Macbeth

Act 1
Scene 1
“Fair is foul, and foul is fair,”
What appears to be good may in fact be evil. Encapsulates everything that happens in the play – shows the witches are evil. It inverts the natural balance. Echoes the first words of Macbeth.
Scene 2
“brave Macbeth”, “noble Macbeth”, “valour’s minion”, “Bellona’s bridegroom” and “worthy gentlemen”.
Positive descriptions of Macbeth. It is clear that Macbeth is admired for this bravery in the battle resulting in victory for Scotland against Macdownald and the Norwegian king.
“nor bade farewell to him, Till he unseamed him for the nave to th’chops, And fixed his head upon our battlements”.
Macbeth is a violent character. There is many bloody imagery in this scene and Macbeth’s actions on the battlefield are described vividly.
Macbeth is blood thirsty.
“They meant to bathe in reeking wounds”.
Macbeth and Banquo were not dismayed at all. It is as if they wanted to bathe in the blood of their enemies.
“What he hath lost, noble Macbeth hath won”.
Duncan was betrayed by the Thane of Cawdor, who will be executed for his treachery. Duncan rewards Macbeth with the title of “Thane of Cawdor”.
Scene 3
“So foul and fair a day I have not seen”.
First words of Macbeth. The connection between Macbeth and the witches is reinforced in our minds when Macbeth describes the day as “foul and fair”, unknowingly echoing the witches’ earlier chant. His language emulates that of the witches; he seems to enter their evil world.
“Good sir, why do you start and seem to fear things that do sound so fair?”
Macbeth was frightened when the witches delivered their prophecies.
“My noble partner you greet with present grace, and great prediction of noble having and of royal hope, That seems rapt withal: to me you speak not”.
Macbeth is lost in thought, thinking about what the witches have told him.
“Speak then to me, who neither beg nor fear/ Your favours nor your hate”.
Banquo is brave, he is not fearful of the witches and their...