1. By showing the witches in the beginning, Shakespeare was able to foreshadow all the conflict and uneasiness of the play. The witches bring a new kind of suspense by indirectly introducing Macbeth to the audience. Instead of having a normal introduction, Shakespeare uses the witches and their discussion to set up the uncertain mood of the play. In the quote, “Fair is foul and foul is fair,/Hover through the fog and filthy air” (Shakespeare, 7) all the witches are hinting at their schemes for Macbeth, while simultaneously, confusing the reader about what is to happen. Also, by using witches to open the play, Shakespeare provides some evilness and chaos. By doing this, Shakespeare is able to enhance1 the play by making it interesting and enthralling2 the reader from the very first scene.
2. After having come out victorious in a battle, Macbeth calls the day both “fair and foul” to show how something can have both the elements of good and bad. Something can have multiple meanings, especially in this play. Macbeth is referring to the battle as fair because it was a victory for his side; but, this victory was at the cost of many lives. Also, the Thane of Cawdor had been deceitful, something the king of Scotland, Duncan, considers shameful and would most …show more content…
After reading her husband’s letter, Lady Macbeth is ambitious to make the witches’ prophecies come true. However, she fears that Macbeth is not ruthless enough to go through with killing Duncan. She explains in the quote, “Yet I do fear thy nature;/It is too full o’th’ milk of human kindness/To catch the nearest way,” (Shakespeare, 31) that she rightly believes her husband too gentle and soft to do anything he can in order to become king. This reveals a lot about the power dynamic of their relationship. At least at the very beginning of the play, Lady Macbeth is portrayed as strong-willed and selfish, while Macbeth is weak. She seems to be capable of easily convincing him to do things in order to reach her
2. After having come out victorious in a battle, Macbeth calls the day both “fair and foul” to show how something can have both the elements of good and bad. Something can have multiple meanings, especially in this play. Macbeth is referring to the battle as fair because it was a victory for his side; but, this victory was at the cost of many lives. Also, the Thane of Cawdor had been deceitful, something the king of Scotland, Duncan, considers shameful and would most …show more content…
After reading her husband’s letter, Lady Macbeth is ambitious to make the witches’ prophecies come true. However, she fears that Macbeth is not ruthless enough to go through with killing Duncan. She explains in the quote, “Yet I do fear thy nature;/It is too full o’th’ milk of human kindness/To catch the nearest way,” (Shakespeare, 31) that she rightly believes her husband too gentle and soft to do anything he can in order to become king. This reveals a lot about the power dynamic of their relationship. At least at the very beginning of the play, Lady Macbeth is portrayed as strong-willed and selfish, while Macbeth is weak. She seems to be capable of easily convincing him to do things in order to reach her