How effective is the opening sequence of Macbeth?
In the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare, the opening sequence is very effective because it shows numerous techniques which helps to understand the text further on in the play. Shakespeare uses many different contrasting characters, imagery, themes and a different style of language. The play also holds the readers attention well.The characters in the opening sequence re contrasting and have a relationship between each other. The first characters the audience is introduced to is the three witches. The witches are dark, evil, supernatural characters. We can tell that they are evil and supernatural by some of the dialogue. When Banquo says “Live you, or are you aught that man may question?” he fears that these beings are evil spirits yet they are associated with evilness. Duncan, the king of Scotland contrasts greatly from the witches. The king, associated with God because in the sixteen hundred when this play is set they believed that God chose and placed the king on earth. King Duncan who is old and frail has not gone to battle with his men. This can show that he is feeble and also a weak king. This contrasts again from Macbeth, who is already mentioned in the first scene by the witches and also again in scene two by the
captain. The first impression we get from this is that Macbeth is “Brave” and later “Noble”. This makes the audience believe that he is loyal to his country and Duncan which we find out is ironic and also foreshadowing. The opening sequence is gripping. It gets the audiences attention and holds it. The play gets the audiences attention by the three witches in the first scene. The audience wonders who these people are and what they are doing here. Also the speech they use is somewhat confusing at the beginning because it is different to normal speech. The quote “fair is foul and foul is fair” interests the audience because they do not know what that mean s and want to know also the witches whisper while chanting so it makes the audience pay full attention to the play so they can hear and take in what they say.
Some topics in this essay:
King Duncan,
Lady Macbeth,
William Shakespeare,
Macbeth Shakespeare,
Ionic Pentameter,
blank verse,
imagery clothing,
audiences attention,
theme sleep,
,
letter written prose,
evil supernatural,
letter written,
makes audience,
written prose,
clothing imagery,
lack sleep,
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Approximate Word count = 841
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)
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