Macbeth- Act 1

Macbeth- Act 1

1. Scene 1

   • Starts with thunder and lightening- dark and violent mood
   • Witches- supernatural
     • Speak in rhyming couplets- make speech unnatural(like spell)
   • fair is foul, and foul is fair, / Hover through the fog and filthy air
     • Introduce the idea that nothing is what it seems

2. Scene 2

   • Contrast eerie opening scene with brutality and 'bloody execution' of battle field- violent mood
   • Captain and Duncan describe Macbeth as ' brave' and 'valient'
     • Viewed as a hero whos loyal to the king and country
     • Idea of 'Fair is foul' suggests that Macbeth might not as good as other characters believe. Audience not yet met him so view him as what they've been told

3. Scene 3

   • Witches in thunder again- chaos, danger, distrupting natural order
   • Macbeth: 'So foul and fair a day I have not seen'- link to witches and prophecies
   • 3 prophecies: 1) Macbeth= Thane of Cawdor, 2) Macbeth= King, 3) Banquo's descendants= king
     • Banquo= ' lesser than Macbeth, and greater', son becomes king and Banquo isnt driven by greed and ambition like Macbeth

4. Scene 4

   • Duncan gives Macbeth title of Thane of Cawdor as reward for loyalty
     • Says he misjudged old ToC as no way to 'find the mind's construction in the face'- can seem good and loyal but not be, ironic as misjudged Macbeth too
     • Uses extended metaphor of plants to show that he must nurture those who are loyal
   • Sees Macbeth as potential successor- fate may make him king
     • Duncan represented as stong and fair leader- rewards loyalty, contrast to Macbeth's violent, tyrannical rule

5. Scene 5

   • Lady M has no doubts about killing Duncan- immediately knows she will have to force Macbeth to do it as he is ' too full o'th'milk of human kindness'
   • Her soliloquy uses evil imagery: 'smoke of hell' and 'direst cruelty'
   • 'Unsex me here'- sees women as weak and incapable of murder
   • Use of imperatives links to witches, evil and unnatural spirits- like casting spell 'Come, you spirits' 'Come, thick night'
   • Macbeth enters and their speech= half-line breaks- urgent and hurried, both nervous

6. Scene 6

   • Duncan arrives at Macbeth's castle and is greatful for hospitality
   • Lady Macbeth seems like perfect hostess- flatters Duncan and thanks him for 'honours deep and broad' he has given them
     • Contrast with previous scene to show how false she is

7. Scene 7

   • Macbeth's soliloquy- deciding whether to kill Duncan, gives reasons why he shouldn't
     • 'Return/ To plague th'inventor'
     • As his 'kinsmans' and 'host' he has duty to protect him
     • Duncan is a good king- 'clear in his great office'
     • Knows his own ambition will be his downfall
   • Lady M- bullies and persuades Macbeth to kill Duncan by quesioning masculinity- 'so much more the man'
     • rejects own feminity- shed kill her own baby- remorseless and evil

8. Key

   • Reality an appearamces
   • Kingship