Reading Act 1 of Macbeth took me longer than I had expected it to. I find reading Shakespeare to be quite difficult because though it's in English, it feels to me like reading another language. There are so many words that are used in Shakespeare's writing to mean one thing but that mean something completely different in the language we use today. It takes time and focus to understand what the characters are really supposed to be saying.
My thoughts on the play so far are as follows: I think Macbeth is power thirsty and is taking the witches' predictions much too seriously. Macbeth even acknowledges that Duncan is a fine king "Besides, this Duncan hath borne his faculties so meek, hath been so clear in his great office, that his virtues will plead like angels, trumpet-tongued, against the deep damnation of his taking off;" (Shakespeare, 16-20), and that maybe murdering him would be a mistake that would stay with him for the rest of his life. Lady Macbeth however is much worse than Macbeth. She herself never even heard the witches' predictions, yet she believes whole-heartedly and without question that Duncan must be murdered. Why she wants to have this power so badly, I'm not sure. After all, Macbeth just got promoted to Thane of Cawdor, so it's not like things are going badly for them. If Macbeth and Lady Macbeth go through with their plan to murder Duncan, sure, he will probably become king, but they would both have to forever after carry the weight of the murder they committed and hope that no one finds out that they are the criminals.
So far, I think the overall idea of play is slightly unrealistic, but I think it will make for a good story that will demonstrate the desire for power that we all possess and the crazy things that people will do to achieve it.
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