ACT 1
Scene 1: Introduction to the witches.
“Fair is foul, and foul is fair.”
Scene 2: After the battle, a sergeant tells the story of what
Macbeth did in battle and Duncan decides to name him Thane of
Cawdor.
FATE:
“The merciless Macdonwald.. And fortune, on his damned quarrel smiling.. Which
ne’er shook hands, nor bade farewell to him. Till he unseam’d him from the nave to
the chaps, And fix’d his head upon our battlements.”
- Macbeth has no respect for his enemy.
- Macbeth dies in this way at the end.
VIOLENCE:
“His brandish’d steel, Which smoked with bloody execution.. Carved out his
passage.”
- Violent.
“Which ne’er shook hands, nor bade farewell to him. Till he unseam’d him from the
nave to the chaps, And fix’d his head upon our battlements.”
- “For brave Macbeth.”
- “Noble Macbeth.”
Scene 3: Macbeth and Banquo are given the prophecies by the
witches.
FATE:
“Thrice to thine, and thrice to mine, And thrice again.”
- Constant use of 3.
“So foul and fair a day I have not seen.”
- Repeated what the witches said.
“If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me, Without my stir.”
,AMBITION:
“If you can look into the seeds of time.. Speak then to me.”
- Banquo’s asking the witches about the prophecy.
“Stay, you imperfect speakers, tell me more.”
“The instruments of darkness tell us truths.. In deepest consequence.”
MANIPULATION:
“Promise no less to them?.. Commencing in a truth?.. Against the use of nature?”
Scene 4: Duncan hears about the execution of the old Thane of
Cawdor, and names Malcolm as his heir. Macbeth’s ambition for
the crown grows and plans are made for Duncan to stay at
Macbeth’s castle.
AMBITION AND GUILT:
“Stars, hide your fires; let not light see my black and deep desires.”
Scene 5: Lady Macbeth receives Macbeth’s letter and convinces
him to kill the king.
MANIPULATION:
“My dearest partner of greatness, that thou mightst not lose the dues of rejoicing, by
being ignorant of what greatness is promised thee. Lay it to thy heart.”
“That I may pour my spirits in thine ear, And chastise with the valour of my tongue.”
“Thy letters have transported me beyond This ignorant present.”
“Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under’t.”
- Alusion to adam and eve.
- Gunpowder plot medals had a flower and snake on them.
AMBITION:
“I have learned by the perfectest report, they have more in them than mortal
knowledge.. I burned in desire to question them further.”
“Shalt be what thou art promised.”
“Art not without ambition, but without The illness.”
- She's saying Macbeth needs more ‘illness’, evil.
, NATURE:
“I fear thy nature; It is too full o’ the milk of human kindness.”
“Come, you spirits That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, And fill me.. Of
direst cruelty.”
“Stop up the access and passage to remorse.”
“Come to my woman’s breast and take my milk for gall.”
FATE:
“Your face.. Is as a book.”
RELIGION:
“Nor heaven peep through the blanket of dark.”
“Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under’t.”
GUILT:
“Stop up the access and passage to remorse.”
SUPERNATURAL:
“Come, you spirits That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, And fill me.. Of
direst cruelty.”
Scene 6: Duncan arrives at Macbeth’s castle.
Scene 7: Macbeth is talking to himself, he thinks about the
consequences he will face if he decides to go ahead and murder
Duncan. Lady Macbeth questions his ‘Manhood’.
GUILT:
“Might be the be-all and the end-all here.”
- Now or never
“We still have judgement here.”
- Hesitating
“First I am his kinsman and his subject.”
MANIPULATION:
“False face must hide what the false heart doth know.”
Scene 1: Introduction to the witches.
“Fair is foul, and foul is fair.”
Scene 2: After the battle, a sergeant tells the story of what
Macbeth did in battle and Duncan decides to name him Thane of
Cawdor.
FATE:
“The merciless Macdonwald.. And fortune, on his damned quarrel smiling.. Which
ne’er shook hands, nor bade farewell to him. Till he unseam’d him from the nave to
the chaps, And fix’d his head upon our battlements.”
- Macbeth has no respect for his enemy.
- Macbeth dies in this way at the end.
VIOLENCE:
“His brandish’d steel, Which smoked with bloody execution.. Carved out his
passage.”
- Violent.
“Which ne’er shook hands, nor bade farewell to him. Till he unseam’d him from the
nave to the chaps, And fix’d his head upon our battlements.”
- “For brave Macbeth.”
- “Noble Macbeth.”
Scene 3: Macbeth and Banquo are given the prophecies by the
witches.
FATE:
“Thrice to thine, and thrice to mine, And thrice again.”
- Constant use of 3.
“So foul and fair a day I have not seen.”
- Repeated what the witches said.
“If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me, Without my stir.”
,AMBITION:
“If you can look into the seeds of time.. Speak then to me.”
- Banquo’s asking the witches about the prophecy.
“Stay, you imperfect speakers, tell me more.”
“The instruments of darkness tell us truths.. In deepest consequence.”
MANIPULATION:
“Promise no less to them?.. Commencing in a truth?.. Against the use of nature?”
Scene 4: Duncan hears about the execution of the old Thane of
Cawdor, and names Malcolm as his heir. Macbeth’s ambition for
the crown grows and plans are made for Duncan to stay at
Macbeth’s castle.
AMBITION AND GUILT:
“Stars, hide your fires; let not light see my black and deep desires.”
Scene 5: Lady Macbeth receives Macbeth’s letter and convinces
him to kill the king.
MANIPULATION:
“My dearest partner of greatness, that thou mightst not lose the dues of rejoicing, by
being ignorant of what greatness is promised thee. Lay it to thy heart.”
“That I may pour my spirits in thine ear, And chastise with the valour of my tongue.”
“Thy letters have transported me beyond This ignorant present.”
“Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under’t.”
- Alusion to adam and eve.
- Gunpowder plot medals had a flower and snake on them.
AMBITION:
“I have learned by the perfectest report, they have more in them than mortal
knowledge.. I burned in desire to question them further.”
“Shalt be what thou art promised.”
“Art not without ambition, but without The illness.”
- She's saying Macbeth needs more ‘illness’, evil.
, NATURE:
“I fear thy nature; It is too full o’ the milk of human kindness.”
“Come, you spirits That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, And fill me.. Of
direst cruelty.”
“Stop up the access and passage to remorse.”
“Come to my woman’s breast and take my milk for gall.”
FATE:
“Your face.. Is as a book.”
RELIGION:
“Nor heaven peep through the blanket of dark.”
“Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under’t.”
GUILT:
“Stop up the access and passage to remorse.”
SUPERNATURAL:
“Come, you spirits That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, And fill me.. Of
direst cruelty.”
Scene 6: Duncan arrives at Macbeth’s castle.
Scene 7: Macbeth is talking to himself, he thinks about the
consequences he will face if he decides to go ahead and murder
Duncan. Lady Macbeth questions his ‘Manhood’.
GUILT:
“Might be the be-all and the end-all here.”
- Now or never
“We still have judgement here.”
- Hesitating
“First I am his kinsman and his subject.”
MANIPULATION:
“False face must hide what the false heart doth know.”
