Scene summary
At the palace in Forres, Malcolm tells, from the account of someone who saw him die, that the former Thane of Cawdor confessed the treason, asked the king’s pardon, and died repentant. Duncan remarks that there is no art of reading a man’s character in his face, for he had trusted the Thane absolutely. Macbeth, Banquo, Ross, and Angus enter, and Duncan thanks the two captains and promises to make them grow like plants he has sown. He then announces that the realm will rest in the arms of his eldest son: he names Malcolm Prince of Cumberland and says he will go to Inverness, the castle of Macbeth, who goes ahead to warn his wife. Before leaving, in an aside, Macbeth sees in Malcolm’s title a step he must climb and asks the stars to hide their light, so that no one sees his dark desires. Duncan, not hearing the aside, tells Banquo that Macbeth is a kinsman without equal.
Analysis
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