Macbeth: ACT I :: essays research papers

These scenes evidence the bes dramatic premisethe witches awakening of Macbeths oppositionand present the main char feat uponers and their relationships. At the same time, the first three scenes make up a dark mood that permeates the entire play. The stage directions indicate that the play begins with a storm, and malignant supernatural forces immediately appear in the variety show of the three witches. From there, the action quickly shifts to a battlefield that is dominated by a sense of the grisliness and cruelty of war. In his description of Macbeth and Banquos heroics, the master dwells specifically on images of carnage he unseamed him from the nave to th chops, he says, describing Macbeths slaying of Macdonald (I.ii.22). The bloody finish ups that fill the play argon foreshadowed by the bloody victory that the Scots win over their enemies.Our initial postage stamp of Macbeth, based on the captains report of his valor and heroism in battle, is immediately complicated b y Macbeths obvious holdfast upon the witches prognostic. Macbeth is a noble and courageous warrior but his reaction to the witches pronounce ments emphasizes his great confide for power and prestige. Macbethimmediately realizes that the fulfillment of the prophecy may require conspiracy and murder on his part. He clearly allows himself to consider taking such actions, although he is by no means resolved to do so. His reaction to the prophecy displays a fundamental confusion and inactivity instead of resolving to act on the witches claims, or simply dismissing them, Macbeth talks himself into a kind of paying attention stupor as he tries to work out the situation for himself. In the following scene, Lady Macbeth will emerge and drive the hesitant Macbeth to act she is the will propelling his achievements. Once Lady Macbeth hears of the witches prophecy, Duncans life is doomed.Macbeth contains approximately of Shakespeares most vivid female characters. Lady Macbeth and the three w itches are extremely wicked, but they are also stronger and more imposing than the men around them. The sinister witches cast the mood for the entire play. Their rhyming incantations base out eerily amid the blank verse spoken by the otherwise characters, and their grotesque figures of speech establish a lingering aura. Whenever they appear, the stage directions by choice link them to unease and lurking chaos in the natural world by insisting on Thunder or Thunder and lightning.Shakespeare has the witches speak in language of contradiction.