Macbeth Act 1 Questions

(“fair” versus “foul”). Paraphrase what Duncan says about his relationship with the now-deceased Thane of Cawdor.

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,

In Act two scene one Macbeth has an encounter with a ghost in the form of a dagger and he begins to hallucinate about killing King Duncan. Once the hallucination is over Macbeth accepts his and King Duncan’s fate. Shakespeare uses diction and imagery to convey Macbeth’s remorseful and fearful state of mind in Macbeth’s Soliloquy Act two scene one. Shakespeare uses harsh words such as “dagger” and “oppressed” to express Macbeth’s remorseful state of mind.

In the tragedy, Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, the paradoxical theme of “fair is foul, and foul is fair” (1.1.11) pervades throughout the play. The line is a prophecy, told by the three witches with a meaning that appearances are often deceptive. Things and people may seem good or evil; however, they turn out to be opposite of whom they seem to be. The theme is shown through several different characters and the events that affect them, developing as the story progresses. At the beginning the play, Macbeth, who is seen as a war hero and idolised for his courage and loyalty, becomes increasingly hostile and persistently evil in order to fulfil his prophecies, committing foul acts in order to receive what he believes is fair. Several quotes can be taken from Macbeth that Shakespeare has used to apply “fair is foul and foul is fair” (1. 1. 11) throughout the play, most importantly: "So foul and fair a day I have not seen.”(1. 3. 39) and "Look like the innocent flower, / But be the serpent under it" (1. 5. 72-73). Macbeth is a powerful tragedy that repetitively portrays the quote “fair is foul and foul is fair” (1. 1. 11).

When all the witches say “Fair is foul and foul is fair”(1,1,10) . The opening scene establishes the play's mood and one of its main themes, things are not as they seem. A theme evidence by the false sense of security enjoyed by the play's soon to be killed characters things are not as they seem, just as the 1st paragraph states. Macbeth is not a play about a tyrant or a hero it is a play about good or evil. Macbeth struggles

The quote "Fair is foul, foul is fair. " this is one of the last lines in Act 1 Scene 1 when the witches are foreshadowing events to come in the play, Macbeth. It reveals that appearances can be misleading and what appears to be good can be bad. Macbeth appears to be good on the outside but is led to evil by the witches' predictions and by his wife's force. The good example for this is , at the beginning of the play, King Duncan believes Macbeth to be a loyal servant but Macbeth eventually betrays Duncan’s trust and murders him to steal the throne.

In Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’ the theme of conflict is evident from the onset of the play when the witches ominously state, ‘fair is foul and foul is fair’ (act 1 scene 1). The use of juxtaposition sheds light on the eternal conflict between good and evil, one cannot exist without the other yet they cannot co-exist. This foreshadows the events of the play to the audience as Macbeth is supposed to be the ‘fair’ person as he represents honour, loyalty and honesty.

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

But as presented, these prophecies proved to become a reality. This belief was mixed with his thirst and craving for power. Looking at the extract, the witches clearly play on Macbeth’s fears and insecurities. This is where the term equivocation enters the play, equivocation entails the use of ambiguity with the aim to deceive. The witches thrive on this tool and use it when they converse among themselves and say “ Fair is foul, and foul is fair.”

If Macbeth truly did not want to commit evil, he could have refused his lady’s arrangements. Instead, Macbeth accepts the plans and goes further by asking Lady Macbeth to “mock the time with fairest show”. Macbeth understood that killing Duncan was an immoral act but still persevered and therefore the one ultimately to blame for his death.

Shakespeare’s use of imagery throughout Macbeth presents to the reader the tragedy of a man, hungry for power, yet powerless to prevent his inevitable downfall. Fair is foul is a theme used by the play that displays the contrast between appearance and intention, and the duality of multiple characters’ personalities. There are several instances in Macbeth, where imagery and theme merge together to further the plot of the play, as well as immerse the reader further into the morbid themes of the story. Shakespeare furthered the theme of fair is foul with imagery in Macbeth with Macbeth’s first introduction to the three witches, the juxtaposition of King Duncan’s comments of Macbeth’s castle versus how awful the owner of the castle is, and with Lady Macbeth’s character throughout the play.

In contrast, he also uses a metaphor to compare the human face to a mask, expressing how external courtesy must hide internal motives. As he discusses a disconnect between the body, Macbeth suggests the use of charm in order to disguise hatred. By metaphorically connecting flattery to a stream, he shows how polite behavior is insubstantial and transparent. This emphasizes how outward behavior is merely an illusory disguise. Both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s commands rely on metaphors and similes to prove a disconnect between external composure and internal intentions. Because the play illustrates Macbeth as the “good guy,” and Lady Macbeth as the “bad guy,” the similarities in their messages prove a universal truth. It demonstrates how humans often do not match the outward archetype that they portray, but instead have many levels of personality and motives. Thus, no man can fit into the category of good or bad because humans are multifaceted. Although one might appear to be evil or innocent, this is simply an outward display that does not express inward feelings. The parallel between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s instructions disprove the accuracy of labels by showing how external appearances mask internal

The Tragedy of Macbeth opens in a desert place with thunder and lightning and three Witches who are anticipating their meeting with Macbeth, "There to meet with Macbeth." They all say together the mysterious and contradictory "Fair is foul, and foul is fair." King Duncan learns that "brave Macbeth" and Banquo are bravely resisting the "Norweyan banners" and the rebellious Thane of Cawdor. When these forces are vanquished, Duncan bids Ross to greet Macbeth with his new

Fair is foul, and foul is fair. Good morning ladies and gentlemen, I am the Second Witch from the play, Macbeth and my job is to identify and analyse how I have represented power in Macbeth. Macbeth is an English play published in 1606 by William Shakespeare during the reign of James I and is based on Shakespeare’s idea of the thirst for political and social power during the 17th century (Colonial Period). William Shakespeare’s intent of Macbeth is to exaggerate the damaging physical and psychological effects of political and social ambition of those who pursue power for the sake of it. In doing so the theme of power is represented through my relationships with other characters in the novel throughout the novel. I have facilitated in developing

As we move closer to the king’s murder in act 2, the evil in Macbeth begins to strengthen and solidify. We begin to see the cunning traits of a murder surface in Macbeth as the theme of appearance verses reality is brought out in his character at the end of act 1 scene 7 when he says “false face must hide what false heart doth know”. This example implies that one can never truly tell what is on someone else mind by looking at the face; the face will hide the truth that the heart and mind (conscience) knows. There is a metaphoric reference to the reality that is behind Macbeth’s appearance. The false face that Macbeth speaks of is like a mask worn by a thief. Like a thief he will put on a mask and steal Duncan’s life and crown away from him and no will would know it is him as he is disguised. In the beginning of this scene Macbeth had come to the