Macbeth’s letter

information arranged in order to create suspense (I burned in desire, I stood rapt in the wonder of it)

description of the supernatural powers of the witches and sense of mystery (they had more in them that mortal knowledge, they made themselves air, they vanished)

creation of a “positive” context (the day of success, the perfectest report) to give to the prophecy a more positive meaning

underlines Macbeth’s will to believe in the prophecies, his trend to be simple-minded and highly influenceable

highlights Macbeth’s ambition and his bound to his wife (my dearest partner of greatness)

introduction of Lady Macbeth’s figure and her role in the play: she is socially bond to him, so Macbeth’s greatness would become her greatness, too

Lady Macbeth coldly depicts her husband’s personality and contradictions:

- his wish is to become greater, but he is too kind to act with strength

- he has enough ambition, but not enough greed for power

- he wants to achieve greatness in the right way (highly, holily), but wouldn’t mind winning it in the wrong way (wrongly win)

- he fears what he has to do more than what would happen if he didn’t do it

Lady Macbeth’s battle plan:

1. she will use her words to inflame the mind of his husband, pushing him to act more strongly (like her). She literally wants to infuse her character in her husband by her words

2. her husband will do whatever it takes to be crowned king

3. she will fight and stop anyone who will try to prevent the advance of his husband with the boldness of her tongue

4. victory is already assured, since both fate and supernatural powers (witchcraft) are by their side and seem to have already crowned him King of Scotland