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)
Group A
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.
Group B
[Aside.] Two truths are told,
As happy prologues to the swelling act
Of the imperial (royal) theme-...
If good, why do Lyield 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.

Answer 1

In the given scene from Shakespeare's "Macbeth," we witness a significant transformation in Macbeth's character and mindset. In Group A, when he first hears the weird sisters' greeting and learns that he is Thane of Glamis, Macbeth expresses surprise but remains somewhat skeptical about becoming Thane of Cawdor. He sees the idea of becoming king as beyond belief and possibility.

However, in Group B, after he learns that he has been named Thane of Cawdor, Macbeth's internal thoughts reveal a profound change within him. He refers to these revelations as "two truths" and sees them as the "happy prologues" to a greater ambition: becoming king. Yet, Macbeth's immediate reaction is not one of unbridled joy but rather a profound inner turmoil. He acknowledges the "horrid image" that this ambition has conjured, causing his hair to stand on end and his heart to race. He recognizes that these ambitions are against the natural order and that the mere thought of murder (presumably to achieve the throne) disturbs him greatly.

This transformation showcases Macbeth's vulnerability, ambition, and the inner conflict that will continue to develop as the play progresses. His initial disbelief transforms into a disturbing realization of the lengths he may have to go to in order to fulfill the prophesied destiny, setting the stage for the tragic events that follow.