Macbeth Act 1: Scene 4 and 5

Scene 4:

 

Duncan asks his son Malcolm if the execution of the original Thane of Cawdor has been taken care of. Malcolm tells him that that the executioners have not yet returned but he has received reports that the Thane was more noble in death than he had been in life.

Duncan welcomes Macbeth as his worthy valiant cousin whom he feels unable to repay suitably. However, Macbeth assures the king that he feels repaid amply having done his duty well. Duncan also welcomes Banquo and claims that his valour was no less than Macbeth and should not be forgotten. 

Eventually, Duncan announces that his estate would go to his eldest son who shall now be known as the Prince of Cumberland. Duncan also informs Macbeth that he would come to Macbeth's castle Inverness to celebrate the victory and honour his brave cousin.

On the other hand, Macbeth has already begun to wonder about the new Prince of Cumberland. He sees the Prince as a roadblock on his way to success and realizes that he must either overleap this road block or fall due to it.

 

Scene 5:

 

In Inverness, Lady Macbeth receives a letter from her husband. In the letter, Macbeth tells his wife about the witches, their predictions and the expected arrival of the King as their guest. Lady Macbeth claims that despite such wonderful predictions, her husband may not be able to fulfill the prophecy because of kind nature. She feels that Macbeth is a man who wanted to be great and had ambition but did not carry the illness/craze required to find success. Whatever he did was according to the holy, ethical and moral laws. He wouldn't agree to play false and yet greatness awaited him. She wants him now to come to her so that she might influence him with her courageous words. She wishes to motivate him to aspire for the golden circlet which both fate and magic have dictated as his. She wants to become cruel and steadfast to her intentions so nothing would stop her, not even powers of heaven.

She welcomes her husband back and tells him she can already see their glorious future. He tells her that Duncan shall arrive at the castle that night as a guest. Lady Macbeth then claims that the Sun will not see the next morning. She tells her husband that his face is like an open book but he must conceal his thoughts tonight. She asks him to look and act in a welcoming manner such that overtly, he might appear an innocent flower but he must actually be the serpent under it.