How Does Shakespeare Create A Conflicting Language

One of the most important themes in the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare comes from one of the last lines in Act 1, Scene 1 of the play. The three witches speak this simple line ‘Fair is foul, and foul is fair,’ shortly before they disperse and it becomes a prophecy and an underlying warning for the rest of the play. The connotations of this one line becomes significant as the play unfolds beginning even with Macbeth’s opinions at the beginning of the story and lasting throughout the play with the constant recurring themes of deception, doing evil in the name of good,

These disgusting images are the ingredients of the witches' spell. The language used shows the exploitation of innocence and vulnerability by the witches and this links in with the theme of the desire to bring all good things to evil. The imagery conjured up in the casts is one of pure evil. In the same scene the witches manipulate Macbeth by using three

“Fair is foul, and foul is fair. Hover through the fog and filthy air” (Shakespeare Act I Scene I 12-13). The Weïrd Sisters utter these lines in unison in the first scene of the play. Shakespeare thus establishes the backdrop for a story full of paradoxes and mysticism. Not all is how it appears to be. Deceit and betrayal take center stage in the play, paving the way for Macbeth’s ascendancy to kingship, and eventual downfall. Good versus evil is present in nearly every scene. As in most literary works, the author develops different themes expressed in various ways. Symbolism is often the most effective way to express central themes. In Macbeth, Shakespeare creates contrast to effectively strengthen the overriding message of good versus evil.

of the light or dark. "The King comes here tonight", this is said by a

Audience becomes aware of Macbeth’s corruption when he plans to kill his ‘friend’, Banquo. He describes him as “dispatched” (3.4.15), and later as “safe” (3.4.25). This positions the audience to feel as though Macbeth is somewhat desperate to convince himself that he has acted appropriately despite using corrupt power. Using this stylistic device of language further demonstrates that Macbeth has now been corrupted to the extent that he longer feels compassion for his former companions. This ultimately establishes the representation that Macbeth’s illegitimate power has directly resulted in his destructive nature.

This gives the audience a clue to what the future holds for Macbeth. "When the battle's lost and won" (also in Act I scene i) was said by the second witch. It says that every battle is lost by one side and won by another. Macbeth's fate is that he will win the battle. However, he will lose his time of victory for the battle of his soul.

Macbeth is a heroic character at the beginning of this play "unseaming men from the nave to the chops." He has much potential as a warrior, and has great love and respect for his country. Coming back from battle one day, he is greeted by three witches, who are known to have great and terrible powers to foresee the future. They meet him with predictions when they greet him as

From the first scene of the play, the reader immediately gets a glimpse of the deception meshed into Macbeth’s world. The quote “Fair is foul and foul is fair” is a commonly used by the three witches, spoken in their equivocal language. This same language of vagueness is used when the witches encounter Macbeth and Banquo on the

The supernatural elements presented in The Tragedy of Macbeth each demonstrate hints of wickedness or evil. For example, the three witches. When presented in the story, their presence always gives off bad vibes. In the exposition of the tragedy, the First Witch asks, “When shall we three meet again? / In thunder, lightning, or in rain?” (I:I, 1-2). The use of “thunder, lightning, or in rain” indicates to the reader of the malicious nature of the three witches. Upon encountering the three witches, Macbeth is astounded. Their prophecies alarm him, causing him to ask what they mean by “All hail Macbeth, that shalt be King hereafter!” (I:iii, 50). Many times, the paradoxes used by the witches confusing. In one scene, the witches appeal in favor of Banquo. The use of their paradox, “Not so happy, yet much happier,” indicates their intention of portraying things not as they really seem. (I:iii, 66). Meeting the three witches is Macbeth’s first step in losing his sanity. He struggles to differentiate what is real and what is not.

A symbol of this is when the witches move along in a fog and dirty air. They move forward but not in a clear beautiful day, where the air is clean and the sun is out (this would equal a clean conscience), but in a dark day where there is no sun, air is grey and dirty, and have very limited chance to see where you are going (this would equal a guilty conscience). Line 13, foreshadows Macbeth’s future life journey. Macbeth will commit a murder that he should not have committed (“foul is fair”) and after this action he is not in peace and does not know what to do (“Hover through the fog and filthy air”), thus leading into a bad life. Another form of prophecy the witches use is imagery. Through three imageries the witches tell Macbeth his future, when he seeks advice from them. The first imagery is “an armed head”, who tell Macbeth to be careful about Macduff (IV.1.94-95). The second imagery is “a bloody child”, who gives him the confidence to not fear anyone except those who were not born naturally (IV.1.101-103). The third imagery is in the “form of a child with a crown on his head and a tree in his hand”, who reassures him not to be afraid until there is a fight coming from the Birnam Woods (IV.1.113-117). This is the timeline that Macbeth (who is the “armed head” in the first imagery. This represents Macbeth’s own unconscious image of himself) will follow (without fear,

She tells the sprits ‘Come to my woman breasts/And take my milk for gall’ so that she can get rid of all the kindness within her-blood and milk form her breasts- Shakespeare uses ‘direst cruelty’ to express the desperation running through Lady Macbeth and with this Shakespeare creates a very hell-like picture for the audience. However, eventually Lady Macbeth persuasion overcomes Macbeth and finally he agrees to kill Duncan. ‘Let light not see my black and deep desires’, this shows Macbeths ambitions are not of good intention and turns to the universe to express this ambition (about how great it is) It also shows that even though he wants to kill Duncan, the audience is still finding Macbeth arguing whether or not to do it. Shakespeare also uses alliteration to emphasize the amount evil involved in this deed. In relation, Shakespeare shows Macbeth willing to jump the hierarchy of position. ‘We’d jump the life to come’ show the willingness to jump the hierarchy, which instantly shows the relation to the archangel which went against God and the hierarchy of Heaven to create his own land of chaos which is better known as hell. Moreover, Lady Macbeth is shown with even more evil to represent her will for Macbeth to complete the deed, ‘I have given suck and know how tender ‘tis to love the babe that milks me: I would while it was smiling in my face, Have plucked my nipple from

The careful wording, alliteration, rhyme, anaphora, rhythm, and meter exemplified by the witches aids their repetitive messages, thus making their discourse with Macbeth as memorable as the messages being conveyed. Statements made by the witches draw Macbeth’s attention, allowing them to manipulate his thoughts Before long, Macbeth’s own discourse with various characters starts to resemble that of the witches in how they reiterate that statements through frequent alliteration. Repetitiveness throughout Macbeth’s dialogue is present, although its appears less frequently than that of the witches. The style in which the witches speak highlights their supernatural influence, one that proves to be lethal for Macbeth. Similar to demons, the witches

The last prophecies that Macbeth hears are meant to assure his safety; however, he can not be too sure. The first apparition warns him of MacDuff, but the second and third apparitions counter that by making the illusion that Macbeth is perfectly safe and that nobody can harm him. Shakespeare highlights Macbeth’s continuous desire to be safe and to remain in power in his response to

The mysterious Macbeth is also mentioned in this scene. However, we hear a different view of this character. Shakespeare uses the structure of his play as well as his characters to show the contrast between good and evil. This is done by the juxtaposition of a scene with evil characters in it before one with only good characters.

Structurally scene 1 opens with the witches gathered together reciting plans about meeting Macbeth, establishing an occult malevolence which permeates the play. The choice of starting with the witches instantly creates a mood of terror and unearthly evil, setting an unnatural and deceptive atmosphere. The third witch says, ‘There to meet Macbeth’, this intertwining of Macbeth reflects the relationship which will be made between him and the witches, and the evil which is going