Macbeth's First Appearance as King
Right from his first scene as king, Macbeth is already showing his true colours as a manipulative hypocrite. He's literally accusing Duncan's sons of their father's murder whilst knowing full well he's the actual killer - talk about nerve!
Shakespeare deliberately shows us how Macbeth follows Lady Macbeth's earlier advice to "look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under't". This biblical reference to the snake that tempted Eve makes Lady Macbeth the tempter figure, suggesting that manipulation and evil can come from unexpected sources.
What's particularly striking is how this supposedly brave warrior is still completely under his wife's influence. Despite being king, Macbeth remains gullible and easily manipulated - hardly the qualities you'd want in a leader!
Key Insight: Shakespeare uses this scene to immediately establish doubt about Macbeth's fitness to rule, warning against leaders who lie and manipulate for personal gain.
