Lady Macbeth - character view

I think that lady Macbeth is a great character. She is the character who encouraged Macbeth to murder the king and without her help he would never have done it. She started scheming the instant that she finished reading his letter that told of the three witches prophecies. She knew that he was "too full o'th'milk of human kindness To catch the nearest way" (too nice to murder the king). Then when the attendant told of the kings coming it does not take a genius to imagine what goes on in her head as she digests this nugget of information. She tells her husband that when Duncan the king sleeps that he will be murdered and that Macbeth will be the one to do it. Later as the day grows older Macbeth tries to back out saying "We will proceed no further in this business. He hath honoured me of late" but she scorns him and says "Was the hope drunk Wherein you dressed yourself? Hath it slept since? And it wakes now to look so green and pale At what it did so freely?" then just to make him feel really guilty she says "From this time Such I account thy love." So he gives in and agrees to continue with the plan that she has put together her plan is to get the two kings guards very drunk and then kill Duncan with their swords and put blood and gore on the hands and faces of the guards. This plan is carried out and works almost like clockwork except for the fact that Macbeth forgets to leave the guards daggers at the scene so in a panic Lady Macbeth rushes back up and puts them back t the scene. When they are pronounced king and Queen I think that Lady Macbeth no longer has any need to be quite so evil but Macbeth now needs to cover his tracks and he cuts her out of the loop with his plan to kill Banquo. When she asks him what is on his mind he replies "Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck" which I think is him saying "don't you worry your pretty little head about it dear". throughout the play she changes to suit the needs of the scene for instance she is very strong when Macbeth is going to back out and quite weak when Macbeth is making his own plans as regards to Banquo.

Banquo - 2nd try

The person that Macbeth fears could most easily undo his plans to stay king is Banquo. Banquo has a suspicion that Macbeth has "played'st most foully for't" and indeed Macbeth had. Macbeth knows that the three witches have made a promise with Banquo that one day his sons will be kings. Macbeth decides that because Banquo is too noble - "in his royalty of nature Reigns that which would be feared." the only way to stop Banquo ruining his plans is to kill him and his son. So Macbeth orders three Murderers to kill Banquo and his son and later on that same night Banquo has his throat cut by "the best o'th'cut-throats" - however Fleance escapes and Macbeth is fearful. Another reason Macbeth orders Banquo killed is that he knows that Banquo would never be involved in any kind of crime so therefore killing is the only way to remove the threat.

Excuses

I haven't blogged for the past week or so because I have mumps. I reckon that I probably caught it when I was away on my WSSCB course because apparently mumps has a two to three week incubation period and west was about two weeks ago. I have now had mumps for four and a half days and the normal term of illness is five to eight days so hopefully, I will be getting better soon. The main affect of mumps is that the salivary glands on the side of my neck just underneath my ears swell up - I would have no complaint if it didn't hurt to eat.

Banquo - character view

I think that Banquo doesn't change much over the three scenes that he is alive. When the three witches tell the prophecy of
"Hail Macbeth, hail to thee, Thane of Glamis.
Hail Macbeth, hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor.
Hail Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter."
Banquo is not worried about the fact that the first two of these lines comes true but wonders just how far Macbeth will go to achieve the third. When Duncan is murdered in his sleep by "Those of his chamber...their hands and faces...all badged with blood." He begins to worry and Macbeth sensing that Banquo's "royalty of nature" would mean that he would never allow Macbeth's deed to be forgiven ordered him to be killed and three murderers caught and killed Banquo as he reentered the castle.

Macbeth - character view

Having now reached the end of Act 3 Scene 3 my views of the different characters have changed so much that I feel that if I don't write them down I will forget my original opinions of them as the play progresses so here are my views of Macbeth so far.
At first my opinion was that Macbeth was a great warrior and a nobleman with high morals and patriotism. However, as the play continued and he allowed the 3 witches to convince him of his potential to be king my faith in him began to wane - my faith in his good nature finally choked and died - along with Duncan. The only thing that stopped him becoming a monster was the horror he endured for killing the king - so I forgave him. He then shoved it right back in my face planning and ordering to have Banquo murdered.

Macbeth II

On Tuesday for my lesson I read up to the end of Act 3 Scene 3. At this point Banquo died and we began to watch Roman Polanski's film of Macbeth we reached the part where Macbeth stabs the king in the neck (this is not in the play) and then we stopped watching. I am told my Mrs. McIntosh that the most gruesome part of the film is the death of Banquo but for me the death of the king was enough to make me feel queasy. So I look forward to the next time I watch Macbeth in eager anticipation - and with a bucket.

Macbeth

For my private English lessons just now I am reading through Macbeth. I am enjoying it hugely and now that we have finished the first two acts I feel that I am starting to get the hang of Shakespeare.
At first I had great trouble with understanding what each line meant because of the older language. I would have to spend a few minutes working out what each line meant but now I am beginning to relax and I am finding the play intriguing and very enjoyable.
My favourite quote so far is "he unseamed him from nave to th'chaps" I find this quote brilliant as it easily shows the gore because a slice from the head downwards is almost less sickening than inserting the blade at the belly and then ripping upwards "with his brandished steel which smoked with bloody execution".
Next Tuesday I shall be missing my lesson so I will try and not forget the plot in the next fortnight.