cbeth remains an
             honorable gentleman. He is not a criminal; he has no criminal
             tendencies. But once permit his self-love to demand a
             satisfaction which cannot be honorably attained, and he is
             likely to grasp any dishonorable means to that end which may
             be safely employed. In other words, Macbeth has much of
             natural good in him unimpaired; environment has conspired
             with his nature to make him upright in all his dealings with
             those about him. But moral goodness in him is undeveloped and
             indeed still rudimentary, for his voluntary acts are scarcely
             brought into harmony with ultimate end.
             As he returns from victorious battle, puffed up with
             self-love which demands ever-increasing recognition of his
             greatness, the demonic forces of evil-symbolized by the Weird
             Sisters-suggest to his inordinate imagination the splendid
             prospect of attaining now the greatest mutable good he has
             ever desired. These demons in the guise of witches cannot
             read his inmost thoughts, but from observation of facial
             expression and other bodily manifestations they surmise with
             comparative accuracy what passions drive him and what dark
             desires await their fostering. Realizing that he wishes the
             kingdom, they prophesy that he shall be king. They cannot
             thus compel his will to evil; but they do arouse his passions
             and stir up a vehement and inordinate apprehension of the
             ...