Untitled Document

Macbeth

Act I

I.i
witches	audience sees as ominous; possibly evil foreshadow the evil to come: "Fair is foul; foul is fair" connect the real world of Macbeth to the spirit world Thunder and lightning always portend evil occurences
I.ii	Military Camp: sets the mood for the events; audience expects blood and death
Duncan	leader of men? (character remains the same throughout Act I) inept: doesn't recognize his own captain; perhaps reason he doesn't recognize the treachery in Cawdor maybe why he doesn't suspect treachery in Macbeth "O valiant cousin! Worthy gentleman!"(of Macbeth's triumph over Macdonwald) "Great happiness!" (of Macbeth's triumph over Cawdor) "So well thy words become thee as thy wounds"--suggests that Duncan does not fully understand the plight his is in; though the captain has "earned" such valor, it is at the risk of his own life; the fate of the Captain is not revealed in Act I Without suspicion, Duncan grants the title of Cawdor to Macbeth--glory for valor on the battlefield this is also portentious--Macbeth assumes the landed title of a traitor in Act I
Captain	gives the state of affairs in Scotland: Revolution, treason Duncan's own men fight against him in Cawdor the captain's wounds themselves are indicative of the delicate state of the government: symbol gives the favorable report of Macbeth in battle--death of traitor Macdonwald tells of Macbeth's prowess in battle: "As cannons overcharded with double cracks"; portends Macbeth's prowess in the play
Ross	tells of the treachery of Cawdor tells of the valor and strength of Macbeth in beating back both Cawdor and the Norwegian support troops omens, omens, omens: he himself must deliver the new title of Thane of Cawdor to Macbeth; he himself must deliver the sentence of death to the present Thane of Cawdor
I.iii	Heath: in the wilderness once again; the presence of the witches occurs in a wild place
witches	establish the theme of sleeplessness/insomnia with "Sleep shall neither night nor day..." Allude to Macbeth with "Though his bark cannot be lost, Yet it shall be tempest-tossed..." "his" is Macbeth also suggests that the witches' power is simply in auguring--the bark tells that the witches cannot have complete power over humans; their decisions still can give them away Foreshadow Macbeth's treasonous assent to power: "All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter" truly predicts events unknown to Macbeth; this is also known as dramatic irony their vanishing would be of no concern for Shakespeare's audience--they are truly supernatural we must question the validity of their existence
Banquo	recognizes the deceit possible from the witches (in their predictions, though he does not say this outright) "What are these so withered...You should be women,/And yet your beards forbid me to interpret/That you are so." Banquo realizes that only men are capable of significant scheming (stereotype; broken in scene 5) he then questions Macbeth's reactions, perhaps casting doubts about Macbeth's motivation When the witches vanish, Banquo then becomes supicious--either from their ethereal nature or from their omens he calls the witches elements of the earth ('bubbles'); Banquo is not as ready to accept the auguries of the witches, and realizes that Macbeth is
Macbeth	"So foul and fair a day I have not seen." 'foul' relates to the weather, but also symbolizes the motivation Macbeth has and his thoughts of taking the throne 'fair' is Macbeth commenting openly about his own belief that he himself is has good motives; he is a good choice for king he is easily convinced by the witches: he accepts their statement of his present title of Thane of Glamis as more than proof that he will be Thane of Cawdor, and, eventually, king his desire to keep the witches present indicates his doubt
asides	Angus and Ross enter; they greet Macbeth as the Thane of Cawdor--reinforces Macbeth's belief in the witches auguries the asides reveal Macbeth's true nature, and show Banquo's hesitant cooperation "The greatest is behind" Macbeth believes a better title is coming "...your children shall be kings,/When those that gave the Thane of Cawdor to me/Promised them no less?" Macbeth claims that Duncan doesn't deliver his promises... 130 "supernatural soliciting /Cannot be ill" "Cannot be good" Macbeth still shudders at the thought of actually murdering Duncan "Come what come may, Time and the hour runs through the roughest day" fate or fortune? 153 "Think upon what hath chanced, and...let us speak our free hearts each to the other" take some time
I.iv	The palace: in civilized places, the mood changes; notice how the theme develops differently; controlled--not wild
Duncan	appears to be in control when he asks for Cawdor's status, yet greets Macbeth with "worthiest cousin" metaphor: compares Macbeth and Banquo to seeds, which he has planted to grow into a profitable crop Banquo calls the "harvest [his] own" meaning Duncan will certainly reap what he sows; Duncan will get more than fruit from his crop: dramatic irony; verbal irony
Macbeth	ever the traitor: "the sevice an the loyalty I owe" the "duties" Macbeth claims are owed Duncan are really Macbeth's own murderous motives his aside before he leaves lets the audience know that Macbeth sincerely wishes to go forward with his plan: "Th Prince of Cumberland! That is a stp on which I must fall down, or else o'erleap"
I.v	Inverness: Macbeth's castle; more cold calculation; logic
Lady Macbeth	aside from the witches, the only female character in the play The Letter: "success" Macbeth believes victory was more than just the battlefield "perfect'st report...more than mortal knowledge" Macbeth earnestly believes the witches tells Lady of the encounter with the witches promises Lady Macbeth that she will be queen Lady Macbeth reveals the weaknesses in Macbeth, apparently weaknesses conveniently absent in herself "milk of human kindness" "not without ambition,but without the evil [that] should attend it" "wouldst thou holily" Line 37: Raven--she claims this bird crows of Duncan's misfortune vows to murder Duncan herself: "make thick my blood; stop up the passage to remorse; take my mile for gall; nor heaven peep through...to cry "hold! hold!" After Macbeth's entrance: metaphor: Macbeth is the flower, and she the snake hiding beneath it
I.vi	Before Macbeth's castle; no danger (?)
Duncan	still unaware of danger; "This castle hath a pleasant seat" "See, see, our honored hostess" "conduct me to mine host: we love him greatly"
I.vii	Macbeth's castle: finally, into the mind of Macbeth
Macbeth	alone; desires to have the deed "done quickly" doubt begins to surface "in these cases we still have judgement here" he has real fears: "Duncan is a guest and is at the castle to formally praise Macbeth; Duncan was a ruler people liked" Macbeth fears the reaciton of people to Duncan's murder
Lady Macbeth	staunches Macbeth's wavering; she becomes "the man" by being decisive she makes a plan: get Duncan's two servants drunk and then kill him in his sleep--place the daggers at the hands of the servants and allow them to take the blame at this point, Macbeth notes the depth of Lady Macbeth's scheming: "bring forth only male children"
Final Quote	"False face must hide what the false heart doth know."