Textuality » 4A Interacting

EDePiante - Conceptual map
by EDePiante - (2012-10-01)
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The letter is written in prose by Macbeth to lady Macbeth.
The letter tells of the witches' prophecy for Macbeth:
  • "I have learned by the perfectest report (the information given by the witches to Macbeth is considered the most reliable information).
  • We know that Macbeth met the three witches because he described them like supernatural people, "they have more in them than mortal knowledge", and he described their action "they made themselves air"
  • The prophecy predicted he would be thane of Cawdor and then king of Scotland.
  • Macbeth would immediately inform lady Macbeth about the prophecy writing to her a letter:
  • Macbeth seems to trust the witches absolutely "my dearest partner in greatness". Then lady Macbeth was considered by Macbeth the perfect wife who can help him in this situation.
  • He thinks that lady Macbeth has a right to be happy because she will be queen "thou mightst not lose the duest of rejoicing".
Lady Macbeth starts to consider her husband's nature and she realizes that she must act if they want the prediction to become true:
  • She is determined that he will be king, so she realized she has to murder the current king. But she suspects that Macbeth doesn't have the right stuff to do what needs to be done.
  • Lady Macbeth thinks that Macbeth is not strong enough, "do I fear thy nature".
  • He can't commit murders. Lady Macbeth knows Macbeth is ambitious but he isn't brave enough to take the steps necessary to make himself king, "It is too full o' the milk of human kindness".
  • Lady Macbeth has no intention of waiting for chance to crown her. She prefers "the nearest way", the way of speed and violent action.
  • Lady Macbeth seems to share the witches' view on good and bad.
  • She doesn't believe that Macbeth is really good. He is a coward. If he wants to become king he can't act like a priest: he would cheat to win.
  • She is so sure of her influence over him that she prays he may return speedily, "Hie thee hither" (=hurry and get here). There is the presence of verbs in future tenses.
The key theme of the letter are ambition, fate, violence, nature and the unnatural and manhood.