There will be a separate page for comments about supporting materials for Shakespeare and Macbeth. On this page, the focus of discussion will primarily be on the text of the play.
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Here’s a rather old-looking website that nevertheless presents an adequate overview of the history of the Globe Theatre, where Shakespeare staged many of his plays from the time of the theater’s construction in 1599 to its destruction by fire in 1613: http://www.bardstage.org/globe-theatre-fire.htm
The theater caught fire due to a botched pyrotechnics stunt during a staging of one of Shakespeare’s final plays Henry VIII.
Here’s an eyewitness account by Henry Wotton, a famous architect of the period:
“… I will entertain you at the present with what happened this week at the Banks side. The King’s players had a new play called All is True, representing some principal pieces of the reign of Henry the Eighth, which set forth with many extraordinary circumstances of pomp and majesty even to the matting of the stage; the knights of the order with their Georges and Garter, the guards with their embroidered coats, and the like: sufficient in truth within awhile to make greatness very familiar, if not ridiculous. Now King Henry making a Masque at the Cardinal Wolsey’s house, and certain cannons being shot off at his entry, some of the paper or other stuff, wherewith one of them was stopped, did light on the thatch, where being thought at first but idle smoak, and their eyes more attentive to the show, it kindled inwardly, and ran round like a train, consuming within less than an hour the whole house to the very ground. This was the fatal period of that virtuous fabrick, wherein yet nothing did perish but wood and straw, and a few forsaken cloaks; only one man had his breeches set on fire, that would perhaps have broyled him, if he had not by the benefit of a provident wit, put it out with a bottle of ale.”
Wondering what to write about for your Macbeth blog posts? I’ve broken down scenes from the final two acts of “The Scottish Play” below and added some questions to get you started:
IV.i – Macbeth visits the witches and Hecate. What is different about Macbeth’s encounter with the witches here, as opposed to I.iii? What does he learn from them and what is withheld? How does Macbeth misinterpret their new prophecy? What does this reveal about where Macbeth’s interests and focus lie?
IV.ii – Macduff’s wife and son are murdered offstage in this scene, but not before several rousing lines from their friend Ross. One of the things Ross says stuck with me (read IV.ii, lines 18-22). How does Ross feel about the present ills faced by Scotland?
IV.iii – Malcolm and Macduff seem to share Ross’s concerns about the fate of the Scottish nation and her people. Chart the emotional progress Malcolm makes in this scene. Why does he feel unfit to be a ruler, should Macbeth be dethroned? How does Macduff encourage him? Which of these two appears to be more fit to rule, and why?
I’ll post a new comment with some comments and reading questions for Act V.
Here are some further questions for each scene in Act V:
V.i – “Out, damned spot!” This is where we finally begin to see Lady Macbeth truly coming apart at the seams. What is the symbolism behind her obsessive washing of hands? When she says, “There’s knocking at the gate” (V.i.59), is she referring to actual knocking occurring in real time in this scene, to an imagined knocking, or to the knocking we heard back in II.ii and II.iii on the night of Duncan’s murder? Is there any added significance to her exclamation here?
V.ii – The woods are coming to Dunsinane! These scene seems a bit of a digression from the main plot, but it’s still essential for bringing the play to its climax. The English army, accompanied by Menteith, Caithness, Angus, and Lennox, approaches Macbeth’s castle. This is hugely important in a British context: England was the military and political oppressor of its northern neighbor, Scotland, for centuries (if you’ve seen Braveheart, you’ll know this). England’s army was far more powerful and organized than Scotland’s. Macbeth knows this, but, as we’ll see in the next scene, seems not to care.
V.iii – You may have heard the term hubris before, probably in the context of Greek tragedies you may have read in high school, like Oedipus Rex, Antigone, or Medea. Hubris is excessive pride on the part of the tragic hero. Here, Macbeth’s behavior towards his servants and supporters displays an immense amount of hubris. In a tragedy (remember the full title of this play is The Tragedy of Macbeth), hubris is always followed by hamartia, a tragic fall. As the saying goes, “Pride goeth before the fall.” The same was true for Adam and Eve when they ate the forbidden fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.
A special note on V.iii for those of you interested in studying psychology: you might want to write your Macbeth essay about the lines Macbeth directs at the Doctor in this scene (lines 39-45 especially). This play was written centuries before the advent of modern psychology, yet Macbeth admonishes the Doctor to cure Lady Macbeth of “thick-coming fancies / That keep her from rest” (V.iii.38-39). Remember earlier in the play when Macbeth complains to his wife that he thinks he hears a voice that cries “Sleep no more! Macbeth doth murder sleep.” In V.iii, the chickens are coming home to roost. Lady Macbeth is afflicted by insomnia, and it may be her murderous husband’s fault. What are the distinctions between physical and mental illness–or physical and psychological violence–in this play? Who are the enablers? are the perpetrators? Who are the victims? What are the consequences?
V.iv – Another short but important scene heightening the tension leading up to the final battle. Malcolm directs the soldiers to disguise themselves with branches from Birnam Wood. One part of the witches’ prophecy is being fulfilled! Birnam Wood is literally coming to Dunsinane. My question here is about Siward’s aphorism: “Thoughts speculative their unsure hopes relate, / But certain issue strokes must arbitrate” (V.iv. 19-20). Put another way, actions speak louder than words. What do you think is the significance of Siward’s lines in the context of the play?
V.v – More hubris from Macbeth: “Our castle’s strength / Will laugh a siege to scorn” (V.v.2-3). But immediately after this, we see another of the scarce yet great stage directions in this play: “A cry of women within.” Like the knocking earlier in the play, an ominous noise portends a major change: a death. Lady Macbeth has died. Macbeth’s reaction is colder and more detached than almost any other moment in all literature. What follows is one of Shakespeare’s greatest monologues: “Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow…” Analyze this monologue and discuss its significance to the events of the play, particularly as it relates to the prophecies directed at Macbeth. It’s also worth comparing to Lady Macbeth’s behavior in V.i.
Look also at the way Macbeth continues to treat his own subjects: he again abuses a messenger who comes to tell him that “anon methought / The wood began to move” (V.v.34-35). What is the messenger, who “lies like truth,” seeing?
V.vi – A very short scene. The English army reveals itself and the battle begins!
V.vii – Look at the way Macbeth reflects when he kills Young Siward: “Thou wast born of woman” (V.vii.12). It’s as if he’s fighting the thought of the prophecy rather more than the real enemy he sees before. Macduff, meanwhile, has a stronger motive: he is bent on avenging the murders of his wife, son, and servants. Recall Siward’s foreshadowing aphorism in V.iv (quoted above). When the action returns to Macbeth, we see him contemplating suicide (V.vii.31-33). He seems to know the battle is already lost, yet his mind is still on the prophecy rather than the reality of the action facing him. Macduff reinforces the line separating thoughts from actions: “I have no words. / My voice in in my sword” (V.vii.36-37). Macduff reveals he “was from his mother’s womb / Untimely ripped,” that is, he was born by Caesarean section (V.vii.45-46). The last part of the witches’ prophecy has been fulfilled! How does Macbeth respond? How has his attitude towards (reliance on?) the prophecy shifted?
Ultimately, Macbeth makes a valiant, though doomed, last stand against Macduff. Does this final embracement of action signify a last-minute change in his character? Why or why not?
Finally: Macduff returns with Macbeth’s severed head as a trophy. Malcolm assumes the throne of Scotland, thereby (as he is the son of Duncan) restoring things to their order. We learn from Malcolm that Lady Macbeth has died by her own hand; that is, she has committed suicide. But what about the last part of the prophecy? How will Banquo’s line assume the Scottish crown? The ends with this plot point unresolved, but the historical record affirms the prophecy. Why do you think Shakespeare chose to end the play where he did?
In Act V.I we see Lady Macbeth come apart at the seams. In her sleep, she actively walks around her room, talks out loud and obsessively washes her hands to get out the “damned spot”. She no longer presents herself as ruthless and ambitious. However, her anxious and erratic behavior makes her almost unrecognizable now. The “damned spot” refers to the literal and metaphorical blood on her hands. Afterall, it was Lady Macbeth who encouraged Macbeth to go through with Duncan’s murder and then cleaned up his mess. However, Duncan’s murder was the only one she aided and “consented” to. The rest of the murders such as Banquo’s, Lady Macduff’s and Macduff’s son was not something Lady Macbeth encouraged or was aware of. The obsessive washing of hands may also represent how Lady Macbeth might have unleashed a higher evil in Macbeth and as a result she is also guilty of those murders. In lines (5.1.59) Lady Macbeth says, “There’s knocking at the gate”, she is referring to imagined knocking. I think the imagined knocking is a reference to the knocking heard in II.I and II.III because they occurred after Duncan’s murder. The most interesting word about her sentence is “gate”. Why didn’t Lady Macbeth say, “There’s knocking at the door”? In Act 2 scene 3, when there was knocking after Duncan’s murder it is revealed it was a porter who was knocking. The eerie thing is that the porter pretends he is a gatekeeper of hell, this is seen in line 2.2.14 “I’ll devil-porter it no further.” Does this mean Lady Macbeth was making a reference to going to hell in the afterlife? Was death calling her in that moment? Whether or not Shakespeare made this intentional is unclear but certainly interesting to think about.
The image of Macbeth’s severed head being carried reminds me of a similar painting to “Princess Salome dances, John the Baptist dies”. It evokes a strong feeling that the painting also evoked in me a year ago when I saw it at the Met. I was immediately drawn to the painting, it was strange to me that a woman in the 15-1600s would be so calm holding a tray that contained a severed head, even more so shocking that a woman would be trusted to carry out such a task. A common emotion I picked up from both the painting and Malcom’s actions was the emotion of revenge. I felt as if both characters have successfully executed their revenge and have a sense of inner peace, knowing this person is gone for good. As to why Shakespeare ended the play where he did, I think it was to give freedom to the readers. The readers/audience will be able to come up with their interpretations of the play, and have several theories as to why the prophecy didn’t fulfill itself entirely. Readers are left wondering why this didn’t occur and they theorize what would have happen if Malcom didn’t inherit the throne.
Kyla,
That’s a great connection between Macbeth’s head the painting of the story of Salome, Herod, and John the Baptist from the Gospels. The difference would be that John the Baptist was the herald of Jesus, whereas Macbeth is more like Salome, who brings about John’s death without a full idea of what she is asking for (Herod, consumed with lust, promises Salome anything she asks, “up to the half of my kingdom”). I agree with your explanation for the ending of the play.
The 3 witches in Macbeth are the characters that stuck out to me the most. One thing I realized after some research was that the witches are referred to as the weird sisters not because they are actually weird but because the word weird comes form the Anglo-Saxon word wyrd which can mean fate or doom. From this the reader can infer that the 3 witches have the ability to predict the fate of doomed individual. This is shown when he witches read both Macbeth’s and Banquo’s future and both are killed. In act 4 scene 1 the scene opens with the 3 witches mixing many ingredients together such as “Eye of newt” and when Macbeth enters the brew creates horrible visions which do nothing except make Macbeth confused about his future. I believe that the witches are agents of fate and manipulate peoples future with their strange illusions and prophecies. This could explain why Macbeth sees Banquo’s ghost, it could just be an illusion created by the witches to manipulate Macbeth’s future. The witches motivation for doing this is because they find it fun and it serves as a form of entertainment to them. This is shown in act 3 scene 5 when the 3 witches are confronted by Hecate. In this scene Hecate says “As by the strength of their illusion Shall draw him on to his confusion”. What this means is that, Hecate wants to make a spell that will confuse Macbeth about his future. To add on to this Hecate will fool Macbeth into thinking that he is untouchable, that he is above the forces of fate and death. What can be implied by the actions of these witches, the meddle with Macbeth’s life purely for the enjoyment of it, they enjoy using their magic to create mischief.
In Act V.I we see Lady Macbeth come apart at the seams. In her sleep, she actively walks around her room, talks out loud and obsessively washes her hands to get out the “damned spot”. She no longer presents herself as ruthless and ambitious. However, her anxious and erratic behavior makes her almost unrecognizable now. The “damned spot” refers to the literal and metaphorical blood on her hands. Afterall, it was Lady Macbeth who encouraged Macbeth to go through with Duncan’s murder and then cleaned up his mess. However, Duncan’s murder was the only one she aided and “consented” to. The rest of the murders such as Banquo’s, Lady Macduff’s and Macduff’s son was not something Lady Macbeth encouraged or was aware of. The obsessive washing of hands may also represent how Lady Macbeth might have unleashed a higher evil in Macbeth and as a result she is also guilty of those murders. In lines (5.1.59) Lady Macbeth says, “There’s knocking at the gate”, she is referring to imagined knocking. I think the imagined knocking is a reference to the knocking heard in II.I and II.III because they occurred after Duncan’s murder. The most interesting word about her sentence is “gate”. Why didn’t Lady Macbeth say, “There’s knocking at the door”? In Act 2 scene 3, when there was knocking after Duncan’s murder it is revealed it was a porter who was knocking. The eerie thing is that the porter pretends he is a gatekeeper of hell, this is seen in line 2.2.14 “I’ll devil-porter it no further.” Does this mean Lady Macbeth was making a reference to going to hell in the afterlife? Was death calling her in that moment? Whether or not Shakespeare made this intentional is unclear but certainly interesting to think about.
In Act V, scene IV, besides a portion of the prophecy foretold by the three witches in Act IV come true when Malcolm instructs his company to break off branches from the Birnam forest and use it to camouflage themselves as they march towards his thresholds we see Malcolm is accompanied by Siward exchanging responses within the scene. One particular part of the exchange that is intriguing stems from lines 19 and 20 where Siward utters “Thoughts speculative their unsure hopes relate, / But certain issue strokes must arbitrate”. This is significant in context with the play as Siward’s statement in others can represent the phrase “Actions speak louder than words”, and in this play many characters’ actions scream louder than the words that come out of their mouths. The most obvious case would be with Macbeth himself, when it comes to fulfilling and manipulating the prophecy given to him by the witches, to his advantage. Initially, Macbeth was too timid and fluctuated on whether or not he should commit to murdering the King, battling confusion with his conscience over the matter until Lady Macbeth would intervene. Despite Macbeth’s reservedness towards the act of murder, he is consumed by his own ambitions and the witches’ prophecy played a part in exacerbating Macbeth’s tendency to be overly ambitious in that he’s become so corrupted by his own unchecked ambition. So, after the murder and securing his place as king, his ambitions direct him to taking more drastic measures to sustain his residency as King such as attempting to kill of Banquo and his son Fleance. Seeing as how Macbeth would go to far lengths just to remain King shows how his actions reveal his true attitudes and character. That besides being a valiant and honorable soldier, he is also a power-hungry figure corrupted by his own ambitions which dominate his decisions and actions.
From reading Macbeth it showed how greed and trying to get what you want by doing the wrong thing basically will only lead to negative outcomes, bad results, and overall anxiety. In the book lady Macbeth was encouraging the killing of King Duncan, but as time went by in the book she only became more and more crazy and anxious to the point where she needed a doctor to help her pshycologically. In act 5.1 Lady Macbeth even says “Heres the smell of blood still,” and continues to wash her hand continouslly. Also Macbeth would only become more and more viscious throughout the book as killing people around him to secure power started to become very important to Macbeth and would even seek the witches help to see what he could do. The end result basically ended in both of them seeing a bad and harsh death due to there hunger for power by doing bad towards many just because he was trying to basically fulfil the witches prophecy.
By Act 4, Scene 2, we “officially” see the change in Macbeth’s character. In the beginning of the play, Macbeth requires a lot of persuasion and experiences a lot of guilt when it comes to deeds such as murder. Lady Macbeth had to persuade Macbeth and make him realize that the weird sisters had said can become reality and its all in his hand. Then, when Macbeth does murder the King, he feels extremely guilty. That guilt becomes fear which prompts him to commit more treacherous deeds, such as killing Banquo. However, this expression of guilt disappears in Act 4. In Act 4, Scene 2, Macbeth visits the weird sisters in hopes to find answers to some questions instead of being surprised by what they tell him. In other words, he demands answers about his fate this time. The sisters show him apparitions, by which Macbeth interprets that he does not have to fear anyone human (or so he thinks) except for Macduff. This prompts him to the decision of murdering Macduff’s family. When he makes this decision he says, “The firstlings of my hand. And even now, To crown my thoughts with acts, be it done” (Act 4, Scene 2, Lines 147-148). Macbeth is saying that now he will not think about what he has to do, he will turn his impulses into real-life acts and deeds immediately. This means that Macbeth’s fear and guilt that he had at the beginning of the play is now gone. He has become an independent villain.
Not Scene 2, it’s Scene 1* I looked at the wrong page
This is sort of related to my paper, but not entirely. Otherwise, this is just an observation that I made that may be a bit of a stretch
The action of “thickening” continues to reoccur throughout Macbeth prior to times of questioning morality or neglected piousness, this “thickening” persist as Macbeth is drained of his humanity. The thickening light, (“Light thickens” (Macbeth 3.2.41)) prompting the murder of Banquo, excites the arrival of darkness (thick darkness), both literally and metaphorically. The concept of “darkness” continues to persist throughout the play, as does the festering darkness within the character of Macbeth. Light thickening into darkness acts as a symbol of evil, and the impious. I did a bit of research and found that “thick darkness” is mentioned quite a bit in the Bible, this image often being used to describe a malevolent individual or sinister environment (i.e.: “And it cometh to pass — the sun hath gone in, and thick darkness hath been — and lo, a furnace of smoke, and a lamp of fire, which hath passed over between those pieces” (Gen 15:17)). After the sun has set (Macbeth 1.1.4), and Macbeth is given the prophecy, his actions are now conducted by this “thick darkness”. Similarly, the thickening of wine into blood (these two often representing one another interchangeably) is seen throughout the play, likewise alluding to the Bible. Aside, Macbeth is forced to grow “thick skin”, as Lady Macbeth questions his masculinity and adequacy as a leader. The action/concept of thickening continues to pop up several times throughout the play, but I thought I should only include a few to try to show where I’m getting at.
Violence is no stranger to the characters in this play. This time period granted war and methods of ruling that relied on a figurehead ruling over others, and this power was certainly sought out by Macbeth. His hunger for this power allowed for physical and psychological violence to take place, troubling everyone that was involved. The relationship between physical and psychological violence has the physical violence feeding off of the psychological torment. Lady Macbeth’s psychological torment alongside Macbeth’s inability to manifest his true free will leads to the physical attacks and murders of others. Both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth experience remarkable changes in goals and moral beliefs, and these changes are influenced by their own spouses. However, Macbeth is also influenced by the prophecy of the witches. He is incredibly susceptible to the influence of others and Lady Macbeth’s masterful manipulation of his susceptibility shows that she took part in enabling his traitorous actions towards the kingdom. Her demeaning words were the cause of Macbeth’s murders and his excessive ambition. However, in V.iii, this new manic face of Macbeth contrasts the new grief-stricken Lady Macbeth. She is being consumed by guilt and terror over the murders of others while her husband seeks out his greatest pleasure and victory. In V.iii, Lady Macbeth can be seen suffering from insomnia and Macbeth wants her to be treated. The doctor states that she needs to suffer through the “thick-coming fancies / That keep her from rest” (V.iii.38-39)”, and resolve her issue on her own. The physical violence that Macbeth aims to continue imposing on those who get in his way only further causes Lady Macbeth to suffer from guilt. Macbeth murders sleep and he does not intend on someone else obtaining the crown. Lady Macbeth’s taunts and ridicules are the psychological torment and violence that pushes Macbeth to commit physical violence. Lady Macbeth is no doubt an enabler of the murders that occured as she was aware of Macbeth’s weakness and susceptibility. In modern psychology, her manipulation of others, delusions, and her changing demeanor may suggest a mood disorder or even a schizophrenic episode. Banquo’s ghost, as seen by Macbeth, also allows for the discussion questioning of his mental state. His hallucinations and hunger for power also indicate a deviation from a healthy mindset. However, this time period did not provide for an adequate treatment of mental issues. The perpetrators of these murders are themselves victims of some kind of mental torment, which can lead to a discussion concerning whether or not Macbeth and Lady Macbeth should be somewhat let off for their actions or if they deserve grave punishment.
In Act V.1, Lady Macbeth is seen spiraling into madness.Throughout the book, we know Lady Macbeth to be cruel and vindictive, and to see her in such a way comes as a surprise. She becomes obsessed with the blood she sees on her hands that can’t go away, no matter how many times she washes them. She begins sleepwalking and talking to herself, immediately gaining the attention of the gentlewoman and the doctor. Immediately they conclude that she is hiding something, holding a secret that is affecting her into becoming crazy. By hearing the knocking, we can conclude that it is in fact similar to the knocking that Macbeth had heard in act 2. Because both are riddled with guilt, they begin becoming psychologically unhinged. Furthermore, Lady Macbeth is seen carrying with her a lit candle, which the gentlewoman says she has been doing quite frequently. This light could represent the security Lady Macbeth feels, as light is oftentimes referred to as purity and life. Similar to light, darkness is said to symbolize that of death and evil. Lady Macbeth is so scared of the darkness/evil that will be inflicted on her, and so she carries around a light to ‘protect’ herself.
The symbolism behind Lady Macbeth’s excessive hand-washing is that her hands are stained with the blood of the murders that she cannot remove. She says, “What, will these hands ne’er be clean? No more o’that, my lord, no more o’that.” She imagines the blood and smell of blood on her hands. She wants Macbeth to stop the murders after Duncan’s murder.
Lady Macbeth is referring to the knocking that occurred on the night of Duncan’s murder. She also imagines this knocking at the gate, which could be the Hell gate that the porter references to. On the night of Duncan’s murder, Macbeth says, “Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood Clean from my hand?” Lady Macbeth is excessively hand-washing like the murder just happened.
She says there is knocking, or no king, at the gate; Macbeth is killed a couple of scenes after.
In 5.1, the readers see a shift in Lady Macbeth’s character. In opposition to her previous characteristics of callous and remorseless, the guilt begins to eat her alive in which she is repetitively washing her hands. She is attempting to wash the (imaginary) blood off of her hands from the murder she partook in of King Duncan and perhaps the others she encouraged to take place or was aware of. It is clear that this was heavy on her mind for she began sleepwalking in which she essentially reveals the truth (or part of it). Doctors are informed and conclude that she has been hiding something and it is disturbing her piece of mind and psychologically damaging her. The knocking that Lady Macbeth hears is the knocking Macbeth heard on the assassination night of King Duncan. This is not an actual sound, but a creation of the mind, manifesting guilt. She is replaying that night and seeing and smelling blood on her hands she wishes to remove and hears the knocking Macbeth spoke of that night when she brutally attacked his masculinity. It is also revealed or implicated that Lady Macbeth commits suicide by “self and violent hands” which can be inferred that this was due to her overwhelming guilt.
In Macbeth’s second meeting with the witches in Act 4 Scene 2, he is much more forceful and forthright with them than he was during their first meeting. Unlike the first meeting, this one did not occur by chance but by Macbeth’s own choosing. Also, he is no longer in a state of surprise or disbelief while he hears their words, but eagerly listens to them and demands that they tell him everything. He sought them out because perhaps he believed that they now hold the key to his fate so, in a sense, he is now beholden to them. This allows them to manipulate him in any way they wish. This is how he is convinced that Macduff is a threat, which leads him to commit his most heinous crime of murdering his whole family in order to provoke fear. It also leads him to believe that he is invincible because he cannot be killed by a man born of woman. These two prophecies and his blind faith in the witches’ words seal his final fate.
In the tragedy Macbeth, there are two scenes in which Macbeth encounters the three witches. Both encounters reveal the prophecy of Macbeth very faintly, but they all lead Macbeth down his blood-seeking path to power. The difference in the scenes lies in the perspective of Macbeth and how he gradually accepts/believes the prophecy of the witches. Macbeth learns about his prophecy in the first scene. The witches said, “All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor! (I.iii).” Afterward, he then learned that after he will be king. The perspective of Macbeth shifts because it was later validated by the news given to him when he encountered Ross.
The information given in the first encounter has played to his egomania and desire to be king. As a result, Macbeth later murdered the king and his very best friend. The meeting brought out the murder in Macbeth, and it also brought out the savagery in Lady Macbeth. In the second encounter, Macbeth learns something new about his prophecy: “Macbeth shall never vanquish be until Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill Shall come against him (IV.i).” Macbeth went utterly insane after the murder of Banquo. His hallucinations and the picturing of a dagger can attest to his guilt. Macbeth’s ambition to kill even after the killing of his best friend persisted. The prophecy and the confusion it had made, caused for the self-sabotage and end to his reign as king. A lot of things weren’t said; instead, It was left alone for Macbeth’s discovery. I do not think that Macbeth misinterpreted anything the witches said. It is just that what Macbeth thought would happen for the better of him, overshadowed the negative ramifications of his self/wife driven actions.