Monday, August 6, 2012

What do the three witches predict for Macbeth and Banquo?

And to add to the above, of course there are the later predictions given to only Macbeth in Act 4, scene 1. They show him three apparitions and a vision. They promise him things as they did before, but this time the promises are not all as direct. They are riddles or half truths and not so easy to figure out by the literal minded Macbeth:



FIRST APPARITION:


Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! Beware


Macduff;


Beware the Thane of Fife. Dismiss me. Enough.


SECOND APPARITION:


Be bloody, bold, and resolute; laugh to


scorn


The power of man, for none of woman born


Shall harm Macbeth.




THIRD APPARITION:


Be lion-mettled, proud, and take no care


Who chafes, who frets, or where conspirers are:


Macbeth shall never vanquish’d be until


Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill


Shall come against him.



The first prediction, told to him by a head in armor, is literally true: Macbeth should beware of Macduff (he will kill Macbeth in the end).


Second: a bloody baby tells Macbeth that he cannot be killed by anyone who was born of a woman. This is the riddle of the Caesarian child (Macduff). It's a trick meant to mislead Macbeth.


The third apparition is a young King with a branch in his hand who tells Macbeth he can't be defeated unless the forest that surrounds his castle comes up to the castle. This is another riddle, for the branches of the trees of the forest are used as camouflage, and the men are led on by the future king, Malcolm. Macbeth understands this one only when it's too late.


One final vision is "A show of eight Kings, and Banquo last with a glass in his hand." This suggests to Macbeth that generations of Banquo's offspring will all be kings.


Each of these visions, literally or figuratively as they may have been presented, will come true.

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