There are three main motivating factors, they are; young ambition, need to prove his manhood, and greed. The one that motivates Macbeth the most in the play is his need to prove his manhood. He always wrestles with decisions when it comes times to make them, he has doubts about his strength and abilities. When Macbeth starts to doubt himself Lady Macbeth is there to take advantage of the moment and manipulate him into doing what she wants, instead of him making decisions he wants. You see this time nd time again in this play, for example Act Three Scene Four. When Macbeth sees Banquo's ghost and starts having a freak, Lady Macbeth says;
"Oh, these flaws and starts, Impostors to true fear, would well become A woman’s story at a winter’s fire, Authorized by her grandam. Shame itself!".
b) Make a list of reversals or paradoxes from Acts 1 and 2 that show how "fair is foul, and fouls is fair".
- In Act One, Scene Two the nobleman Ross informs King Duncan that the trusted the thane of Cawdor, is a traitor who conspired with Norway during the rebellion. The fair thane of Cawdor is foul.
- In Act One, Scene Three after the witches tell Macbeth and Banquo's future, Banquo says the lines;
BANQUO
And oftentimes, to win us to our harm,
The instruments of darkness tell us truths,
Win us with honest trifles, to betray ’s
In deepest consequence
-This example is a paradox because telling the truth is a act of good not evil, so it a reversal to have evil be the one telling the
truth.
- The witch's appearance, this is a reversal because they are woman that look like man.
- Another reversal is Lady Macbeth's male strength and Macbeth's female weakness; i.e being commanded by male.
- The largest paradox you see is the entire plot the play is based on, the fact that Macbeth's motifs are to kill Duncan and become King in his place is an act that goes against all ways of life during that time period.
