Macbeth Act 1

“what appears good may be bad.” -witches-theme: appearances vs. reality
Scene 1 & 2 motif blood
Malcolm -almost captured by the enemy -inexperienced soldier-gives a competent report
Macdonwald killed by Macbeth
Thane of Cawdor captured by Macbeth
Foreign War -Macbeth captures Sweno of Norway-ransoms bodies for money
Anachronism something out of place in time-dollars & cannons
Scene 3 motif sleeplessness & repetition of “3” & clothing
“So foul and fair a day I have not seen.” -Macbeth-meaning: victory is fair, weather is foul-significance: Macbeth’s first words connect him w/ keynote
Witches prophecies for Macbeth -Thane of Glamis-Thane of Cawdor-King Hereafter
Banquo’s prophecy he shall be the father of Kings
Banquo’s reaction to Witches warns Macbeth; tell us good things to make us do bad thinhs
Macbeth’s reaction to Witches startled bc he’s already thought about becoming king, but hasn’t told anyone; wants to hear more
“Function is smothered in surmise” -speaker: Macbeth-meaning: unable to act on thoughts -significance: character weakness
“nothing in his life / Became him like the leaving it.” -Malcolm-meaning: thane of C died a noble death, confessed and asked for forgiveness-significance: level headed, competent, and capable
“There’s no art / to find the mind’s construction in the face.” -Duncan -meaning: a persons face does not always reveal the truth of his thoughts -significance: character weakness; poor judge of character
“He was a gentleman on whom I built / An absolute trust.” -Duncan
Scene 4 motif darkness
Lady Macbeth’s soliloquy -reveals the characters thoughts-only the audience hears
“Yet I do fear thy nature: / It is too full of the milk of human kindness to catch the nearest way.” -Lady Macbeth-meaning: thinks Macbeth is too kind & noble to kill for the crown -significance: knows her husband is ambitious but not cruel/evil
-“Come you spirits / That tend on mortal thoughts…”-“Look like the innocent flower, / But be the serpent under ‘t.”-“Leave all the rest to me.” -Lady Macbeth -meaning: put on your disguise; hide your thoughts -significance: keynote
Scene 6 dramatic irony
Macbeth’s soliloquy -shows character weakness -hesitates to kill Duncan bc •kinsman and subject •host•people would demand revenge
Macbeth’s “vaulting ambition” -tragic flaw-will lead to his demise
Plans to murder Duncan -get guards drunk-stab Duncan with daggers-blame the guards
“False face must hide what the false heart doth know.” -Macbeth -significance: keynote