Macbeth Coursework – Act 1 Scene 5

Act 1 Scene 5

Today was the first time I have been scared of myself. I don’t know what came over me. I know I was serving the king but too split a man in half it must be wrong. Mustn’t it?

But enough about that it seems so irrelevant compared too what else happened today!

I was walking home with my good friend Banquo when we stumbled across some evils beings.

They could see the future or so they believed.

(Well I did not believe what they told me until later that day). I will tell you what they said.

They said: –

I would be thane of Glamis (which I was already)

I would be Thane of Cawdor

And that I would be king.

I know it is very unbelievable but a short while after Angus and Ross came and told me I was going to be Thane of Cawdor. At first I didn’t understand as I thought the thane was still alive but it turns out that the thane was killed as he was a traitor.

Banquo doesn’t seem as bothered as me about the news. Yet the prophecies he got were not as precise. I don’t quite understand them.

They were: –

“Lesser than me (Macbeth), and greater”

“Not so happy, yet much happier”

“Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none”

I thought about it all day its puzzled me how can he be less then me but greater? And if he’s not happy yet happier then does that mean I will be sad? He shall get kings though never be king! It puzzles me though I am worried if I was to be king would it be young fleounce who would throw me off my throne?

So many questions though the answers I must find.

Act 1 Scene 4

Damn! Damn! Damn! How those witches teased me! Prince of Cumberland, heir to the throne, not me Macbeth but who? Malcolm! I have to get him out the way he’s messing with my fate. What can I do? I feel this will be a large hurdle in the path, which lies ahead.

Act 1 Scene 5 – Lady Macbeth

Today has been a very good day and has bought an opportunity to use my husband to become greater!

He wrote me a letter today he spoke of three witches and their prophecies to him: –

Thane of Glamis (which he is)

Thane of Cawdor (of which he has recently become)

But the final prophecy was that he would become king!

Now my darling husband has become close to the king he has persuaded Duncan to be our guest in our house! This is the perfect opportunity to be rid of him clearing the way for my loving husband to be king.

Loving though he is and to persuade him to eliminate his trusted friend may prove to be harder than the actual murder maybe. I need to make him want this as bad as me, make him see it’s the only way. But how?

Act 1 scene 7

A terrible thing has happened and I fear for my wife’s health. She is so full of evil that she scares me! She wants me to kill Duncan. My friend and my king. I told her I would not kill him for he is my host and my duty is to protect him not to kill him but she wouldn’t listen. The only thing that makes me want to kill him is my own ambition. I want what he has – the throne. He is a good man and a good king.

My wife seems to think I swore to her that I would kill him but I never did so!

She said to me she would kill he own child if she had sworn to which makes me worry more.

But me being me I gave into her I could say it was down to her plan, which seems flawless but deep inside I think I want it as much as her if not more. So tonight she will drug the chamberlains drinks I will steal their daggers and use them to kill the king then cover the chamberlains bodies with blood so when his body is discovered everyone will think it is them well I will write to tell you how it goes later.

Act 2 Scene 2

What have I done? How could I have ever let it get to this? My wife seemed so calm as if it didn’t matter.

On my return to meet my wife I hear one of the grooms cry ” God bless us and “Amen”, but I could not get myself too say it as if my god has deserted me. I needed gods blessing yet the words were stuck in my throat.

I am also sure a voice cried ” sleep no more; Macbeth does murder sleep” does this mean I shall never sleep again? Or is it all just a figment of my imagination? Like the dagger my eyes saw before I committed the deed, which my eyes could see, but my hands could not touch.

When I eventually found my wife she was cross with me because in my state of panic I forgot to place the daggers by the grooms. I could not face going back to the scene so my wife took them and I tried to wash my hands but I felt that however much I washed my hands it would never wash away the guilt I feel about killing my friend.

Act 3 scene 1

I have realised that to become a successful king I must be rid of Banquo for two reasons: –

1) He is noble, brave and wise and therefore to be feared because he might see through me and successfully oppose me.

2) The witches have prophesied that a line of kings will descend from Banquo, but not me. If this is true, then I have murdered Duncan for nothing.

He has gone off riding with young fleunce and I have sent murderers to be rid of him. I feel a bit guilty as I invited him to my feast tonight and he made a promise to me that he would attend though I know he never will. I will write again when I know if the plan has gone to plan.