Macbeth Personal Notes: Act 1 Scene 3 (Part 2/2)

Macbeth Personal Notes: Act 1 Scene 3 (Part 2/2)

 "Lesser than Macbeth, and greater. Not so happy, yet much happier. Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none."

The witches mean that though Banquo will be lesser in rank than Macbeth, he will be morally higher. Banquo will be less successful than Macbeth, but he will be satisfied with his life and do not have to worry about someone taking his position. Banquo will be the father of the kings though he himself will not get the chance to be one.

Witches vanish

When Macbeth hears the witches predict about his future of becoming the Thane of Cawdor and eventually king, and Banquo's prediction of becoming the father of kings, he asks the witches how these predictions will come true and how the witches have come to know about their future. He also asks them that why had they chose them to stop on the way to the Foress and talk about their futures. 

The witches chose not to answer Macbeth's questions and vanish into the air. 

"The earth hath bubbles, as the water has, and these are of them. Wither are they vanished?"

Banquo is surprised by the witches suddenly vanishing and, in the place where they stood, nothing can be seen now. He says that it is as unreal as the bubble which are found underwater to be present on the earth surface. 

"Into the air; and what seemed corporal melted as breath into the wind. Would they had stayed."

Macbeth answers Banquo's question that the witches had vanished into the air. Just a moment ago they had physical bodies, but now they have melted into the air as the breath from our nose melts mixes into the surroundings. He wished that the witches had stayed to answer Macbeth's questions. 

"Or have we eaten on the insane root that takes the reason prisoner?"

Banquo is doubtful that the three weird sisters with whom they had just talked were actually present there? He questions that maybe he and his companion Macbeth had eaten plants that takes the ability to think properly from a man. 

"His wonders and his praises do contend which should be thine or his - silenced with that"

Just as Macbeth and Banquo were talking about the witches after they had vanished into air, they heard footsteps of horses. The messengers from Forres, Ross and Angus had come to escort Macbeth back to the castle and to deliver him the gift from the king. 

They say that the king is extremely happy to hear the success of Macbeth in the fight against the rebels. He is awestruck with Macbeth's feats that he finds himself conflicted that his words of praise might not be enough for your service and to whether staying silent will be rude and not honorable for your efforts.

"Nothing afeard of what thyself didst make, strange images of death"

Macbeth is not afraid of the scene in the battlefield, standing in between the bleeding and decapitated bodies of both his enemies and comrades. The loss to the enemy was mostly his doing when he brandished his sword, cutting the enemies as he advanced towards the rebellion leader. 

The messengers came as winds during a storm to report of Macbeth's achievements. 

"What, can the devil speak true?"

Banquo is shocked when the messengers greet Macbeth with his new title, the Thane of Cawdor, which just a few moments ago the witches greet him with. 

"Why do you dress me in borrowed robes?"

Clothing Imagery. Macbeth finds it difficult to understand that why the title Thane of Cawdor is transferred to him when the original holder is still alive, and Macbeth is not even connected to his family. He uses the clothing imagery to express his surprise. The greeting with someone else's title is as insulting to him as to someone who has worn clothed borrowed from another. 

"Glamis, and Thane of Cawdor; the greatest is behind"

Here we can see the ambitious character of Macbeth. He is delighted with his new title and his dream to become the king seem within grasp now.

"But it is strange and oftentimes, to win us to our harm, The instruments of darkness tell us truths, win us with honest trifles, to betray us in deepest consequences.

Banquo warns Macbeth that the usually the evil agents try to win our trust by supporting us in matters of less importance, but when the time comes when we need their help, they betray us.

"As happy prologues to the swelling act of the imperial theme"

Macbeth compares his situation to a play of royal theme. He compares his becoming of Thane of Glamis and Cawdor to the introduction in the prologue of the theme. 

"This supernatural soliciting cannot be ill, cannot be good"

Macbeth concludes that the prediction of the witches cannot be evil nor can be good. If evil, they why had they start with a truth and hoped to show his prosperous future. They cannot be good too as the creatures who have spoken these are so horrible that Macbeth gets goosebumps and his heart beats unnaturally at their sight.

This also highlights his ambitious nature as he is quick to find ways as to become the king. The first thing that come to his mind is murdering the current king Duncan and steal the throne from him.

"If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me, without my stir"

Macbeth says that if Lady Fortune wishes for him to be the king, then she will make him the king without putting any effort from his part.

"Like our strange garments cleave not to their mold but with the aid of use"

Clothing Imagery. The new title of Macbeth is uncomfortable for him like the new clothes are uncomfortable at first but with time he will get accustomed to his new honors just as we get used to clothes.

"My dull brain was wrought with things forgotten"

Macbeth nature of deceitfulness can be seen here. He keeps it secret that he was thinking about future from his companions and simply says that his brain was tired by thinking of things that he had already forgotten.

"Your pains are registered"

Macbeth says to Ross and Angus that he is thankful for them to come and escort him to the Forres and that he has remembered their efforts so well that like a book whenever he will turn the pages, he will remember their efforts.