Macbeth misinterprets these also, believing they make him invincible. The first an armed head, Macbeth should have taken great heed of, "beware Macduff, beware the thane of fife" (IV, I). But after the second apparition he arrogantly dismisses it "Macduff, what need I fear of thee?" (IV, I) The second apparition a bloody child, "none of woman born shall harm Macbeth" (IV, I) held a hidden clue which Macbeth missed. The third a child crowned with a tree in his hand, "Macbeth shall never vanquish"d be until Great Birnam wood to high Dunsinane hill shall come against him" (IV, I) also held a hidden clue, and was vague, it did not say how the wood would move. After these three apparitions comes a vision of eight kings each holding a glass is his hand, and the ghost of Banquo following, the line of kings prophesised. In all of the apparitions Macbeth should have paid attention to the images that spoke, as they were also hidden clues.
Lady Macbeth is a second major influence on Macbeth. The witches only awaken Macbeth's desires of becoming king, it is she that begins to push Macbeth towards the real act of murdering Duncan.
As soon as Lady Macbeth learns of the witches' words from Macbeth's letter, she says, "Hie thee hither, That I may pour my spirits in thine ear, and chastise with the valour of my tongue all that impedes thee from the golden round," (I, v). Lady Macbeth thinks she knows exactly what Macbeth wants and decides that she has to force him to do what he would never do without her support, kill Duncan. Lady Macbeth uses all the methods she can to convince her husband to murder Duncan. She uses Macbeth's love to her as an instrument saying that if he will not kill the king he really doesn't love her. She asks him if he is a man, tells him that he will be "so much more a man" (I, vii) after murdering Duncan. She gives Macbeth an example of how resolute and cruel he should be, telling him that she, a woman who is supposed to be kind and compassionate would be able to kill her own child.