Macbeth
Language Structure Context Key themes
ACT ONE
Act one scene one
A desolate place
Pathetic fallacy ominous setting this into to witches suggest they are separate from society
and civilization
Linking to the superstitions of witches being evil in Jacobean times
Witches: when shall we meet again?
In thunder, lightning or in rain?
Trochaic tetrameter lyric pattern makes the witches seem inhuman and ominous
Because their speech sounds like a curse, Shakespeare links the pattern to Macbeth as play
goes on. Shows his descent into an immoral character
Witches: ‘that will be ere the set of sun’
Symbolism of light and darkness begins
‘Fair is foul, and foul is fair’
Palindrome that is paradoxical.
Cyclical structure of phrase mirrors story of Macbeth on a whole and foreshadows what is to
come.
Act one scene two
‘Smoked with bloody execution’ …. ‘Till he (Macbeth) unseamed him for the nave to the chaps
and fixed his head upon our battlements’
‘smoked’ ‘unseamed’ – violent imagery Macbeth has always had a ferocity inside him. It is
never as though he is a gentle character. From even the initial descriptions the audience
know he is a violent man: making the crimes he commits later seem not very shocking
Good thematic MASCULINITY AND FEMININITY- Macbeth’s actions here are what an audience at
exam topic – can the time would consider to be the epitome of a good man doing the right thing for
link to form his country. He is presenting masculine traits but is emasculated by his wife
throughout the play.
Duncan: ‘Like valour’s minion’ ‘oh valiant cousin! Worthy gentleman!
Duncan is always appreciative of everyone and a kind king. This makes his murder later all
the worse
Appealing to James I because Shakespeare uses Duncan as a character to portray the
qualities of James an audience of the time would see desirable. Justifying James’ fears of
withes throughout the play.
‘Go pronounce his (thane of Cawdor’s) present death, and with his former title greet Macbeth’
This is the only time a rhyming couplet is used in this scene. All the characters here are
those of a higher moral and social status, therefore they speak in prose rather than verse.
However, the fact that this last line talking about Macbeth uses rhyme foreshadows his
evilness and association with witches that is to come in the next scene
Act one scene three- The witches surprise Macbeth and Banquo and deliver their prophecy, part of
which was immediately proven true
, Witches: ‘I’ll drain him dry’
Euphemistic language shows the pleasure they take in killing and inflicting pain. Established
them as both wicked and magically powerful creatures
Macbeth: ‘so foul and fair a day’
*FIRST TIME MACBETH SPEAKS IN PLAY*
Language is reminiscent of witches’ ‘fair is foul, foul is fair’. Sense on comedy but also
further reinforces the ties Macbeth has to the sisters.
Banquo: ‘what are these, so withered, and so wild in their attire, that look not like the
inhabitants of the earth and yet are on it?’
Rhetorical question/ interrogative Banquo is shocked and perhaps even disgusted by the
witches (we can infer he is disgusted through the zoomorphic language he uses when
describing the witches eg wild in their attire)
THE SUPERNATURAL - Banquo’s repulsion is justifiable as any moral character would
Exam- Link to have a negative reaction to seeing such creatures. However, Macbeth does not
form later on comment on the appearance of the witches, showing how is not disturbed by the
outward reflection of their inner evil. He is similar to them so is not as shocked.
Banquo: ‘you should be women, yet your beards forbid me to interpret that you are so’
Comedic because all the actors at the time were men.
Mocking James because the comedy takes away from the seriousness James feels with
witches. Throughout this play, Shakespeare create a fine line on which he sits. He appeals
to King whilst simultaneously mocking him to entertain those from lower classes.
MASCULINITY AND FEMININITY – the witches blur the binaries between genders through
their physical appearance. Their repulsive physical appearance mirrors the evil inside them,
so their lack of visible biological traits also signifies their nature.
Witches: all hail Macbeth, Thane of Glamis…thane of Cawdor… that shalt be king hereafter’
Power of three makes speech chant like again, atmosphere of evil.
Three was also considered to be an unlucky number/number of the devil to a heavily
Christian audience at the time. Signifies that Macbeth’s prophecy is evil
Macbeth: stay you imperfect speakers, tell me more’
Imperatives – Macbeth is demanding to know more about this prophecy he has just been
told
AMBITION – he is ordering the witches to tell him more and we can infer this is because, not
that he has a glimpse of what his life could look like, he has a growing sense of ambition
growing inside him. This is the first time we see his ambitions, greed, and desires being
displayed in the play
Macbeth in aside: whose horrid image doth unfix my hair and make my seated heart knock at
my ribs
Euphemism for committing regicide. Macbeth’s first thoughts of killing Duncan but he
doesn’t explicitly say he want to kill the monarch because he still has a grip on society’s
morals and knows even thinking or speaking about regicide is a blasphemous act.
Act one scene four – Duncan thanks Macbeth and Banquo, declares Malcom as his heir, and says
that he will visit Macbeth’s castle
Language Structure Context Key themes
ACT ONE
Act one scene one
A desolate place
Pathetic fallacy ominous setting this into to witches suggest they are separate from society
and civilization
Linking to the superstitions of witches being evil in Jacobean times
Witches: when shall we meet again?
In thunder, lightning or in rain?
Trochaic tetrameter lyric pattern makes the witches seem inhuman and ominous
Because their speech sounds like a curse, Shakespeare links the pattern to Macbeth as play
goes on. Shows his descent into an immoral character
Witches: ‘that will be ere the set of sun’
Symbolism of light and darkness begins
‘Fair is foul, and foul is fair’
Palindrome that is paradoxical.
Cyclical structure of phrase mirrors story of Macbeth on a whole and foreshadows what is to
come.
Act one scene two
‘Smoked with bloody execution’ …. ‘Till he (Macbeth) unseamed him for the nave to the chaps
and fixed his head upon our battlements’
‘smoked’ ‘unseamed’ – violent imagery Macbeth has always had a ferocity inside him. It is
never as though he is a gentle character. From even the initial descriptions the audience
know he is a violent man: making the crimes he commits later seem not very shocking
Good thematic MASCULINITY AND FEMININITY- Macbeth’s actions here are what an audience at
exam topic – can the time would consider to be the epitome of a good man doing the right thing for
link to form his country. He is presenting masculine traits but is emasculated by his wife
throughout the play.
Duncan: ‘Like valour’s minion’ ‘oh valiant cousin! Worthy gentleman!
Duncan is always appreciative of everyone and a kind king. This makes his murder later all
the worse
Appealing to James I because Shakespeare uses Duncan as a character to portray the
qualities of James an audience of the time would see desirable. Justifying James’ fears of
withes throughout the play.
‘Go pronounce his (thane of Cawdor’s) present death, and with his former title greet Macbeth’
This is the only time a rhyming couplet is used in this scene. All the characters here are
those of a higher moral and social status, therefore they speak in prose rather than verse.
However, the fact that this last line talking about Macbeth uses rhyme foreshadows his
evilness and association with witches that is to come in the next scene
Act one scene three- The witches surprise Macbeth and Banquo and deliver their prophecy, part of
which was immediately proven true
, Witches: ‘I’ll drain him dry’
Euphemistic language shows the pleasure they take in killing and inflicting pain. Established
them as both wicked and magically powerful creatures
Macbeth: ‘so foul and fair a day’
*FIRST TIME MACBETH SPEAKS IN PLAY*
Language is reminiscent of witches’ ‘fair is foul, foul is fair’. Sense on comedy but also
further reinforces the ties Macbeth has to the sisters.
Banquo: ‘what are these, so withered, and so wild in their attire, that look not like the
inhabitants of the earth and yet are on it?’
Rhetorical question/ interrogative Banquo is shocked and perhaps even disgusted by the
witches (we can infer he is disgusted through the zoomorphic language he uses when
describing the witches eg wild in their attire)
THE SUPERNATURAL - Banquo’s repulsion is justifiable as any moral character would
Exam- Link to have a negative reaction to seeing such creatures. However, Macbeth does not
form later on comment on the appearance of the witches, showing how is not disturbed by the
outward reflection of their inner evil. He is similar to them so is not as shocked.
Banquo: ‘you should be women, yet your beards forbid me to interpret that you are so’
Comedic because all the actors at the time were men.
Mocking James because the comedy takes away from the seriousness James feels with
witches. Throughout this play, Shakespeare create a fine line on which he sits. He appeals
to King whilst simultaneously mocking him to entertain those from lower classes.
MASCULINITY AND FEMININITY – the witches blur the binaries between genders through
their physical appearance. Their repulsive physical appearance mirrors the evil inside them,
so their lack of visible biological traits also signifies their nature.
Witches: all hail Macbeth, Thane of Glamis…thane of Cawdor… that shalt be king hereafter’
Power of three makes speech chant like again, atmosphere of evil.
Three was also considered to be an unlucky number/number of the devil to a heavily
Christian audience at the time. Signifies that Macbeth’s prophecy is evil
Macbeth: stay you imperfect speakers, tell me more’
Imperatives – Macbeth is demanding to know more about this prophecy he has just been
told
AMBITION – he is ordering the witches to tell him more and we can infer this is because, not
that he has a glimpse of what his life could look like, he has a growing sense of ambition
growing inside him. This is the first time we see his ambitions, greed, and desires being
displayed in the play
Macbeth in aside: whose horrid image doth unfix my hair and make my seated heart knock at
my ribs
Euphemism for committing regicide. Macbeth’s first thoughts of killing Duncan but he
doesn’t explicitly say he want to kill the monarch because he still has a grip on society’s
morals and knows even thinking or speaking about regicide is a blasphemous act.
Act one scene four – Duncan thanks Macbeth and Banquo, declares Malcom as his heir, and says
that he will visit Macbeth’s castle
