Scene 1

The three witches have gathered together to discuss the battle starting and how they are planning on meeting with Macbeth. The play is set in Scotland.

– “Fair is foul, and foul is fair”– all three witches- paradox

The meaning behind this line is saying that situations that may seem fair are in reality foul or vice versa. This line could also be about the differing morals of people and how what one person considers foul is considered fair to other people.

Scene 2

Scene 2 starts with a wounded soldier recalling the past battle between the Scottish and the Irish. The soldier then continues to recall how Macbeth killed MacDonald and acted as a killing machine sweeping through the opposing side. Duncan then sentences the Thane of Cawdor to death which transfers the title to Macbeth. Throughout this scene we begin to have a sense of what Macbeth is like, we can see that Macbeth is loyal, brave and a valuable soldier.

– “Disdaining fortune, with his brandish’d steel”

This quote is said by the wounded officer. Macbeth ‘disdained fortune’ by taking the battle into his own hands and independently killing MacDonald and securing the Scottish a victory.

Scene 3

At the start of Scene 3 the witches meet again at the top of the heath. The witches discuss their recent events (such as tormenting a sailers wife). The witches see Macbeth and Banquo as they’re on their way to Duncan’s castle. Macbeth and Banquo are confused and slightly horrified when they first meet the witches as they are unsure if they are even human or woman.

The witches then make prophecies about both Macbeth and Banquo. They firstly inform Macbeth that he now has the title of the Thane of Cawdor which confuses Macbeth since he still thinks the Thane of Cawdor lives. The witches prophesies that Macbeth will be king. The first two prophesies about Banquo are very vague and almost seem to be riddles, they tell Banquo that he will be “lesser than Macbeth, and greater” and also that he will be “not so happy, yet much happier”. The third witch finally says that “thou shalt get kings, though thou be none”. The witches then vanish and leave Macbeth and Banquo confused with the new information they have. Ross and Angus arrive and pass on the news that Macbeth has been rewarded with the title of the Thane of Cawdor, this news makes Macbeth start to believe that all the witches predictions may be true. Against Banquo’s warning that the witches prophecies may lead him to evil Macbeth (aside) has a thought about killing Duncan. Since this thought is only said to the audience/readers it causes a sense of dramatic irony throughout the rest of the play.

– “Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none”– witch three to Banquo

The witches make a prophecy that although Banquo will not be king but his son will be king. This causes tension between Macbeth and Banquo as Macbeth could choose to interpret this prediction as Banquo’s children will attempt to take the throne from Macbeth. Through a mere prophecy that Macbeth will be king he already is fixated on the idea. We start to understand that Macbeth may not be as loyal as he makes out to be.

Scene 4

Scene 4 takes place in a room in the King’s palace. Malcolm reports that the rebel Cawdor has faces his execution with dignity. Macbeth, Banquo, Ross and Angus enter the scene. Duncan thanks Macbeth and Banquo for defeating the rebels and proceeds to announce that his son Malcolm is next in line for the throne. Macbeth expresses his thoughts of being unsettled by the news of Malcolm being Duncan’s heir aside to the audience.

“Let not light see my black and deep desires

The eye wink at the hand, yet let that be

Which the eye fears, when it is done, to see” – Macbeth (aside)

Macbeth is contemplating now killing Malcolm to secure his position as king. He asks the starts to hide their light so that no one will be able to recognise his true desires.

Scene 5

Lady Macbeth reads a letter that Macbeth sends to her where he recalls the prophecies from the witches. Lady Macbeth ponders that her husband is too kind hearted to do the deed of killing Duncan although she is excited to hear the news that Duncan is going to be staying at their castle this night. Lady Macbeth calls upon the evil spirits to assist her in discarding all her feminine traits so that she can become cruel and not let remorse get in the way of her deadly intentions. When Macbeth arrives back to she informs him to act innocent and leave the dead to her.

“That my keen knife see not the wound it makes”– Lady Macbeth

Lady Macbeth says this in relation to thinking about killing the king when he comes to stay in their castle. This quote is similar to one Macbeth is the previous scene. Both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth want to kill the king but do not want to have to deal with the guilt that would come as a consequence of the deed.

Scene 6

Duncan, the Scottish lords and their attendants arrive outside Macbeth’s castle. Lady Macbeth greats the king and thanks him for all that he has done for them. Lady Macbeth takes Duncan into their castle to meet with Macbeth. Duncan makes his admiration for Macbeth known to Lady Macbeth.

Scence 7

Macbeth begins to realise that he does not want to commit the act of killing Duncan as besides for the ambition he possesses he has no other reasons for killing the king. Lady Macbeth enters the scene and tells Macbeth that the King wants him, Macbeth confesses to Lady Macbeth that he no longer has any desire to kill Duncan. Lady Macbeth throws herself into a state of rage and questions Macbeths manhood and bravery, saying that if she was a man she would commit the deed herself (referencing her previous soliloquy in Scene 5 “unsex me here”). Macbeth is still doubtful that they will be able to kill Duncan without facing any consequences, Lady Macbeth then reveals her plan…. late in the night she will provide the kings Chamberlains with wine to make them drunk, then Macbeth will be able to slip into Duncan’s room and kill him without anyone realising. After hearing his wife’s plan he is finally convinced that he should kill the king. He praises Lady Macbeth by saying that she shill will only have male children. Now that the plan is in place they will commit the deed later tonight.

Metaphor Analysis

Nor heaven peep through the blanket of the dark

To cry, “Hold, hold!”

Lady Macbeth’s soliloquy is packed full of metaphors, through the metaphors we gain a deeper understanding of her true character and the thoughts running through her head as she contemplates killing the king. Her true intentions become clear and through the metaphors we can see that she is willing to commit the deed but wishes not to have to deal with the guilt and the consequences that will come with the act. We can also infer that Lady Macbeth is aware that what she is planning to do is seen as evil but she is still willing to commit it as her desire is outweighs any morals. In this line heaven almost seems like a scared child that is peeping ‘through the blanket of the dark’ as they don’t want to see the entirety of what Lady Macbeth is planning to commit. The blanket of dark is personified in the way of being thick and able to conceal Lady Macbeths evil desires. Heaven could also be a metaphor for Lady Macbeth’s remorse and how the blanket of darkness is acting as a way of smothering any of her lasting remorse so that she will be able to commit the deed without remorse ‘peeping through’ and possibly getting in the way. Heaven is also personified by having the ability to speak (To cry “Hold, hold!”). This line gives a signal to the reader that heaven (or fate) could try to intervene with Lady Macbeth and Macbeth killing the king. Through the exclamation points in this sentence it seems like ‘heaven’ is distressed over Lady Macbeth thinking about killing the king and will do anything in its power to interfere in the act. This could possibly be foreshadowing later events in the play.