How is Macbeth tempted by the witches' prophecy?

Question

Is he tempted because he needs to make sure the crown is his? I am not sure. Please tell me what you think. Thanks.

Answer 1

I agree with David K--at first neither Macbeth nor Banquo takes the prophecy seriously. After the witches vanish, the two of them go off punchily laughing about the outlandishness of it: "You shall be King!" "You shall be the father of kings!" One can imagine them punching each other in the biceps. But when Macbeth finds that Duncan has transferred the thaneship of Cawdor to him, he begins to think more seriously about the possibility of the third witch's greeting, and when Duncan almost immediately proclaims Malcolm his heir, Macbeth already sees that fact as an obstacle. Possibly, had Duncan not taken that step, Macbeth might have been willing to wait for Duncan to die a natural death. In my opinion, he hasn't quite decided what course to pursue when he writes to his wife about his curious experience, but her response clearly pleases him. A thought: does she give the advice she gives because she wants him to be King or because she knows that that's what HE really wants and is telling him what she knows he wants to hear? But to come back to your actual question, yes, the witches plant the seed in his mind, probably because they sense a moral weakness in him, a capacity for evil that as yet hasn't been activated.

Answer 2

One of the questions which I think anyone reading Macbeth must consider is this—do the witches appear to tempt Macbeth with a possibility which he has never considered, or do they appear because they know Macbeth *has* thought about usurping the crown? Do they pervert a loyal servant of Duncan, or do they find the person most likely to let loose evil upon the world?

In other words, Macbeth may be a good man whose goodness is consumed by the lust for power which the witches awaken, or he may be a man who has always longed for supremacy, but put such thoughts aside, doing his best to conceal them because he believes he has no hope of realizing his dream, at least until the witches 'confirm' it is possible. Note that Macbeth says "and to be king/Stands not within the prospect of belief" (act 1, scene 3) rather than protesting why this should not happen, since it will require the death, or at least deposal, of both Duncan and his sons. Then, with part of the 'prophecy' confirmed, Macbeth's thoughts go 'off to the races' with a series of asides about how 'chance' might make Macbeth king with, again, no thought given to the consequences. Oppose this to Banquo's thoughts, that the witches' words may "Win us with honest trifles, to betray's/In deepest consequence." (act 1, scene 3)

So the thing you need to decide is whether Macbeth is really tempted, or merely *reassured* that if he tries to become king he will succeed.

One of the interesting things about this is that how an audience interprets Macbeth's decision can depend on how the witches are portrayed. If they are presented as powerful mystical seeresses, then the the idea that Macbeth is tempted and 'falls' tends to be what comes across. If dressed in rags and made to look like they are the Medieval equivalent of bag ladies, then the audience gets the idea it's Macbeth's secret desires at work, not fate, and the witches are simply an excuse to start the bloodbath that will bring him to power.

Good Luck

Answer 3

Temptation In Macbeth

Answer 4

At first he thinks that the witches are a load of crap until their first prediction comes true. He becomes "Thane of (something)." Then he starts thinking that second could come true and he could become king.

The witches planted the seed in Macbeth's mind of becoming king when they told the prophecy. Its like that show "that's so raven" where, because she finds out the future and tries to change it, she ultimately ends up causing it to happen.

Also he tells is wife, and then he chickens out, and then she tells him to be a man and do it. Blame his wife.

Answer 5

Because he already wanted the crown before. Then when he was told that he WAS going to become king (by the witches) this went to his head and greed got the better of him.