Macbeth act 1

Macbeth act 1

1. The witches make two prophiecies

   • Macbeth will be thane of cawdor, then king
     • King Duncan makes Macbeth thane and starts to wonder if the witches prophecies are true
     • His wife plans to kill Duncan
       • Macbeth is reluctant to kill him but lady Macbeth convinces him to go with the plan
   • Banquo descendants will be king

2. Setting the scene

   • The play begins wit thunder and lightning setting a dark and violent mood
   • The three witches are the first characters in the play
     • Highlighting how important the theme of the supernatural is
     • The witches are mysterious - we don't know there purpose
       • Their last rhyming couplet "fair is foul" suggest nothing is as it seems
         • This is an important theme

3. Lady macbeth

   • She has no doubts about killing Duncan
   • She has to force Macbeth to do it
   • Lady Macbeths soliloquy uses evil imagery such as smoke of hell showing the evil in her mind
   • She asks the spirts to "unsex me here"
     • She doesn't want to be a woman
       • They are seen as weak and incapable of murder

4. Duncan arrives at Macbeths castle greatful

   • Lady Macbeths appears to be perfect hostess she flatters duncan
     • Shakespeare contrasts this scene with the previous scene to show how false lady Macbeth is