Foreshadowing In Macbeth

Act 1: Scene 1

2. Providing the introduction to Macbeth, this scene ties together the the themes of fair and foul, the character of Macbeth and the recurring image of witchcraft into thirteen short lines.

3. Why do the witches speak in rhyme but not in iambic pentameter? Is it because they have no heartbeat to follow? Why are there three witches and do they correlate to the three fates? What is the significance of the witches mention of the battle being lost and won, does this mean the characters will experience total loss and gain? Is the line “fair is foul and foul is fair” meant to be taken as all things fair must be foul and all things foul must be fair? How do the characters of the witches affect the character of Macbeth

and the plot to come?

4. “Fair is foul and foul is fair, hover through the fog and filthy air” (i.i.12)
Fair is foul and foul is fair, speak the witches in unison.

They question the perception of evil battling goodness. The witches command the audience to examine the fair qualities found in the characters, and to also warn them of the foulness that can lie beneath the exterior surface.The change from fair to foul is imminent, they warn. The juxtaposition of these two concepts foreshadow the deception that will take place in the play. Hover through the fog, sing the three sisters. Hovering, the three sisters are able to watch the play unfold. They resemble an omniscient spectator, perhaps a controller. The three sisters have many parallels to the three fates in Greek mythology, being triplets the most prominent correlation. The notion that the three witches control the fate of Macbeth can be deduced. Mentioning the filthy air, the witches expand on the idea of foul. The environment and setting of the story is or will become a wasteland. However, the reason is still

unknown.
Act 1: Scene 2

1.

As the scene begins Duncan meets a Captain that went on the quest to save Malcolm. Duncan is introduced as the King of Scotland and Malcolm is his son. The Captain tells the story of his journey to save Malcolm. Macdonwald, a traitor of Scotland, who tried to capture Malcolm was ruthlessly murdered by Macbeth. Macdonwald’s head was paraded around for all to see his dishonor. The Captain speaks highly of Macbeth, exaggerating his actions. Not only does Macbeth save Malcolm, he fights the horrific Norwegian King Sweno and the traitor Thane of Cawdor. Praised as christ figure, Macbeth impresses King Duncan. Two other noble figures enter and confirm the treachery that the Captain has expressed. King Duncan then believes that in order to thank Macbeth for his acts of bravery, he will give him the title of Thane of Cawdor. In return he sentences the Thane of Cawdor to execution. The scene ends with a loss for the Thane of Cawdor and a gain for Macbeth.

4. “What [the Thane of Cawdor] hath lost, noble Macbeth hath won” (i.ii.79) Duncan concludes this scene with the quotation about loss and gain. Contrasting pairs are points of significance in this play. Between loss versus gain, the witches predict that a battle must occur and it did. What does Macbeth gain? Macbeth gains the title of Thane of Cawdor and he also gains the characteristics of a traitor. Duncan grant's Macbeth everything that the Thane of Cawdor was, even his

evils.

5. Personally, I believe that the Captain over exaggerated the greatness of Macbeth’s battle. Stating that the battle compared to Golgotha and Jesus’s crucifixion, the Captain directly adds an image of holiness to Macbeth that could have been false. The Captain further implements the idea that Macbeth is a god like figure when he states that Macbeth “disdained Fortune with a brandished steel” (19). Fortune, a Greek goddess, gets killed by Macbeth’s sword. No mortal ever can defeat a God, but Macbeth can. Macbeth can do it all, with poise and with perseverance. The Captain’s over saturation of Macbeth’s courage leads Macbeth to receive the title as Thane of Cawdor.
Act 1: Scene 3

2. Without Macbeth and Banquo hearing the prophecy of the witches, the idea that Macbeth shall be King would never stir in Macbeth’s mind enough for him to take action on it.

4. “And oftentimes, to win us our harm, The instruments of darkness tell us truths, Win us with honest trifles, to betray’s In deepest consequence.” (135). Giving a brief glimpse at the entire plot of the production, Banquo warns Macbeth of the deception evil can have. Banquo, self aware, knows that the witches should not be trusted as they are satanic in nature, as many of the Elizabethans believed. Although the two prophecies did come true, the third should not be taken so seriously. Macbeth should not go and realign the stars of fate in order to become King. Macbeth’s destiny relies on his belief in the witches. Banquo persuades Macbeth to ignore the spoken truths of the witches, but ultimately he is unsuccessful.

6. The three witches are the three fates of time; past, present and future. Together they are able to fill Macbeth’s brain with the idea that he will become extraordinary. The first witch tells Macbeth that he is Thane of Glamis. Macbeth already knows this. The second witch illustrates that Macbeth is Thane of Cawdor, the title to be given to him in a few moments. The third witch predicts that Macbeth will become King some day as she looks into his future. These three sisters work interdependently as on entity. The witches’s relationship to each other allows them to complete a full prophecy that alone they would not be able to do.

Act 1: Scene 4

2. Expressing his dark desires, Macbeth shows the first hint of deep evil wants in this scene when expresses distraught behaviors as Malcolm is crowned Prince of Cumberland.

4. “Stars, hide your fires; Let not light see my black and deep desires” (58) With this line, the total impact of the witches’ prophecy on Macbeth comes to life. Here, Macbeth clearly states that he always has had repressed desires of overtaking Duncan. The audience now ponders if the fates really control Macbeth or did they simply unleash him. Macbeth also pleads that the stars do not see his craving for power. Macbeth could be speaking to God, or a heavenly being among the stars, hoping that his thirst will not override him and send him to hell. Shakespeare not only uses diction to compare Macbeth and the sisters but also syntax. An interesting rhyming pattern begins as Macbeth gives his first opinion on evil, paralleling the chants of the witches.

5. As he speaks to his sons, kinsman and Thanes, Duncan crowns Malcolm as the Prince of Cumberland. Malcolm stands alive and accepts the crown because he was narrowly rescued from his kidnapper. The person ultimately responsible for saving Malcolm is no other than Macbeth himself. The irony lies in the idea that Macbeth yearns for the King’s position, and now he must encounter a setback that he himself brought on. If Macbeth had never saved Malcolm, Malcolm would have been dead and never crowned Prince. Alas, Macbeth took the higher route and bravely rescued the Malcolm. His enemies become Duncan, Malcolm and perhaps Donalbain as well. Macbeth’s drive for the title of King will lead him to betray the royal family, maybe even to murder. If Macbeth does kill Duncan, he will face severe consequences. After all, it is a dangerous thing to kill a king.

Act 1: Scene 5

3. How does Macbeth know that three witches are the Weird Sisters, where does this name come from? Macbeth calls Lady Macbeth his partner in greatness, is Shakespeare showing that both men and women can be evil? Is this reinforced by having the witches be women? With Lady Macbeth’s removal of motherly warmth and love, is the idea that only men can be evil? Since the witches were bearded ladies, do they lose their femininity? Lady Macbeth tells Macbeth that his face shows his emotion, how will this harm him later on? Will he be able to conceal his emotions? Lady Macbeth demands him to be a secret serpent, is she saying that Macbeth is the root of all evil in the paradise of Scotland?

7. The topic of motherhood and womanliness intertwines throughout this scene. The character of Lady Macbeth begins her scene fearing the milk of human kindness, of mother nature. She questions if fate personifies a mother who will chastise her child that “wouldst win falsely”. Lady Macbeth strippes away her motherly kindness and her emotional connection. Her milk turns to bile, undrinkable and no longer pure. Lady Macbeth’s transformation from mother to monster brings forth the theme of foul and fair. Being a fair mother at first, her metamorphosis to perhaps the fourth of the witch trio signifies the idea that trusting appearances will lead to deception.

Act 1: Scene 6

1 King Duncan arrives at Inverness to Macbeth’s home. Ross and Duncan notice that a bird has nested in Macbeth yard, this bird often times is associated with Hell. Greeted by Lady Macbeth, Duncan thanks his hostess and they continue to the feast

2. Without this scene, the conversation between Lady Macbeth and Duncan would be lost and the transition would not be as significant since Duncan calls Lady Macbeth a “fair and noble hostess” and subtly alludes to hell and evil.

3. Why is Duncan’s first reaction to Inverness about the sweetness in the air? What happened to the filthy air mentioned in scene 1? What are hautboys and what is there purpose in this play? Why does the bird’s nest related to heaven? Is this another connection to the Scottish paradise Duncan has created? Why does Duncan call Lady Macbeth fair and noble? Duncan holds Lady Macbeth’s hand as they walk to meet Macbeth, how does Lady Macbeth feel about this? Will Duncan’s kindness remove her hostility later on?

Act 1: Scene 7

3. When talking about betraying Duncan doubly, does Macbeth believe that his consequences will be doubled if he murders Duncan? Why does Macbeth compare killing Duncan to killing a newborn when he has never has had kids of his own? Is it really his ambition that drives Macbeth to become King? Why then is Macbeth hesitant to go on with the plan? Lady Macbeth questions Macbeth’s masculinity and calls him a coward, why does this motivate Macbeth? What does it show of Lady Macbeth when she denies to listen to Macbeth speak about failure? Since Lady Macbeth devises the entire murder plot, is she equally deserving of the consequences? Macbeth says that Lady Macbeth’s undaunted mettle would only fit men-children, is it because he cannot give them masculinity?

4. “False face must hide what false heart doth know” (95) Macbeth speaks as he leaves to murder Duncan. He knows that his facial expression will give away his intentions so he must conceal them. He creates a fake mask of expression to disguise his sinister intentions. His repressed desires must stay concealed so that the plan can be executed.

5. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth portray an unorthodox relationship with each other. Contrasting Shakespeare's play, Taming of the Shrew, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth exemplify a world where the woman takes charge. In taming of the shrew, Katarina’s dictating attitude turned away many suitors and only a strong man like Petruchio had the ability to deal with her. Here, Macbeth’s lack of masculinity and his impotency are balanced by Lady Macbeth’s demands and encouragements.