In this essay I shall look at how evil is portrayed in Shakespeare's Macbeth. I believe evil is the first step on Macbeth's road to destruction and turns him into the bloody tyrant he becomes.

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Sophie Edwards

How does Shakespeare present evil in the play? Refer to language and imagery

In this essay I shall look at ho evil is portrayed in Shakespeare’s Macbeth.  I believe evil is the first step on Macbeth’s road to destruction and turns him into the bloody tyrant he becomes.

The main evil wrong doing in the play is the murder of the innocent king Duncan.  Evil is also presented in the form of the witches who influence Macbeth to stray from all goodness.  Macbeth becomes tricked by their wicked ways, which cause him to act without values.  Lady Macbeth is also a key figure in the play.  She renounces her femininity and lets evil take over helping her drive Macbeth along with the witches.  Shakespeare also uses metaphorical language and imagery of animals; birds in particular to represent evil.  Shakespeare contrasts wickedness with innocence to make the brutality of the play appear worse.

It is clear from the start of the play that the witches are important, in just the first scene before they say anything the atmosphere is already set as evil.  They meet on a moor in thunder and lightning, which grabs the audience’s attention.  These surroundings portray evil; the moor is lonely, barren and bleak, whilst thunder and lightning assist in creating a supernatural image to place the witches.

The witches have short lines, which are written in rhyme making their words seem like a chant.

The language of the witches displays their hatred of all things good, their rhyming couplets contradict each other and emphasises the witches evil:

Fair is foul, and foul is fair: Hover through the fog and filthy air.

This quotation is a warning and hint to the audience that things are not what they appear to be; it leaves us wondering what will they do to Macbeth.

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The witches meeting with Macbeth in the opening scenes are a significant point in the play as it is the start of Macbeth taking on evil.  The witches first two predictions “Hail to thee Thane of Cawdor” and “Hail to thee Thane of Glamis” lure Macbeth into a false sense of security because he already owns these titles, and so does not recognise the danger or the third prediction “That shall be king hereafter.”  The witches plan to manipulate Macbeth, a reasonable man into a callous tyrant and this is the beginning of it.

Lady Macbeth also plays ...

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