Even if the witches had never prophesied Macbeth’s future, his personality and influences would have caused him to attempt to become King. Shortly after the witches first appearance, Macbeth’s ambition can be seen when his ‘black and deep desires’ (Act I, Sc IV, 51) lead him to see Duncan’s son, the heir to the throne, as ‘A step on which [he] must fall down, or else o’erleap, for in [his] way [to the crown] it lies’ (Act I, Sc IV, 48-50). Correspondingly, Lady Macbeth’s impact over, and desire to advance her husband is shown when Macbeth states ‘We will proceed no further in this business’ (Act I, Sc VII, 31) in regards to the murder of Duncan, and Lady Macbeth calls him a ‘coward’ (Act I, Sc VII, 43) and asks ‘Was the hope drunk wherein you dressed yourself’ (Act I, Sc VII, 35-6) to encourage him to go through with the murder. In contrast to Macbeth, after Banquo hears the witches predict ‘Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none’ (Act I, Sc III, 65) he does not act on the prediction by attempting to make his son, Fleance, king. Comparing how Macbeth and Banquo react to the witches’ predictions illustrates to us that Macbeth’s character and influences are part of the reason he acts on the prophecies Although, there is no evidence to suggest that Macbeth had thought about becoming king prior to his…
