Question

Why are these lines from Act I important in the plot of the play?

Macbeth.

[Aside.] Glamis, and Thane of Cawdor:
The greatest is behind.—Thanks for your pains.—Do you not hope your children shall be kings,
When those that gave the Thane of Cawdor to me
Promis'd no less to them?

Banquo.

That, trusted home,
Might yet enkindle you unto the crown,
Besides the Thane of Cawdor. But 'tis strange:
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.—

Answer 1

Macbeth has just found out he is the Thane of Cawdor from Ross and Angus, making the second part of the witches' prophecy true. This causes him to really wonder if he's destined to be king. This idea gets the best of him, and he convinces himself that if he'll become king anyways, he might as well kill the king himself. This thinking will lead to him committing the murder, leading him down a path of destruction. 

Banquo questions that perhaps the witches aren't telling the truth after all, offering Macbeth a sense as reason. He knows that witches will sometimes tell part of the truth to earn their trust, but incorporate lies that will cause chaos because that is the witches' nature. But this proves to be a useless warning.

Answer 2

The given lines from Macbeth are important to the plot of the play because it reveals the ambitious nature of Macbeth and the extend of his willingness to do anything that will make him achieve what he wanted.

William Shakespeare's "Macbeth" follows the rise and fall of a Scottish general Macbeth. The play deals with themes of loyalty, good vs evil, greed, power, etc.

• The given lines are from Act I scene 3 where Macbeth and Banquo arrived back at the palace.

• On their arrival, Macbeth learns that he's been made the Thane of Cawdor, just like the three witches had predicted.

• This made him more eager to know about what the future will bring, for the witches had also predicted that he will become the king of Scotland.

• His aside "the greatest is behind" reveals his ambitious streak, his belief that what the witches had prophesied will in fact come true.

• This made him more ambitious, with the intention of getting rid of anyone who might be on the way to his becoming king.

These lines are important because it reveals the first streak of ambitious desire in Macbeth. And in that greed, added with Lady Macbeth's encouragement, will begin a cycle of extreme greed in Macbeth which will also lead to his fall from grace and power.

Learn more about "Macbeth" here:

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