However, her plans to harm this man do not reveal the witches’ powers as much as they reveal their various weaknesses. She is able to control the wind and give him a storm, but not kill him. We also see that the witches have a supernatural knowledge of affairs, which greatly disturbs the other characters of the scene.
Macbeth
Macbeth is greeted by the witches as the Thane of Glamis, Thane of Cawdor, and as the future king of Scotland. Following this greeting, he spends much of his meeting with the creatures dumbstruck. When he eventually regains his ability to speak, he is filled with curiosity. Macbeth’s preoccupation upon hearing the predictions of the witches seems to show him with a cautious nature, seeming to feel the need to think things through before coming up with a suitable response to give the witches.
Also, despite his loyalty to the current king of Scotland, when it is suggested that he might take his place, he is less than reluctant. This does not necessarily make him a traitor, though it may slightly lessen the strength of his loyal characteristics.
Banquo
Upon hearing the predictions of the witches regarding the future of his dear friend, Banquo is automatically enticed by the witches’ powers and wants to know what his own future holds. This shows him as having a slightly selfish nature, as his is more interested in his own future than the wellbeing of his friend. It also suggests that he may be more practical than Macbeth, trying his best to retain as much information as possible the witches while he had the chance.
Thematic developments
Ambition
The theme of ambition is explored further in this scene. Upon hearing predictions from the witches, Macbeth and Banquo are both faced with grand images of their own futures: Macbeth as Thane of Glamis, Cawdor, and future king of Scotland, and Banquo as the father of kings. The pair has been given ambitions which have not so much as crossed their minds before now. They now have to decide if they will wait for the predictions to come true, actively pursue them, or simply forget about them altogether.
Kingship
The theme of kingship also features in this scene, though in a different respect from the previous scene. Rather than focusing on the current king, Duncan, the focus moves to Macbeth's possible future kingship. This seems to be a ridiculous idea, as the position of “king” was thought to be something given and chosen by god, and was generally passed from a king to his son. Changes to this pattern would be an outrage to the people and their system.
Evil
An obvious representation of evil in this scene is the presence of the witches and their eerie, evil powers. These unnatural creatures seem to have no problem with the unprovoked murder of swine, the picking of fights with innocent women, or the unrequired torment of sailors who have done nothing to harm the witches. Along with the witches’ unreasonable tormenting of good people comes their supernatural knowledge of affairs, and its dangerous effects on the people it becomes apparent to.
The theme of ambition is explored further in this scene. Upon hearing predictions from the witches, Macbeth and Banquo are both faced with grand images of their own futures: Macbeth as Thane of Glamis, Cawdor, and future king of Scotland, and Banquo as the father of kings. The pair has been given ambitions which have not so much as crossed their minds before now. They now have to decide if they will wait for the predictions to come true, actively pursue them, or simply forget about them altogether.
Kingship
The theme of kingship also features in this scene, though in a different respect from the previous scene. Rather than focusing on the current king, Duncan, the focus moves to Macbeth's possible future kingship. This seems to be a ridiculous idea, as the position of “king” was thought to be something given and chosen by god, and was generally passed from a king to his son. Changes to this pattern would be an outrage to the people and their system.
Evil
An obvious representation of evil in this scene is the presence of the witches and their eerie, evil powers. These unnatural creatures seem to have no problem with the unprovoked murder of swine, the picking of fights with innocent women, or the unrequired torment of sailors who have done nothing to harm the witches. Along with the witches’ unreasonable tormenting of good people comes their supernatural knowledge of affairs, and its dangerous effects on the people it becomes apparent to.
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