Explore The Overall Mood Of The Opening Scene Of Macbeth

455 Words1 Page
bulb-icon

Recommended: Characterisation in macbeth

As the play opens with an ominous scene portraying the three weird sisters, determining when they shall meet again. The overall tone of the picture is very dull, and cryptic, as the audience isn’t certain of what is happening at the moment.
Firstly, there isn’t much information given- the weird sisters discuss some mysterious reconvening, and at what time they will. It seems as if they are foretelling an event, as one adds that they’ll meet “When the hurly-burly’s done, when the battle’s lost and won.” Readers are left wondering what battle this witch is referring to, and whether it is of importance. This gives the scene an uncertain aura, and creates suspense.
Furthermore, by utilizing the imagery created through “Hover through the fog and filthy air.”, it creates a dirty, grey mood to the scene. This quotation illustrates a foggy area, most likely isolated and barren, where not many people go. This also draws interest however, as the audience is left hanging onto their last words of the scene, wondering what will happen next. …show more content…

Moreover, this scene almost introduces the theme of free will versus fate, as the weird sisters already know where Macbeth will be, and where they need to go to meet up with him. Additionally, their words sound like quasi-prophecies, because of their cryptic-sounding nature, which reinforces the idea of fate over free-will. This initial concept brought up will definitely be mentioned throughout the play, as different events indicate free will, while others indicate

Show More
Related

  • Macbeth Dbq Analysis

    628 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Weïrd Sisters were thoughtful in their mind-tricking prophecies, compelling Macbeth to take action to make their predictions become true. A little truth in the prophecies convinced him that the rest of the predictions would come true and gives him the ideas of “[his] black and deep desires” to kill his king (Doc A). The Weïrd Sisters’ apparitions tell of important factors that will lead to Macbeth’s defeat. However, Macbeth overlooks many of the details in understanding their importance such as when the Third Apparition tells that he will not be defeated unless “Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane hill/Shall come against him.” Macbeth believes that he will never face defeat because “That will never be” (Doc D). This deceit is also demonstrated when Macbeth is about to face Macduff in battle and learns from him that “Macduff was from his mother’s womb/Untimely ripp’d…” (Doc E). At this point, Macbeth realizes his misguidedness and accepts his

    Read More

  • The Dramatic Effect of Act 5 Scene 1 on the Play Macbeth

    678 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Dramatic Effect of Act 5 Scene 1 on the Play Macbeth In this scene the doctor and the gentlewoman wait for Lady Macbeth as it was reported to the doctor that she had been sleepwalking on previous occasions - "since her majesty returned from the field, I have seen her rise from her bed". It is reported by the gentlewoman that every time Lady Macbeth sleepwalks she writes something on paper and she had also seen Lady Macbeth continuously perform an action of washing her hands vigorously. Lady Macbeth enters holding a candle.

    Read More

  • The Emotions of Ambition, Remorse, and Fear in 'Macbeth' by William Shakespeare

    387 Words  | 1 Pages

    The most important emotions that we see in Macbeth are ambition, remorse, and fear. They are significant because they provoke Macbeth to do evil and cruel things. Ambition takes control of him earlier in the play when the witches tell him he is going to be king. After he already has done the deed, killed Duncan, he is remorseful for his actions. Out of fear for himself, Macbeth murdered Macduff’s family and killed Banquo.

    Read More

  • Free Macbeth Essays: The Impact of Act 2 scene 2

    923 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Impact of Act 2 scene 2 of Macbeth   & nbsp; Act 2 scene 2 is the most violent and intense part of Macbeth, although we do not actually witness the murder of King Duncan. It is interesting that Shakespeare chooses to have Macbeth kill Duncan offstage. We can only guess why he wrote the scene that way, I think that Shakespeare wanted to focus not on the murder but on Macbeth’s reaction to it; the bloody details supplied by the audiences imaginations will be much worse than anything that could be done onstage. It is also the most crucial part of the play; it is the first of many murders. This scene takes place at night; I feel the darkness represents what is unnatural, cruel and evil.

    Read More

  • The People Versus Lady Macbeth

    528 Words  | 2 Pages

    The People now brought out the Weird sisters and their cauldron to make their testimony. As cryptic as it was, it revealed that they had convinced Macbeth to kill Duncan, even though it was not hard. The jury was heavily swayed by this revelation, the common thought was that it may not have been Macbeth’s fault. The sisters may have convinced him.

    Read More

  • The Most Influential Characters in Shakespeare's Macbeth

    694 Words  | 2 Pages

    The three witches essentially lay out the foundation of the plot of the play in the prophecy that they present to Macbeth. Before their meeting with him, they already know how the Scottish civil war is progressing and how it will conclude. Becau...

    Read More

  • Supernatural in Shakespeare's Macbeth - Power of the Witches

    807 Words  | 2 Pages

    Another influential power of the Weird Sisters was their ability to create visions and apparitions. Early in the murder scene of Duncan, Macbeth sees a bloody dagger  and in a phantasmagoric state, remarks, "Thou marshal'st me the way that I was going, / And such an instrument I was to use,"(II, i, 51). Macbeth also states, "Witchcraft celebrates Pale Hecate's offerings,"(II, i, 60). Both of these statements may suggest a supernatural force in the affair. The witches' powers also extend to the summoning of apparitions that foretell future events. The three apparitions tell Macbeth, "Beware the Thane of Fife,"(IV, i, 81), "none of woman born / Shall harm Macbeth," (IV, i, 91), and "Macbeth shall never be vanquished be until / Great Birnham Wood to high Dunsinane Hill / Shall come against him,"(IV, i, 106). These visions and apparitions, as seen later on, have a profound effect on Macbeth's actions.

    Read More

  • Macbeth Foreshadowing Essay

    691 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...liam Shakespeare: Macbeth, the three witches are used as prophets that convey Macbeth's future fate directly to him. Macbeth detects these prophecies not as absolute truths but as predictions that might come true depending on if he thinks they are good or not. For instance at the beginning when the witches declare that they will meet again with each other "When the battle's lost and won". Also when the three witches meet Macbeth and Banquo, they greet Macbeth as three titles. Finally, when The three witches appear to him again they provide three more prophecies that ring actual truth to what is going to happen. The use of these characters in foreshadowing adds to the "tragedy" of the tragedy. Macbeth was foreshadowed or prophesied to commit these acts and die and he knew some and still failed to see them. This adds to the brilliance of Shakespeare's tragedy, Macbeth.

    Read More

  • Ideas And Consequences In William Shakespeare's Macbeth

    842 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the play, the Weird Sisters were the first influence on Macbeth’s downfall due to the prophecies they told him of the future. At the beginning of the play, the Weird Witches say, “Fair is foul and foul is fair. Hover through the frog and filthy air” (I.i.11-12). They mention that in this world it is difficult to tell what is truly fair and what is indeed foul, which sets a dark and mysterious setting for the rest of the play. In addition, the Weird Sisters overwhelmed Macbeth with the prophecies of his future. The Weird Sisters mention, “All hail, Macbeth, hail to thee, Thane of Glamis!…” (I.iii.49-53). This enlightened yet tricked Macbeth of all the good that is to come. If the prophecies were not told to Macbeth, he would not have to worry of obtaining his future quickly, and would instead remain sane and honourable. Unfortunately, the prophecies told by the Weird Sisters greatly affect Macbeth, and lead him into his next influence leading to his

    Read More

  • The Use Of Mood In Macbeth

    1130 Words  | 3 Pages

    Noah Webster, author of Webster’s Dictionary, defines mood as the “temporary state of the mind in regard to passion or feeling“ and “a morbid or fantastic state of mind.” E. L. Thorndike and Clarence L. Barnhart, authors of Scott, Foresman Advanced Dictionary, define mood as “the overall atmosphere or prevailing emotional aura of a work.” Shakespeare’s Macbeth, especially the pivotal and ominous second act, exemplifies both denotations of mood. The act has an “overall atmosphere,” even though the mood shifts, while this mood places a sense of cliff-hanging anxiety at the beginning, an ambiance of hysterics towards the middle, a feeling of tragic realization directly following, and an unsure aura of occult extractions. Shakespeare cleverly uses six key elements to further shape and add to the mood: the characters, the imagery, the setting, the sounds, the characters’ actions, and the characters’ dialogue.

    Read More

  • The Themes of Macbeth

    996 Words  | 2 Pages

    One of the most important themes in Macbeth involves the witches' statement in Act 1, Scene1 that "fair is foul and foul is fair." (Act 1, Scene 1, Line 10) This phrase aptly describes the macabre status quo within the character Macbeth and without.  When Macbeth and Banquo first see the weird sisters, Banquo is horrified by their hideous appearances.  Conversely, Macbeth immediately began to converse with these universally known evil creatures.  After hearing their prophecies, one can say that Macbeth considered the witches to be "fair" when in reality their intentions were quite "foul." Macbeth's possession of the titles of Thane of Glamis, Thane of Cawdor and King of Scotland came by foul means.  Macbeth became the Thane of Glamis by his father Sinel's death; he became Thane of Cawdor when the former namesake was executed for treason; and he was ordained King of Scotland after murdering the venerable Duncan.  Thus, Macbeth has a rather ghastly way of advancing in life.

    Read More

  • Macbeth Literary Analysis

    822 Words  | 2 Pages

    Macbeth rejects conformation to traditional gender roles in its portrayal of Lady Macbeth’s relationship with her husband, her morals and their effect on her actions, and her hunger for power. Her regard for Macbeth is one of low respect and beratement, an uncommon and most likely socially unacceptable attitude for a wife to have towards her spouse at the time. She often ignores morality and acts for the benefit of her husband, and subsequently herself. She is also very power-hungry and lets nothing stand in the way of her success. Lady Macbeth was a character which challenged expectations of women and feminism when it was written in the seventeenth century.

    Read More

  • Examples Of Greed In Macbeth

    501 Words  | 2 Pages

    As the curtains are drawn back, the lights dim until the stage is almost completely black. The only light appears on the three strange figures, the witches, gathered in the center of an open field. Lightning strikes; followed closely by a loud clap of thunder. The strange figures begin to speak. Their ragged voices can be heard over the thunderous storm. The words of “fair is foul, and foul is fair: hover through the fog and filthy air” (Act I: Scene I) are carried through the violent wind as they vanish into the night. This meeting set the opening scene to Macbeth, which ultimately casts the forthcoming story into an ominous and eerie light. It foreshadows Macbeth’s rapid decline from being an exceptionally noble man to an awfully violent individual.

    Read More

  • Free Macbeth Essays: Atmosphere and Setting

    750 Words  | 2 Pages

    turn into animals but when one of them turns into a rat it has no tail,

    Read More

  • Imagery in Macbeth

    656 Words  | 2 Pages

    "...unsex me here, And fill me from the crown to the toe, top-full Of direst cruelty!" (1.5.41-

    Read More

More about Explore The Overall Mood Of The Opening Scene Of Macbeth

Open Document