Macbeth Analysis
Witches
[Thunder and lightning] When shall we three meet again In thunder, lightning, or in rain? (Act 1
scene 1 )
Weather disturbance reflects evil and disruptive nature of witches which creates a sense a of
doom
The fact that they are arranging where to meet again heightens atmosphere as it implies the
witches have cast malevolent spells before.
Hurly-burly (1.1)
strange language also heightens eeriness
Fair is foul, and foul is fair, Hover through the fog and filthy air. (1.1)
Trochaic tetrameter and rhyming couplets used to heighten spooky and mysterious atmosphere
and further establishes supernatural theme .
The juxtaposition phrase "fair is foul and foul is fair" it alludes to how the witches violate the
natural order of the great chain of being creating a sense of chaos and disorder and also
foreshadows that dark deeds are about to happen which captures and pulls in the audience.
“Double, Double, toil and trouble, fire burn and cauldron bubble” 4.1
The horror of the witches is reasserted through choral chants, trochaic tetrameter, rhyming
couplets
By chanting to “double, toil and trouble” Shakespeare foreshadows the further damage done to
Macbeth as a result seeing three apparition leading to his death. The fact the the witches want to
cause more evil heightens their monstrous nature and serves as a warning to the Jacobean
audience that they should not be trusted ;
“By the pricking of my thumb something wicked this way comes”
the fact that the second witch can sense Macbeth’s presence through a physical stimuli could
suggest that Macbeth and the witches have an invisible connection which showcases the strong
hold evil has on him
The use of the pronoun “something” dehumanizes Macbeth – he was once a noble warrior and
due to his embracement of evil he has lost all the divine qualities of humans and is now portrayed
as subhuman by the witches
Seeing that the witches see Macbeth as “wicked” enhances his immorality as it could be argued
that even the witches, who are presented to be the epitome of the supernatural, fear his iniquitous
persona
Macbeth
(Descriptions of Macbeth before he comes on stage at the end of this document in
“other”)
"So foul and fair a day I have not seen." (1.3)
,Macbeth's first line "So foul and fair a day I have not seen" echoes the words of the witches "fair is four
and foul is fair" which creates a parallel between Macbeth and the witches, therefore conveying that
Macbeth has a supernatural link with them. This would have made the Jacobean audience wary of
Macbeth as he was seen to be aligned with evil, moreover, this foreshadows his downfall in the play. This
could also imply that the witches are already subconsciously influencing him and could foreshadow how
much more their influence over Macbeth grows.
"Tell me more" Macbeth (1.3)
The use of the imperative “tell” implies how intrigued he his and this sheds light on Macbeth's hidden
desires -to become king. He becomes consumed by them and his curiosity takes over. Arguably the start
of his downfall and his humanity deteriorating
"This supernatural soliciting Cannot be ill, cannot be good" 1.3
Already Macbeth is making lawyerly, circuitous arguments about what is just, and we can see the
way he tries to justify what is clearly a bad idea, which shows how Macbeth's lust for power is
starting to take hold.
Supernatural soliciting- the sibilance can symbolize that the witches are quite sly creatures that
no-one can really trust. The alliteration of "supernatural soliciting" sounds incredibly seductive,
and therefore highlights Macbeth's lust and thirst for the crown.
The paradox "cannot be ill, cannot be good" also links to "fair is foul and foul is fair" which evokes
the unnatural but also demonstrates the moral ambiguity that Macbeth is facing.,
Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair And make my seated heart knock at my ribs, Against the
use of nature?
verb "unfix my hair" shows how shocking the act of treason is and emphasizes the horror that
Macbeth has with himself and his thoughts.
The personification "my seated heart knock at my ribs" once again depicts the increasing fear that
Macbeth experiences as his heart is not "seated" with its connotations of calmness and
steadiness but "knock(ing)" which is associated with alarming fear.
“Against the use of nature” links to the Jacobean belief that the act of regicide was an act against
natural order and therefore an act against God. This would have stirred up fear and anticipation in
the audience as they wonder in excitement the decisions Macbeth is going to take
“Shakes so my single state of man that function /is smothered in surmise, and nothing is/ but
what is not” Macbeth 1.3
“Shakes my single state of man” again shows how fearful Macbeth is as well as reinforcing the
idea of how terrible regicide is
The alliteration “smothered in surmise” demonstrates how Macbeth’s vivid imagination causes
him to struggle with fear and hesitate undergoing the action that is foreseen by him as a “horrid
image.”
The word ‘smother’d’, with it’s connotations of oppression, further amplifies the notion and even
suggests that Macbeth’s imagination takes the place of his will.
antithesis “and nothing is,/ But what is not” is deliberately broken up into two lines to demonstrate
the ambiguity of Macbeth’s thoughts and the confusion which evidently contributes to his overall
fear.
Macbeth 1.4 “The service and the loyalty I owe, In doing it pays itself”
•Here Shakespeare displays Macbeth’s duplicitous nature through the use of dramatic irony as
the audience are highly cognizant of the murderous thoughts that Macbeth was having in the
scene just before
, The fact that he knows how he should behave but deliberately transgresses makes his downfall
more tragic as this is a man that could have been a hero.
“a step on which I must fall down, or else overleap / For in my way it lies” 1.4
• Ambition growing
• The objectifying of the Prince of Cumberland as an obstacle and the reference to him as “it”
shows how Macbeth is dehumanizing them to justify and fulfil his own ambitions.
The repeated use of the verb “overleap” emphasizes the extent of his ambition.
“Stars, hide your fires, let not light see my black and deep desires” 1.4
Perverts Duncan’s earlier comparison of nobility to stars (“but signs of nobleness, like stars, shall
shine on all deservers”). He modifies the laudatory language which Duncan uses, and with direct
address commands the stars to darkness. The audience sees his ambitions grow
“black” connotations of evil and death and reflects Macbeths moral unscrupulousness
Demonstrates the speed at which Macbeth is corrupted by the promise of power as he is already
trying to cover his blood lust
He doesn’t want heaven to see what he is about to do
“burned in desire” “rapt in the wonder of it” 1.5 (from the letter that LM reads)
Shakespeare use of the powerful verb “burned” and the intense adjective “rapt” hints Macbeth’s
determination and eagerness for power which is intensified as the play advances
“my dearest partner of greatness” 1.5
Superlative “dearest” demonstrates how caring Macbeth is towards his wife and how their
relationship in imbued with affection and love.
Through the noun “greatness”, Shakespeare showcases how Macbeth upholds his wife to high
standards which implies the respect that he has for her.
“ingredience of our poison'd chalice to our own lips” 1.7
“ingredience” metaphor for their murderous schemes which forms the “poison” which is a
metaphor for the evil that is caused as a result of his evil actions
“chalice” could also be a metaphor for power and the crown which is corrupt and foreshadows the
bloodthirsty reign that will lead to his death as shown through the metaphor “our own lips”
This could serve as a warning to the Jacobean audience as to what would happen to them if they
ever rebel against the king and stresses the importance of the divine right of kings
Use of ecclesiastical imagery through “chalice” ( a vessel used for drinking blessed wine).
Oxymoronic phrase “poison’d chalice” renders the audience aghast as they realize the
magnitude of desecrating such a sacred object. This image effectively demonstrates the
potentially cataclysmic contagion effect that such wanton, insatiable ambition can bring,
foreshadowing the other brutal murders Macbeth organizes in the scenes to follow.
“His virtues will plead like angels, trumpet-tongued, against the deep damnation of his taking-off;”
1.7
The semantic field of heaven is employed to emphasize the holy nature of Duncan and his rightful
place as king which is further highlighted through the fact that Macbeth prefigures the spirit of
Duncan to be associated with heaven
The simile “his virtues will plead like angels” depicts the innocent nature of King Duncan and
draws attention to how he is aligned with righteousness accentuating his purity
Witches
[Thunder and lightning] When shall we three meet again In thunder, lightning, or in rain? (Act 1
scene 1 )
Weather disturbance reflects evil and disruptive nature of witches which creates a sense a of
doom
The fact that they are arranging where to meet again heightens atmosphere as it implies the
witches have cast malevolent spells before.
Hurly-burly (1.1)
strange language also heightens eeriness
Fair is foul, and foul is fair, Hover through the fog and filthy air. (1.1)
Trochaic tetrameter and rhyming couplets used to heighten spooky and mysterious atmosphere
and further establishes supernatural theme .
The juxtaposition phrase "fair is foul and foul is fair" it alludes to how the witches violate the
natural order of the great chain of being creating a sense of chaos and disorder and also
foreshadows that dark deeds are about to happen which captures and pulls in the audience.
“Double, Double, toil and trouble, fire burn and cauldron bubble” 4.1
The horror of the witches is reasserted through choral chants, trochaic tetrameter, rhyming
couplets
By chanting to “double, toil and trouble” Shakespeare foreshadows the further damage done to
Macbeth as a result seeing three apparition leading to his death. The fact the the witches want to
cause more evil heightens their monstrous nature and serves as a warning to the Jacobean
audience that they should not be trusted ;
“By the pricking of my thumb something wicked this way comes”
the fact that the second witch can sense Macbeth’s presence through a physical stimuli could
suggest that Macbeth and the witches have an invisible connection which showcases the strong
hold evil has on him
The use of the pronoun “something” dehumanizes Macbeth – he was once a noble warrior and
due to his embracement of evil he has lost all the divine qualities of humans and is now portrayed
as subhuman by the witches
Seeing that the witches see Macbeth as “wicked” enhances his immorality as it could be argued
that even the witches, who are presented to be the epitome of the supernatural, fear his iniquitous
persona
Macbeth
(Descriptions of Macbeth before he comes on stage at the end of this document in
“other”)
"So foul and fair a day I have not seen." (1.3)
,Macbeth's first line "So foul and fair a day I have not seen" echoes the words of the witches "fair is four
and foul is fair" which creates a parallel between Macbeth and the witches, therefore conveying that
Macbeth has a supernatural link with them. This would have made the Jacobean audience wary of
Macbeth as he was seen to be aligned with evil, moreover, this foreshadows his downfall in the play. This
could also imply that the witches are already subconsciously influencing him and could foreshadow how
much more their influence over Macbeth grows.
"Tell me more" Macbeth (1.3)
The use of the imperative “tell” implies how intrigued he his and this sheds light on Macbeth's hidden
desires -to become king. He becomes consumed by them and his curiosity takes over. Arguably the start
of his downfall and his humanity deteriorating
"This supernatural soliciting Cannot be ill, cannot be good" 1.3
Already Macbeth is making lawyerly, circuitous arguments about what is just, and we can see the
way he tries to justify what is clearly a bad idea, which shows how Macbeth's lust for power is
starting to take hold.
Supernatural soliciting- the sibilance can symbolize that the witches are quite sly creatures that
no-one can really trust. The alliteration of "supernatural soliciting" sounds incredibly seductive,
and therefore highlights Macbeth's lust and thirst for the crown.
The paradox "cannot be ill, cannot be good" also links to "fair is foul and foul is fair" which evokes
the unnatural but also demonstrates the moral ambiguity that Macbeth is facing.,
Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair And make my seated heart knock at my ribs, Against the
use of nature?
verb "unfix my hair" shows how shocking the act of treason is and emphasizes the horror that
Macbeth has with himself and his thoughts.
The personification "my seated heart knock at my ribs" once again depicts the increasing fear that
Macbeth experiences as his heart is not "seated" with its connotations of calmness and
steadiness but "knock(ing)" which is associated with alarming fear.
“Against the use of nature” links to the Jacobean belief that the act of regicide was an act against
natural order and therefore an act against God. This would have stirred up fear and anticipation in
the audience as they wonder in excitement the decisions Macbeth is going to take
“Shakes so my single state of man that function /is smothered in surmise, and nothing is/ but
what is not” Macbeth 1.3
“Shakes my single state of man” again shows how fearful Macbeth is as well as reinforcing the
idea of how terrible regicide is
The alliteration “smothered in surmise” demonstrates how Macbeth’s vivid imagination causes
him to struggle with fear and hesitate undergoing the action that is foreseen by him as a “horrid
image.”
The word ‘smother’d’, with it’s connotations of oppression, further amplifies the notion and even
suggests that Macbeth’s imagination takes the place of his will.
antithesis “and nothing is,/ But what is not” is deliberately broken up into two lines to demonstrate
the ambiguity of Macbeth’s thoughts and the confusion which evidently contributes to his overall
fear.
Macbeth 1.4 “The service and the loyalty I owe, In doing it pays itself”
•Here Shakespeare displays Macbeth’s duplicitous nature through the use of dramatic irony as
the audience are highly cognizant of the murderous thoughts that Macbeth was having in the
scene just before
, The fact that he knows how he should behave but deliberately transgresses makes his downfall
more tragic as this is a man that could have been a hero.
“a step on which I must fall down, or else overleap / For in my way it lies” 1.4
• Ambition growing
• The objectifying of the Prince of Cumberland as an obstacle and the reference to him as “it”
shows how Macbeth is dehumanizing them to justify and fulfil his own ambitions.
The repeated use of the verb “overleap” emphasizes the extent of his ambition.
“Stars, hide your fires, let not light see my black and deep desires” 1.4
Perverts Duncan’s earlier comparison of nobility to stars (“but signs of nobleness, like stars, shall
shine on all deservers”). He modifies the laudatory language which Duncan uses, and with direct
address commands the stars to darkness. The audience sees his ambitions grow
“black” connotations of evil and death and reflects Macbeths moral unscrupulousness
Demonstrates the speed at which Macbeth is corrupted by the promise of power as he is already
trying to cover his blood lust
He doesn’t want heaven to see what he is about to do
“burned in desire” “rapt in the wonder of it” 1.5 (from the letter that LM reads)
Shakespeare use of the powerful verb “burned” and the intense adjective “rapt” hints Macbeth’s
determination and eagerness for power which is intensified as the play advances
“my dearest partner of greatness” 1.5
Superlative “dearest” demonstrates how caring Macbeth is towards his wife and how their
relationship in imbued with affection and love.
Through the noun “greatness”, Shakespeare showcases how Macbeth upholds his wife to high
standards which implies the respect that he has for her.
“ingredience of our poison'd chalice to our own lips” 1.7
“ingredience” metaphor for their murderous schemes which forms the “poison” which is a
metaphor for the evil that is caused as a result of his evil actions
“chalice” could also be a metaphor for power and the crown which is corrupt and foreshadows the
bloodthirsty reign that will lead to his death as shown through the metaphor “our own lips”
This could serve as a warning to the Jacobean audience as to what would happen to them if they
ever rebel against the king and stresses the importance of the divine right of kings
Use of ecclesiastical imagery through “chalice” ( a vessel used for drinking blessed wine).
Oxymoronic phrase “poison’d chalice” renders the audience aghast as they realize the
magnitude of desecrating such a sacred object. This image effectively demonstrates the
potentially cataclysmic contagion effect that such wanton, insatiable ambition can bring,
foreshadowing the other brutal murders Macbeth organizes in the scenes to follow.
“His virtues will plead like angels, trumpet-tongued, against the deep damnation of his taking-off;”
1.7
The semantic field of heaven is employed to emphasize the holy nature of Duncan and his rightful
place as king which is further highlighted through the fact that Macbeth prefigures the spirit of
Duncan to be associated with heaven
The simile “his virtues will plead like angels” depicts the innocent nature of King Duncan and
draws attention to how he is aligned with righteousness accentuating his purity
