How does Shakespeare create an atmosphere of evil and disorder in Act 1 of Macbeth?

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Emily O’Dell 10S

How does Shakespeare introduce a world of disorder and evil in Act 1 of the play Macbeth?

Shakespeare is renowned worldwide as one of the greatest playwrights that ever lived, and is known for many of his wonderful techniques. However one of the best things about his play Macbeth is the wonderful sense of atmosphere obtained throughout. He does this both in very subtle ways that one may not notice when first watching or reading Macbeth, and in more obvious ways that are clear to all.

In act 1 scene 1 we are first introduced to the witches, they are the first people we meet and would have received a strong reaction from an Elizabethan audience. The witches are situated in a battlefield, so already a sense of conflict and unrest is being created. There is a storm raging throughout this scene, which carries through the idea of conflict but this time in nature and indicates that these witches have this effect on the world and create strong disorder. Already we are led to believe that the witches are associated with Macbeth, we know this as the third witch says “There to meet with Macbeth”. We don’t yet know who Macbeth is but from this introduction an audience might assume he is of bad character to be associating with such outcasts. According to their description the witches look like hags and are deeply unnatural, both to look at, and in the way they affect the their surroundings.

One of the most famous quotes from one of Shakespeare’s plays is the witches ‘chant’, “Fair is foul, and foul is fair”. This just paints a stronger picture; that these witches are outcasts and don’t conform to the same rules as the rest of society. It shows they have different values and morals, if any at all. This chant also gives us reason to be wary of the witches and to tread with caution.

Another interesting point about this scene is one of Shakespeare’s more subtle devices, but one that is really very clever. Shakespeare uses ten syllables per line for his characters, but note, in this scene the witches are given shorter lines with only seven syllables. An example of this is the opening line “When shall we three meet again”, it has a completely different rhythm to the lines of his other roles. This is just another way a sense of unrest and unnaturalness is portrayed here.

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In act 1 scene 2 and we are amidst the King’s camp. There has been an incident of treachery and lies; this could possibly be seen as a challenge between good and evil; however it would appear good has won over as the traitor is found out. The King was believed by Jacobeans to be a direct link to God that puts the King above everyone on earth. This is known as the divine right of Kings. The first we are told about Macbeth is when he is described as a good honourable man, but we are also made aware ...

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