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MacBeth... How does Malcolm become king?

In the book macbeth, the three witches in the begining of the story tell Banquo and MacBeth that MacBeth will become king and that Banquo will be the father of the future kings...

at the end of the story after MacBeth dies (as planned by the witches) a character named Malcolm takes the throne and becomes the new king...

How is what the witches said right? I dont think Banquo and Malcolm are related at all.

3 Answers

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  • 1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    They aren't related. Shakespeare believed that Banquo's son moved to Ireland; after a few decades, his son's sons returned to Scotland, became stewards to the Scottish king, and eventually became kings themselves.

    This was the family history of James Stuart, the king of England when Shakespeare wrote the play. Thus, the scene when the witches show Macbeth the long line of kings is actually a tribute to King James.

    Source(s): Holinshed.
  • 1 decade ago

    Well, "future kings" doesn't have to mean "the next king after Macbeth." Some descendent of Banquo's will presumably be king someday.

    As far as the witches go, it depends on what kind of take you have on them. Some people say that they actually control the actions of the characters in the play, some say they only prophesize (with Macbeth himself making the predictions come true), and some say they are like the three fates. Depending on your veiw of the witches, the answer to your question can vary a bit. Either they ensure that a descendent of Banquo's gets on the throne, or he tells his children (and children's children) about the prophesy and one of them fights his/her way to the throne.

  • Anonymous
    5 years ago

    Macbeth dishonored the throne and killed to achieve his ambition.

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