Macbeth- how the setting of the story affects the plot

MACBETH

Macbeth is a play where atmosphere and setting plays a very important part in the play. There are three main parts where the atmosphere and setting affects the plot with the witches, Glamis castle, and the Dunsinane banquet.

The play starts with the Witches, which is at a desolate place with thunder and lightning. "When shall we three meet again in thunder, lightning, or in rain?" The witches are the main source of the evil and supernatural in the play. "Fair is foul, and foul is fair" They also give an impression of fear, horror and mystery.

Glamis castle also affects the plot of Macbeth because it is where Macbeth murders Duncan. "Is this a dagger which I see before me, the handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee. I have thee not, and yet I see thee still." The atmosphere is dark, quiet, and gloomy which sets up for the murder of the king Duncan.

The last setting that affects the plot is at Dunsinane with the banquet, Macduff, Birnam wood, and Macbeth's wife's suicide. First at the banquet Macbeth sees the ghost of Banquo which makes him nervous. After that when he is informed that birnam woods had moved to Dunsinane which he thought would never happen he is really scared. "Macbeth shall never vanquished be until Great Birnam wood to high Dunsinane hill Shall come against him." But his wife's suicide doesn't seem to affect him very much. "Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow, creeps in this petty pace from day to day, to the last syllable of recorded time; and all our yesterdays have lighted fools the way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle! Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage, and then is heard no more; it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing." He realizes this is the end and that his own death is near. His reaction is strange, very quiet, subdued and thoughtful. His power and motivation seem to vanish.

All of these settings in Macbeth have a direct affect on the plotline of the story. Whether it causes Macbeth to commit murder or if it causes him to lose all hope and motivation, these settings prove to have an affect on what happens in the story.