Macbeth

Macbeth Act 1 critical evaluation
Macbeth by William Shakespeare is a play set in medieval Scotland. Its straightforward plot and its strong characterization make it appealing for readers. Macbeth is one of Shakespeare’s tragedies who the main protagonist, Macbeth, is a brave, battle-hardened, noble warrior who serves under king Duncan of Scotland. As this is one of Shakespeare’s tragedies, the main protagonist always has a fatal flaw; and in this case Macbeth’s fatal flaw is his thriving ambition to be king. This is also one of the plays main themes along with the themes of appearance vs reality, dramatic irony, fate, and the theme of contradiction. These all are used very affectively in setting a scene and an atmosphere.

At the beginning of the play Macbeth is someone who is very highly regarded by the king himself and the surrounding community. “For brave Macbeth well he deserves that name.” Macbeth was portrayed as a "good being" he fought for his country and for his king. The first few scenes we see Macbeth as a hero “what he hath lost noble Macbeth hath won.” He has just returned from a glorious military success in defence of the Crown. He is rewarded by King Duncan with the title The Thane of Cawdor. The theme of dramatic irony comes into pay when Duncan says to Macbeth “more is thy due than more than all can pay.”   Macbeth is seen as the might war veteran until he meets the three witches. The witches do not control behaviour in the play. They are symbolic of evil and are part of the crimes that are to come, their main goal is to manipulate Macbeth but they neither encourage nor facilitate Macbeth’s actions.

There is something in Macbeth's own heart that receives and answers the greeting of the witches. This is Shakespeare's way of writing tragedy; he makes the fate of Macbeth depend upon his own characters, not upon chance or outside influences. Macbeth tells us that he is interested in the witches when he says
“Stay you imperfect speakers, tell...