Short Summary
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ACT 1 SCENE 1
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In Act 1 scene 1, three witches and Graymalkin (the witch’s cat) are introduced. They are supernatural beings, who say that they will meet Macbeth later. They are foretelling events that come to fruition, foreshadowing the outcome of the civil war: “When the hurly-burly’s done, when the battle is lost and won” (Shakespeare 9). The setting is described as "wild and uninhabited" and desert-like. There is thunder and lightning creating a creepy mood. It is located in the medieval times, in Scotland. The three witches’ speech is written in short rhyming verse. It imitates the casting of a spell. The language also includes imagery of magic and chaotic weather: thunder, lightning, rain, fog, and "filthy air." The lines, "When the battle's lost and won" and "Fair is foul and foul is fair" are the most significant in the scene. They reveal that everything the Witches appreciate is evil and everything they dislike is good (Shakespeare 9).
In Act 1 scene 2, King Duncan, Malcolm and Donalbain, Lennox, Macbeth, and Banquo are introduced. Malcolm and Donalbain are the two sons of King; Lennox, a Scottish nobleman, Macbeth (the Thane of Glamis) and Banquo. The two Scottish noblemen are introduced In the scene, as the Captain enters covered with blood and tells Duncan three significant pieces of information. Macbeth has killed the rebel Macdonwald and won the battle against the Norwegians, killing Norwegian king, Sweno. As a result, Macbeth receives the title Thane of Cawdor, a title of a nobility in Scotland. Duncan rewards and trusts Macbeth for his loyalty to the king. In this scene, Macbeth is a brave soldier and the hero responsible for the victory of Scotland. The blood covering the captain foreshadows future bloodshed resembling Macbeth steeped in blood, who is described in the scene as a noble hero who is brave and loyal to his country. Macbeth will be transformed into a monster as he becomes "covered" with the metaphorical blood of those he kills to achieve what he desires. The description of Macbeth's sword as an instrument of execution foreshadows later murderous events in the play,
"For brave Macbeth—well he deserves that name-- Disdaining fortune, with his brandished steel, Which smoked with bloody execution, Like valor’s minion carved out his passage" (Shakespeare 13). The witches give the reader a sense of fear and discomfort. In the image right before Act 1, Scene 1, they are dressed and acting in an uncultured manner, flaring their arms around.
In the introduction to Macbeth, Shakespeare is really interesting because he emphasizes with the settings and tones. Questions: Why did the author or writer decide to introduce the witches first rather than the main character, Macbeth? What is the point of the witches foreshadowing the civil war? Predictions: I predict that something bad is going to happen to Macbeth because the witches said, "Fair is foul and foul is fair,” stating that a good person could be bad and vice versa. I believe that Macbeth is related to the civil war in my opinion and maybe Macbeth is a bad guy. |