Scene Summary
Amidst a thundering sky, the three witches once again meet. They discuss the mischief and evil they have been up to since their last meeting while they await the arrival of Macbeth. Hearing the noise of drums, they know it is time as they arise and welcome the new Thane of Cawdor. Macbeth arrives with his fellow thane and friend Banquo, and the two are at first shocked and disgusted by what they see, with Banquo remarking that the witches “look not like th’inhabitants o’th’earth.” When Macbeth demands them to speak, they tell him a prophecy. The first hails him as “Thane of Glamis,” the second as “Thane of Cawdor,” and the third declares he shall be “king hereafter.” Banquo, sceptical, questions the witches as to why they ignore him, and he challenges them to look into his own future. Granting him his wish, they tell Banquo that he will paradoxically be “lesser than Macbeth and greater,” and that though he will not be king, his descendants shall be. Macbeth not convinced by the witches’ promises, he claims he cannot be Thane of Cawdor because he believes the current Thane of Cawdor is still alive. Macbeth demands more answers, but the three witches vanish into thin air as the thanes Ross and Angus arrive to bring news from King Duncan. They inform Macbeth of his new title (surprise, it’s Thane of Cawdor!) and he learns of the previous thane’s treasonand eventual capture. After talking with the thanes, Macbeth and Banquo take a moment to discuss the witches’ prophecies, with Macbeth unnerved about what their claim that he will be king means. Eventually deciding to discuss it later, Macbeth summons the others and begins to ride towards the king.
Scene Analysis
Macbeth and Banquo’s meeting with the witches is the first crucial scene of the play. Not only is it the first time Macbeth appears as a character, but it also introduces the sole reason behind his dark and twisted reign of terror that defines the play. By limiting the audience’s exposure to Macbeth until now, Shakespeare creates an aura of mystery, and though our initial perception is one of a heroic, capable, and loyal warrior, this will soon be eroded as we witness Macbeth succumb to the witches’ “suggestions” and he descends into violent paranoia and selfishness.
The establishment of Macbeth’s character aside, this scene also serves to set up some major themes and conflicts going forward in the play’s world. It is in this scene that Shakespeare first truly introduces the ideas of destiny, ambition, and prophecy and foreshadows once more the consequences lying in wait because of them. Though the first scene in the play is the audience’s first exposure to the supernatural, it is in scene three that its true significance is made clear, as the prophecies spoken by the witches in hindsight are the catalysts for Macbeth’s rise and fall and the period of chaos of which Scotland endures throughout the play. However, in addition to Macbeth’s prophecy that is crucial to his character and the overall story, we also have Banquo’s prophecy of being “lesser than Macbeth and greater... thou shalt get kings but thou be none.” Though not as explicitly powerful as Macbeth’s guarantee to the throne, the subtleties of this prophecy hold great meaning and power. Initially, it appears Banquo’s prophecy was a contextual reference to King James’ real claims to be descended from Banquo, yet when considering what Shakespeare is trying to convey through his use and portrayal of the supernatural, Banquo’s prophecy is at the core of Macbeth’s corruption.
Shakespeare makes it clear that magic and witches are to be feared and whoever dabbles with them is destined for a dark path, clearly depicted as Macbeth in this scene, for it is Macbeth’s interpretation of Banquo’s prophecy and the threat it may have to his own tenuous, fragile power which leads to the murder and attempted murder of Banquo and his son and heir Fleance. The murder of Banquo demonstrates the power prophecy has, as the mere hint of Banquo’s family becoming royalty is enough to make Macbeth act violently in a desperate attempt to maintain his own promise of power, a pattern that will emerge throughout the scenes to come. It is the first time we see the idea of the self-fulfilling prophecy which we will break down in more detail later. For now, suffice it to say that much like the meaning behind the themes of destiny, the notion of a self-fulfilling prophecy has its roots here in the scenes with the witches.
The foreshadowing in this scene is also important to discuss. Beyond the prophecies literally predicting the events to come, we also see the beginnings of Macbeth’s emotional investment in the prophecies as he is told he will become one of the most powerful men in Scotland. It’s also possible that Macbeth’s betrayal of Duncan is foreshadowed in his receiving the position of Thane of Cawdor, as the previous man to hold the title had been in open rebellion against Duncan’s kingship. Hence, both characters that hold the title of ‘Thane of Cawdor’ betray Duncan, with Macbeth going one step further by murdering and usurping the throne from him and his rightful heir Malcolm. Whether coincidence or not, this theory serves as another example of foreshadowing and potentially an argument in favour of the idea that Macbeth’s prophecies were self-fulfilling and not magical in nature.
