Macbeth CW
Macbeth C/W
Throughout this essay I am going to be looking at “who is responsible for the downfall of Macbeth.” I will be looking at the characters of The Witches, Lady Macbeth and Macbeth himself. I will also look at the aspect of Duncan’s death and murder to see if it ties in with the downfall of Macbeth. During Act 1 Scene 1 we see the witches sitting around discussing when they will meet again. At the start of the scene the witches give an impression of mystery, horror and uncertainty. The scene is written in rhyming couplets so the way in which the witches speak seems like chanting especially when they speak in short sentences: “When shall we three meet again? In thunder lightning or in rain” The fact that the scene opens to the sound of thunder and lightning creates an eerie atmosphere which also adds to the effect of the evilness of the witches. This also reveals that they can predict the future and the weather. Shakespeare is revealing and influencing the attitudes of the Elizabethan audience by making the scene quite frightening.
During the 1600’s Elizabethans would have seen people such as the witches burnt at the stake for being involved with the devil. In the last line of Act 1 Scene 1 the quote: “fair is foul and foul is fair; hover through the fog and filthy air,” shows how the witches have power or show their power, which leaves us questioning whether or not was it their power which led to the downfall of Macbeth, how they dealt with what they saw and how much information they revealed to him. The Elizabethan audience would have blamed the witches for the down fall of Macbeth as it was they who first planted the idea of being king into Macbeth’s head. In Act 1 Scene 3 the witches meet with Macbeth for the first time. An evil mood is created at the beginning of the scene as we hear of the discomfort the witches have been causing such as – “killing swine.” Before Macbeth arrives at the place where he will meet the witches, the witches prepare
Throughout this essay I am going to be looking at “who is responsible for the downfall of Macbeth.” I will be looking at the characters of The Witches, Lady Macbeth and Macbeth himself. I will also look at the aspect of Duncan’s death and murder to see if it ties in with the downfall of Macbeth. During Act 1 Scene 1 we see the witches sitting around discussing when they will meet again. At the start of the scene the witches give an impression of mystery, horror and uncertainty. The scene is written in rhyming couplets so the way in which the witches speak seems like chanting especially when they speak in short sentences: “When shall we three meet again? In thunder lightning or in rain” The fact that the scene opens to the sound of thunder and lightning creates an eerie atmosphere which also adds to the effect of the evilness of the witches. This also reveals that they can predict the future and the weather. Shakespeare is revealing and influencing the attitudes of the Elizabethan audience by making the scene quite frightening.
During the 1600’s Elizabethans would have seen people such as the witches burnt at the stake for being involved with the devil. In the last line of Act 1 Scene 1 the quote: “fair is foul and foul is fair; hover through the fog and filthy air,” shows how the witches have power or show their power, which leaves us questioning whether or not was it their power which led to the downfall of Macbeth, how they dealt with what they saw and how much information they revealed to him. The Elizabethan audience would have blamed the witches for the down fall of Macbeth as it was they who first planted the idea of being king into Macbeth’s head. In Act 1 Scene 3 the witches meet with Macbeth for the first time. An evil mood is created at the beginning of the scene as we hear of the discomfort the witches have been causing such as – “killing swine.” Before Macbeth arrives at the place where he will meet the witches, the witches prepare