Hero Journey

So far, in Act II of the play, we have already seen Macbeth's ordinary world, a the violent and bloody world of Scotland in the Eleventh century, where Macbeth is the Thane of Glamis and Cawdor. After the opening battle of the play, Macbeth is called to adventure by the three Wyrd Sisters, who predict his gaining the title of Thane of Cawdor and prophesize that he will become King of Scotland. At first, Macbeth decides to allow fate to run its course, and decides only to think upon the prophesy, refusing the call to adventure. However, upon his return to his castle, his wife begins to try to persuade him to kill King Duncan himself. Eventually, Lady Macbeth , who could be interpreted as a shape shifting character, able to present herself as a feminine individual but also capable of being much colder and more calculating than Macbeth. At the end of the Act, with the murder of Duncan completed, Macbeth has crossed the threshold, and, having alienated some of the other Thanes, and caused Malcom and Donalbain to flee, has begun finding his enemies and allies. Macbeth will also surely face tests soon, as a newly appointed King in the wake of an assassination.