How do the initial scenes with the witches set the atmosphere of 'Macbeth'?

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How do the initial scenes with the witches set the atmosphere of 'Macbeth'?

Macbeth was written by William Shakespeare in about 1600 but Shakespeare has set this play even earlier - about 1050. This play was written just after the gunpowder plot by Guy Fawkes which had the scheme revealed in 1605. This was a group of Catholics, who tried to blow up the houses of Parliament and not only this, they were going to kill the king at that time James the 1st.

In Shakespeare's time most people alleged that witches could do all sorts of things. King James the 1st had his boat nearly drowned which he thought a storm was raised to drown him. He instantly knew that this dreadful work was held by witches so he decided to pass a law through the parliament about anyone being a witch should be executed. In this case when Macbeth was performed on stage at that time it would have grabbed everyone's interest with the use of the witches in the opening scene.

Shakespeare opens the play with 'thunder and lightning' and in the superstitious times it was believed that fierce storms released forces of evil. Shakespeare has chosen to do this because to frighten and to unsettle the audience. The three witches meet in foul weather - they speak of thunder, lightning, "fog and filthy air". Shakespeare wants to construct an atmosphere of fear and confusion and this is done by the following line "fair is foul, and foul is fair" this is the witches attitude to life, but this also could be a warning to the audience that the things to follow are not what they seem and this line introduces the theme appearance and reality. The witches decide to meet Macbeth on the heath "where the place, upon the heath". As they meant to scare the audience the witches have decided to meet up in a wild, desolate location and this kind of place links with their characters.
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At that time people believed that the witches used animals as cats to disguise the evil spirits. This evidence is given inline 6-7 "I come, Grey malkin, Paddock calls" this demonstrates that the witches 'familiars' spirits in animal form. In the last line "Hover through the fog and filthy air" is this 'atmosphere' associated with the witches? On the opening of this scene Shakespeare shows fear and confusion and the use of thunder and lightning introduces 'Macbeth' as a dark, dangerous play in which evil is central.

The physical appearance of the witches is grotesque and contributes ...

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