How does Shakespeare create and maintain tension and dramatic inpact in Act 1 Scene 3?

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        Macbeth is a dramatic and well written play by one of the world famous authors…William Shakespeare. Throughout the play Shakespeare uses many clever and sophisticated techniques, which help create and maintain tension and dramatic impact. Also Pathetic Fallacy, dramatic irony & characters which foil one another and are juxtaposed adds to the question, How does Shakespeare maintain and create tension and dramatic impact to Act 1 scene 3?

        Firstly, Shakespeare creates tension and dramatic impact in act 1 scene 3 by introducing an efficient technique called Pathetic Fallacy. This helps give a dramatic effect when the witches first come on stage.

        ‘The heath: Thunder. Enter the three witches.’

The play starts with the Witches, with thunder and lightning, both heart-pounding. The audience may feel the atmosphere and mood is of disarray. This is first of all a pathetic fallacy because of the weather being so bad and the hideous appearance of the witches. This scene also gives us the first sign of the supernatural. The witches are the man source of the evil and supernatural in the play and they also give an impression of fear, horror and mystery. As well as this Shakespeare had set this scene away from society and desolate. Therefore this could arouse curiosity in the viewers mind. All this could suggest   that what is happening is wrong; it could also indicate that God is not happy. The situation is very ominous.

Furthermore, William Shakespeare commences a drum to the scene when Macbeth first comes in vision of the ‘weird sisters’ this is a very successful technique as it intrigues the reader.

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        ‘A drum, a drum; Macbeth doth come.’

Using such a clever method such as Pathetic Fallacy, helps create tension and dramatic impact to Act 1 Scene 3.

        Secondly, the actions and the appearance of the witches also help maintain the tension and dramatic impact. Their physical appearances are similar to those of men, yet they are ‘women’. When Shakespeare first brings Macbeth and Banquo to the scene; Banquo is the first to see the witches, he immediately notices their appearance, and he also describes them to look as if they are not from Earth. Having ‘choppy fingers’ and ‘skinny ...

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