Macbeth Notes:
Act 1 Scene 1 :
• Witches introduced and are speaking in trochaic pentameter, this is when
stress happens in st syllables and there are seven syllables in each line.
• ‘When shall we three meet again?’
- break of iambic pentameter may be unsettling for Shakespearian
audience.
- change in pattern could symbolise an alarming moment
- shows the witches as threatening gures.
- shows that they have met before
• ‘When the battle’s lost and won’
- juxtaposition
- foreshadowing Macbeth’s rise to power and how the battle is won which
leads to him becoming king
- but was lost s he betrayed his loyalty to the king and lost his sanity
• This could represent childlike qualities and references to animals
‘Graymalkin’ the graymalkin is sometimes referred to as the demon helped
and associated with witches in the Jacobean era which suggests that the
witches have malicious intent.
• Could also suggest that Shakespeare believes that believing in
supernatural is childish but can’t explicitly say that due to James I being
present and his strong beliefs for the supernatural.
• ‘Fair and foul and foul is fair’
- reputation of ‘f’ sound (fricatives)
- when sound if said you bare your teeth which looks threatening
- could suggest characters violent intentions
- begins the theme of appearance vs reality (everything is not as it seems)
- Macbeth’s rst words mimics the withes linking them to him and
foreshadowing the harmful e ects of their prophecy
• ‘Hover through the fog and lthy air’
- idea of witches and broomsticks
fi fi fffi fi
, - mockery
- unrealistic
- shows Shakespeare doesn't agree with the supernatural
• ‘There to meet with Macbeth’
- rst time Macbeth is mentioned but isn’t present
- shows connection between witches and Macbeth and power the
supernatural has over him.
• Do witches cause violence or just Macbeth?
• Performed in front of nobles and James I and Shakespeare wants to
entertain and educate (more than one purpose)
• King James I paranoia about witchcraft - seeking enemy within.
Shakespeare creating parallel between seeking enemy within and
Gunpowder plot as this has just occurred when this pay was performed.
• Shakespeare could use witches to criticise patriarchal society and how
females in patriarchal society need to turn to witchcraft as this is their only
way to gain power.
Act 1 Scene 2 :
• Macbeth used to represent the consequence of con ict and how it creates
men of power like Macbeth
• Political campaign of peaceful society, this was relevant in 1605 as
gunpowder plot just happened
• Macbeth led to martial society or used to represent the consequences of
martial society
• ‘steel which smoked with bloody execution’
- use of ‘bloody’ may show he’s attracted to blood?
- literally means that the blade is covered in hot blood
- speed of attack
- skilful warrior ‘execution’
- opponent slayed instantly, shows Macbeth enjoys killing and is not
merciful in the slightest
fi
fl
Act 1 Scene 1 :
• Witches introduced and are speaking in trochaic pentameter, this is when
stress happens in st syllables and there are seven syllables in each line.
• ‘When shall we three meet again?’
- break of iambic pentameter may be unsettling for Shakespearian
audience.
- change in pattern could symbolise an alarming moment
- shows the witches as threatening gures.
- shows that they have met before
• ‘When the battle’s lost and won’
- juxtaposition
- foreshadowing Macbeth’s rise to power and how the battle is won which
leads to him becoming king
- but was lost s he betrayed his loyalty to the king and lost his sanity
• This could represent childlike qualities and references to animals
‘Graymalkin’ the graymalkin is sometimes referred to as the demon helped
and associated with witches in the Jacobean era which suggests that the
witches have malicious intent.
• Could also suggest that Shakespeare believes that believing in
supernatural is childish but can’t explicitly say that due to James I being
present and his strong beliefs for the supernatural.
• ‘Fair and foul and foul is fair’
- reputation of ‘f’ sound (fricatives)
- when sound if said you bare your teeth which looks threatening
- could suggest characters violent intentions
- begins the theme of appearance vs reality (everything is not as it seems)
- Macbeth’s rst words mimics the withes linking them to him and
foreshadowing the harmful e ects of their prophecy
• ‘Hover through the fog and lthy air’
- idea of witches and broomsticks
fi fi fffi fi
, - mockery
- unrealistic
- shows Shakespeare doesn't agree with the supernatural
• ‘There to meet with Macbeth’
- rst time Macbeth is mentioned but isn’t present
- shows connection between witches and Macbeth and power the
supernatural has over him.
• Do witches cause violence or just Macbeth?
• Performed in front of nobles and James I and Shakespeare wants to
entertain and educate (more than one purpose)
• King James I paranoia about witchcraft - seeking enemy within.
Shakespeare creating parallel between seeking enemy within and
Gunpowder plot as this has just occurred when this pay was performed.
• Shakespeare could use witches to criticise patriarchal society and how
females in patriarchal society need to turn to witchcraft as this is their only
way to gain power.
Act 1 Scene 2 :
• Macbeth used to represent the consequence of con ict and how it creates
men of power like Macbeth
• Political campaign of peaceful society, this was relevant in 1605 as
gunpowder plot just happened
• Macbeth led to martial society or used to represent the consequences of
martial society
• ‘steel which smoked with bloody execution’
- use of ‘bloody’ may show he’s attracted to blood?
- literally means that the blade is covered in hot blood
- speed of attack
- skilful warrior ‘execution’
- opponent slayed instantly, shows Macbeth enjoys killing and is not
merciful in the slightest
fi
fl
