William

Shakespeare’s

Macb
eth

Fair is foul and foul is fair....

What do you
know?
Act 1.1
This scene acts as a prologue to the main
themes of the play.

How effective do you consider it as an

opening scene?
Look at stage directions, characters, and the
words they employ (dialogue).
In superstitious times, it was believed that
fierce storms released forces of evil and were
omens of unrest in individual people and
whole countries.

The witches represent malicious intent and

evil. They turn the world upside down and
violate God’s natural order. They speak in
riddles to confuse the audience and their
interest in Macbeth excites them. We want
to know why.
How can the battle be lost AND won? What
does this mean?

What do they mean that “Fair is foul and

foul is fair”?

What does the audience expect to happen

next?
So this scene establishes the
importance of supernatural powers in
the play.

It establishes the key theme of good v

evil and hints that there will be a
struggle between good and evil (fair
and foul).
1.2
What is the purpose of this scene?

We see how loyal Macbeth is to his King.

We see how far he will fight against evil.
We see how courageous and noble he is.
This is all reported by other people- we are
influenced to believe that Macbeth is a
good man before we even meet him.
 1.2- Language used
“Brave Macbeth- well he deserves that name-”
“Valour’s minion”
“Valiant cousin, worthy gentleman.”
“Bellona’s bridegroom.”

Note the powerful imagery and elevated

language used to emphasise Macbeth’s power
and qualities as a warrior.
(However- look at how all this is undermined
by Duncan’s last line of this scene... He echoes
the words of the witches- WHY?)
 1.4
We see a change in Macbeth in this scene.

[Learning Malcolm is to be heir to the throne] “is a

step
On which I must fall down, or else o’erleap,
For in my way it lies.”
He realises that the witches’ prophecy that he will
be king requires a little help and so hastily retreats
to his castle to make preparations to put into
action his “deep desires.”
Notably, Macbeth’s soliloquy rhymes which
reinforces that he realises that he must take
action if he is to achieve his ambition.
 We now see a hardened, more determined
Macbeth. He contrasts with the open and
direct manner of talking of Banquo and
Duncan.
Ironically, Duncan says earlier in this scene
that he realises that he was easily deceived
by the Thane of Cawdor because: “There’s
no art/ To find the mind’s construction
in the face.”
We see that Macbeth appears to be loyal to
the king but is planning to undermine his
powers.
 We see now that many things in this play
are more than they appear to be.
Look for many more examples of this as you
study the play further.
1.6
1. What is the purpose of this scene?

2. Write down something Lady Macbeth says

to Duncan that is
ironic.

3. Why is it ironic that Duncan refers to

Macbeth as the Thane of Cawdor?
1.7

1. In his first speech, what reasons does

Macbeth give for not killing Duncan?
2. What arguments does Lady Macbeth use
to get Macbeth to change his mind? How
do these arguments show that she knows
her husband well?
3. How does out impression of Lady Macbeth
from 1.5 develop in this scene?
4. What are the differences between the
Macbeths at this stage?
 “I do fear thy nature,
It is too full o’th’milk of human kindness...
Thou wouldst be great,
Art not without ambition, but without
The illness should attend it.” (1.5.15-19)

To what extent is this true of

Macbeth in 1.7?
Macbeth is seen wrestling with his own
conscience, giving clear reasons against killing
Duncan and regicide.
However, Macbeth admits he has “vaulting
ambition”.
Lady Macbeth manipulates Macbeth’s
vulnerability with accusations of cowardice and
lack of manliness.
Lady Macbeth undermines Macbeth’s hope that
one murder will be enough by planning to
implicate the guards.
Macbeth commends his wife’s manliness and
echoes her earlier words as the scene concludes.
 Critical Evaluation
Consider a play that portrays the
corrupting influence of power.

How does the playwright employ

characterisation, language and other
dramatic techniques to increase your
understanding of the theme?
 points:
How Macbeth is portrayed before we even meet
him.
Macbeth’s reactions to the witches’ prophecies.
How Macbeth contrasts with Banquo.
How Macbeth’s increasing ambition is shown.
Lady Macbeth’s influence/support of her
husband.
The theme of appearance v reality.
The theme of evil.
How Macbeth’s character has changed from the
beginning to the end of Act 1.
2.1
An evil atmosphere is created by the intensity
of the darkness:
The candles are all out and “A heavy summons
lies like lead upon me”
The characters cannot see in the dark- does the
darkness represent a moral darkness as well?
Macbeth is frightened by the imaginary dagger
that leads him to his murderous deed.
His own fright in the isolation of the darkened
castle intensifies the atmosphere of evil and
builds tension.
2.2
Macbeth is consumed with guilt.
All the water in the ocean cannot wash
away the blood on his hands.
The word “Amen” stuck in his throat. (The
inability to say a prayer was thought to be a
sign of being bewitched.
“Macbeth shall sleep no more”
“To know my deed, ‘twere best not know
myself.”
“Wake Duncan with thy knocking: I would
thou couldst.”
2.2
Macbeth is also too frightened to
plant the daggers on the bodies of
the guards.
Do we sympathise with the fact that
he is reduced from being a great
warrior to experiencing abject fear?
Lady Macbeth
Has a conscience after all- she would have
killed Duncan herself “Had he not
resembled/ My father as he slept.”
Is focused on the need for the plan to be
carried out to the letter. Her strength of
purpose contrasts with his failure to act.
Feels no guilt- “A little water clears us of
this deed.”
2.3
Why does Macbeth kill the guards?

How does Lady Macbeth feel about this?

2.4
The old man comments that unnatural
events have occurred. He cannot remember
anything as serious as this in his long life.
This reinforces the extent of the terrible
murder of Duncan.
Macduff suspects Macbeth- what TWO
ways is this shown?
Ross readily agrees to pay homage to the
new king- Macbeth.
Note the final line of the scene. Have we
heard these words before?
3.1
Macbeth is revealed to be a king who is
entirely treacherous.
He pretends to honour and value Banquo as
a former comrade in arms whilst planning to
entrap and murder Banquo and his son.
Macbeth used to be a great warrior and a
hero who now meets with vicious and
corrupt men in secret to disguise and
achieve his ends.
Macbeth now uses the same argument that
his wife persuaded him earlier to commit a
crime. He is now persuading others to
commit crimes for him.
3.2
The roles have now reversed for Macbeth
and his wife. He is now hardened and
resolved to commit more evil in order to feel
at ease.
She is no longer controlling and driving her
husband. He is insistent that Banquo and
Fleance must be murdered to settle the
“scorpions in his mind.”
“Things bad begun make strong themselves
by ill.”
Deeds that begin with evil grow stronger
with more evil.
Note the rhyming couplets at the end- he is
determined and calm about what must be
done. He is also now in command of his
wife.
3.3
We are shown the full horror of the murder
of Banquo as it emphasises what Macbeth
has become.

The third murderer highlights that

Macbeth’s insecurity means that he trusts no
one. He has not told his wife what he has
done- does he not expect it to happen? Is he
protecting her in case it does not happen?
To what extent are the witches’ prophecies
dictating his actions?

He believes the must come true (if they

benefit him) but he seeks to prevent them
happening when it does not promote his best
interests.
We see that he will do whatever it takes to
prevent Banquo’s sons becoming kings.