I have seen the options/priorities given by you. I would
like to re-organize the same as hereunder:
a) the withes'
proclamations on the heath;
b) Macbeth's own
ambition;
c) Duncan's declaration that Malcolm would be the
Prince of Cumberland;
d) Lady Macbeth's
encouragement.
Let me now go into more
details:
a) Witches' Proclamations--
the three witches meet Macbeth and Banquo on the heath; they hail Macbeth first as the
thane of Glamis, then as the thane of Cawdor, and finally as the future king of
Scotland. Macbeth, as Banquo observes, stands in a trance, 'rapt withal'. Soon Ross and
Angus arrive and Macbeth comes to know how he has been rewarded with the title of the
thane of Cawdor. Immediate fulfillment of the proclamation of the 2nd witch tempts
Macbeth to believe that the 'greatest is behind'.
b)
Macbeth's Own Ambition: Macbeth's reactions to the witches'
proclamations and his being announced as the thane of Cawdor clearly indicate that there
was a seed of evil ambition already in Macbeth. His asides in act 1 sc.3, reveal that he
had 'horrible imaginings' as regards his ambition to achieve
kingship.
c) Duncan's Declaration in Act 1 sc.
4: In this scene, Duncan declares that his eldest son, Malcolm, would be the
Prince of Cumberland, and so the legitimate successor to the throne. This thwarts the
chance of Macbeth's becoming the king, though in 11th century Scotland there was
'elective kingship'. As Duncan also declares his visit to Macbeth's castle that very
night, Macbeth takes immediate leave of the king to ride to
Inverness.
d) Lady Macbeth's
Encouragement: Lady Macbeth receives her husband's letter and in her two
soliloquies she resolves to chastise him with 'the valour of her tongue'. She
apostrophizes to the powers of darkness to fortify her with the direst cruelty. It is
she who plans the blueprint of the murder of Duncan, and gets the heinous 'deed' done by
him.
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