Act 1 Scene 1 Questions:

1. The mood of the opening scene is very eerie and dark. This mood is created through weather of
the scene. The witches of this scene are associated with thunder, lightning and rain, all factors
that contribute to the darkness of the scene.
2. The paradox of this scene is "fair is foul and foul is fair". Shakespeare begin the play using this
device to first show that it is a reoccurring message in the play but also to develop the theme of
good vs evil.
Act 1 Scene 2:
1. A wounded soldier says Macbeth was brave, like valour’s minion, brandished his sword, never
shook as he defended. He’s certainly intense as he’s cut an opposing soldier right open and cut his
head off to put it on the battlements.
2. The sergeant compliments Macbeth to a greater extent. He refers to Macbeth as a brave
individual due to the way he fought in the battle. The captain was laughing at the fact that
Macdonwald had such great luck on his side but still Macbeth easily killed him.
3. Blood imagery: Macbeth killing the Norwegian soldier “unseam’d him from the nave to the
chaps/And fix’d his head upon our battlements,” after that was over Macbeth “Began a fresh
assault,” “bathe in reeking wounds” the soldier’s wounds “my gashes cry for help”. Animal
imagery: “As sparrows, eagles, or the hare, the lion” (similar to those animals, Banquo and
Macbeth weren’t dismayed by the chase of their prey)
4. Macbeth is referred to as the Thane of Cawdor due to the fact that the Thane of Cawdor betrayed
King Duncan.
Act 1 Scene 3:
1. The witches supernatural abilities is highlighted through the fact that the first witch stated "but in
a sieve I''ll thither sail". It signifies the fact that she will be sailing on an impossible vessel, one
that can never stay afloat without magic. Additionally, second witch hints at her ability to control
the winds. Lastly, the three sisters dance in a circle while holding their hands in order to make
their spell work.
2. The witches state that Macbeth will become thane of Cawdor and will be king hereafter. Banquo's
prophecy states that his children will grow up to claim the throne of the King.
3. Macbeth's first line of the scene, "foul and fair day I have not seen". The reason this line is a
representation of dramatic irony is due to the fact that the audience realized the witches said the
same paradox yet Macbeth does not know this.
4. Foreshadowing: "Banquo and Macbeth, all hail!" This could possibly foreshadow the ending of the
novel. The first witch is seen to be the most important of the three witches. She interestingly
swaps Banquo and Macbeth's name suggesting that Banquo will surpass Macbeth.
Paradox: " Foul and fair day". The paradox of fair and the foul play the role of good an evil.
5. Banquo warns Macbeth is that believing these witches may be incorrect due to the fact that they
possess supernatural abilities. Banquo states that the witches will use small amounts of truth just
to weave grand lies and decieve people on a grand scale. He also states that these prophecies
seem too farfetched as his reasoning is that the witches ate toxic roots disturbing their ability to
reason.
6. The theme of appearance vs reality is prevelant through Macbeths developing intentions. In
appearance Macbeth is characterized as an individual who
Act 1 Scene 4:
1. The irony is present when Duncan states " To find the mind's construction in the face". This is
ironic because through this Duncan is stating the face cannot truly give away what the brain is
thinking. The irony is present as Duncan will be murdered by an act of deception.
 2. The king of Scotland should be a figurehead of order and orderliness, and Duncan is the epitome,
or supreme example, of this. His language is formal and his speeches full of grace and
graciousness, whether on the battlefield in Act I, Scene 2, where his talk concerns matters of
honor, or when greeting his kind hostess Lady Macbeth in Act I, Scene 6. Duncan also expresses
humility (a feature that Macbeth lacks) when he admits his failure in spotting the previous Thane
of Cawdor's treachery: "There's no art to find the mind's construction in the face" .Most
importantly, Duncan is the representative of God on earth, ruling by divine right (ordained by
God), a feature of kingship strongly endorsed by King James I, for whom the play was performed in
1606. This "divinity" of the king is made clear on several occasions in the play, most notably when
Macbeth talks of the murdered Duncan as having "silver skin lac'd with . . . golden blood".
3. Through Macbeth's response, he is praising Duncan and sucking up to him whilst showing great
levels of loyalty but this loyalty is misplaced as in reality, the prophecies are lingering in the mind
of Macbeth.
4. Macbeth states that in order to become King, he has to get around Malcolm. This means that he
might have to murder him. If Macbeth does not get around Malcolm, he will fall to his demise.
5. Macbeth perverts Duncan’s earlier comparison of nobility to stars (“but signs of nobleness, like
stars, shall shine on all deservers”). He modifies the laudatory language which Duncan uses, and
with direct address commands the stars to darkness. The audience sees his ambitions grow.
6. Banquo's role in the original source for Macbeth was as Macbeth's co-conspirator. In
Shakespeare's play, he is depicted instead as Macbeth's rival; the role of fellow plotter passed to
Lady Macbeth. Like Macbeth, Banquo is open to human yearnings and desires.
7. The evidence that Macbeth has thoughts of usurpation is through his aside, as he reveals his true
intentions of getting rid of all the obstacles that stand in the way of him becoming King.
Act 1 Scene 5:
1. Lady Macbeth accepts the propechies of the witches due to the fact she loves her husband with
such great passion and as a result will believe the superficial of the facts.
2. Lady Macbeth is much more shred than Macbeth. Lady Macbeth is pushing him towards the
murder of Duncan. Lady Macbeth seems to an ambition more vaulting as she calls upon the devil
and evil spirits. She is a shrewd character as she is determined to achieve her goals by any means
possible. It can bee seen that her shrewdness along with her manipulation skills creates the
strongest character in the play.
3. They both love each other to an extent but Macbeth is blinded by his love. He is easily
manipulated by his wife as seen when Lady Macbeth seems to be pushing Macbeth towards
murdering Duncan.