Macbeth Act 1 Scene 3

Abbreviations and idiosyncrasies to be noted

King James: KJ
Macbeth: M
Banquo: B
The 3 witches: the 3Ws
Red writing: Something to be double checked
S: Shakespeare

1: Introduction material

1.1: Background knowledge needed for this scene – Very Important

1. This play was written in 1606 by the bard himself, William Shakespeare,
for King James 1
2. King James wrote a book called Daemonologie – hence witches used to
maintain KJ’s attention on the play
3. The play shows the tragic consequences of regicide, mirroring the
gunpowder plot of 1605, when Guy Fawkes attempted an assassination of
KJ
4. Therefore, the play focuses on the consequences of breaking the chain of
being, something that stated that there was the divine right of kings.
5. B was actually an ancestor of KJ, hence he was made to look noble in the
face of the unnatural.
6. M was also a real person, he was a King but of a small amount of land
7. STATE WHOM THE HELL B AND M ARE!!!
8. Themes are of the supernatural and hamartia
9. M and B were soldiers who had just come out of a battle that they won

1.2: Literary devices used

1. Opens with equivocation (Foul and fair)
2. Anaphora in the “All Hail”
3. Allusion to bible in the all hail bit – this is similar to what Judas said to
Jesus

1.4: Themes

1.3: Thesis statements

1. How does Shakespeare highlight how supernatural the witches are?
2. In what ways does this scene forshadow Macbeth’s descent from loyal
soldier to treacherous kinsman through the development of his hamartia?
3. What are the differences between the reactions of M and B to the witches’
prophecies?

2: Line-by-Line analysis
MACBETH So foul and fair a day I have not seen.
 This is equivocation because foul and fair are antonyms,
but this is ambiguous because it refers to how Macbeth
and Banquo have just won a battle but have also lost
friends. However, the equivocation also is a paradox as a
day cannot be foul and fair at the same time, mirroring
the words of the witches in Act 1 Scene 1 (foul is fair and
fair is foul). This emphasises the supernatural aspect of
the witches (appealing to KJ) but also hints at how
Macbeth is becoming like the witches

BANQUO How far is't call'd to Forres? What are these

 “these,” - The use of a demonstrative pronoun as part of
diction shows how Banquo dehumanises the witches due
to their appearance as these is used to describe objects
rather than living beings. This shows how these witches
are living but appear to not be living, this emphasises how
supernatural they are, appeasing KJ, who was interested
in witchcraft. This too is a paradox in itself?

So wither'd and so wild in their attire,

 “withered….wild,”- this alliteration with “w” creates a

sentence that sounds to be a spell, much like how the
witches’ phrases earlier in the scene are alliterative. This
mimicry of a spell would aid in stressing how the witches
are otherworldly in nature, arousing KJ’s attention in the
process.

That look not like the inhabitants o' the earth,

 “not like the inhibitants o’ the earth,” – simile that
indicates that the witches are polar opposites of the living
things found on the 3rd planet from the sun. By definition,
if something is not of earth, it is otherworldly in nature.
Hence this simile continues the work of the alliteration in
the previous line, accentuating the supernatural
characteristics of the witches and keeping KJ entertained
in the process

And yet are on't? Live you? or are you aught

 “aught,” – archaic diction that means “anything.” This is
used to express B’s bewilderment at what the witches
were. This further asserts the myhtologocial aspect of the
encounter with the witches, pleasing KJ through the
inclusion of a subject of his interest.
 That man may question? You seem to understand me,

By each at once her choppy finger laying

Upon her skinny lips: you should be women,

 “skinny lips,”: diction, this phrase connotes evil, as in the
1600s, skinny lips were associated with people of ill
character.
 “should,”: diction: shows how B can’t understand witches
– bewilderment, reinterates the supernatural aspect of
encounter –appeals to KJ

And yet your beards forbid me to interpret

That you are so.

MACBETH Speak, if you can: what are you?

 Speak: this imperative is used to show that M is a soldier
and is used to being in command

First All hail, Macbeth! hail to thee, thane of Glamis!

Witch

Second All hail, Macbeth, hail to thee, thane of Cawdor!

Witch

Third All hail, Macbeth, thou shalt be king hereafter!

Witch  “All Hail, Macbeth.” X 3: Anaphora to make the witches
seem sinister to a greater extent, this emphasises their
evil nature.
 The “All Hail,” bit is also an allusion to Matthew 26.49, in
which Judas tells Jesus, “All Hail, Master.” This
foreshadows that the witches will “betray,” M so to speak,
by fuelling his hamartia, leading to deaths of many
characters central to the play. This brings up TS2.

BANQUO Good sir, why do you start; and seem to fear

 “seem to fear,”: this observation of M’s reaction to the
witches indicate that they have accurately predicted M’s
ambitions, hence he has fallen silent and appears scared.
This is when M’s hamartia is revealed
 This revelation is emphasised with the equivocation
formed with the word, “fair,” in the subsequent line. The
equivocation is used to express B’s initial shock at M’s
fear, as this all sounds like good news, but M is scared
now because his ambitions have been revealed to B.
 Things that do sound so fair? I' the name of truth,

Are ye fantastical, or that indeed

Which outwardly ye show? My noble partner

You greet with present grace and great prediction

Of noble having and of royal hope,

That he seems rapt withal: to me you speak not.

 “rapt withal,”: inversion, expresses how M is intrigued and
is contemplating the words of the witches, confirming that
he does indeed wish to become King and Thane of
Cawdor.

If you can look into the seeds of time,

 “If,”: Preposition. This shows how B has little belief in the
witches, indicating that he is a noble man who refuses to
become involved with witchcraft. This was done to please
KJ, as B was his real ancestor, therefore in this line, S was
pleasing KJ by exhibiting his family as people who did not
become involved in witchcraft.
 This also spoken in a sarcastic tone, showing how B takes
a comedic approach to this situation
 “seeds of time,”

And say which grain will grow and which will not,

Speak then to me, who neither beg nor fear

Your favours nor your hate.

First Hail!
Witch

Second Hail!
Witch

Third Hail!
Witch

First Lesser than Macbeth, and greater.

Witch  It is made pellucid that B is a better man than M despite
how he will soon be of lower rank than M through the
juxtaposition (or is it equivocation? Or paradox?) In this
line. (WORK IN PROGRESS)
 Juxtaposed to how the witches spoke to M, as in this case,
 simple vocab (simple, greater) is used with no context,
making the prophercy here very cryptic.

Second Not so happy, yet much happier.

Witch

Third Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none:

Witch

So all hail, Macbeth and Banquo!

First Banquo and Macbeth, all hail!

Witch

http://literarydevices.net/inversion/