Macbeth act one act one scene one in a tense and dramatic opening the stage lights up with flashes of lightning and rolls of thunder Three Strange women arrive on a heath and empty and exposed piece of land they are three witches named the weird sisters in a brief conversation filled with contrasts and confusion they agree to meet with Macbeth after a great battle before uttering the famous lines there is foul and fowl is fair hover through the fog and filthy air these lines essentially mean good is bad and bad is good which is a paradox a statement which seems to be impossible or confusing because it contains two opposites Shakespeare uses this Paradox along with the wicked sounding Rhymes to hint at the strange and Supernatural events which will dominate the play act 1 scene 2. Scotland is at war with two enemies both an army of rebels from The Western Isles led by McDonald and an invading Army from Norway led by King sueno at Forest Duncan the King of Scotland is greeted by a captain who has returned to deliver news from the battle the captain hails The Bravery of the heroes Macbeth and Banquo who have delivered a victory for the king there are three significant reports first Macbeth's execution of the Rebel McDonald and second Macbeth and banquoy's victory against the odds over the Norwegian Army finally King Duncan is told that one of the Scottish Nobles the Thane of cordor betrayed Duncan and sided with the Enemy at the end of the scene Duncan orders the thane's execution and commands that the title pass to Macbeth a key quote for this scene is the captain's description of Macbeth's skill in battle Macbeth is described as disdaining Fortune with his brandished steel which smoked with bloody execution lines which are filled with violent and gory imagery perhaps foreshadowing Macbeth's potential for brutal murder additionally Shakespeare introduces the theme of fate and Free Will Macbeth disdains Fortune which means he doesn't care about fate Shakespeare hints at Macbeth's desire and ability to take fate into his own hands a theme which will repeat throughout the play act 1 scene 3. The Witches reappear again to the clap of thunder they discuss a vicious curse they have performed on a sailor before Macbeth and Banquo enter the stage with Macbeth speaking in similar Paradox to the witches in the line so foul and fair a day I have not seen is he already Bewitched or simply talking about the Battle which has just taken place you decide Macbeth and Banquo greet the weird sisters who swiftly hail Macbeth Thane of gloms his current title before predicting he shall be Thane of Cordo and finally that he shalt be king hereafter crucially for later in the play Banquo then interrupts and asks for their sisters to speak to him their prophecies to Banquo are more ambiguous he's both lesser than Macbeth and greater not so happy yet much happier and he shall get Kings there'll be none meaning his children will inherit the throne but Banquo will not become king The Witches then vanish as Macbeth urges them to stay Ross and Angus then appear with news from forest they informed Macbeth that he has been rewarded with the title of thane of cordur confirming a part of the weird sister's prophecy as Banquo speaks with the two men Macbeth utters an aside out of their earshot where he questions if the prophecies are for his good or ill a key quote from this section are the lines if chants will have me King why chance may Crown me without my stir this is a dramatic aside a literary device used by a playwright to display a character speaking in secret it betrays Macbeth's willingness to plot and deceive his friends but he comes to the conclusion that he can leave it to chance and not take any direct action to become king act 1 scene 4. King Duncan meets with the other thanes and is told by his oldest son Malcolm that the former Thane of kodor who betrayed the King has been executed Duncan laments that he had placed absolute trust in the form of thane giving him a hint to the audience that he's perhaps lacking wisdom Macbeth enters with Banquo and the King Praises both men as Heroes Duncan then announces that in the event of his death the crown will pass to Malcolm and names him Prince of Cumberland the monarchy in Scotland was elected at the time and did not always pass down the family line the king then states that they will all travel to Inverness Castle Macbeth's home to celebrate together Macbeth says he will travel ahead to bring the joyful news to his wife before they exit Macbeth utters another aside this time seeming overcome with desire for the throne ominously he comments that the prince of Cumberland is in his way if he wants to become king then perhaps overcome with guilt he States Stars hide your fires let not light see my black and deep desires with these words Shakespeare explores the theme of guilt Macbeth speaks to the heavens and asks the light of the Stars perhaps a reference to God to not look on his black desires the contrast between light and dark as well as the imagery of heaven and hell here speak of Macbeth's conflicted State as well as the Eternal consequences if he were to murder the king something which he is clearly considering at this point act 1 scene 5. Lady Macbeth enters the stage reading a letter from Macbeth where he recounts his meeting with the witches interestingly she immediately believes their words and becomes excited but this is almost immediately tempered by a comment that Macbeth is too full of the milk of human kindness to kill Duncan she thinks he is ambitious but not strong-willed enough to commit murder on his own after a messenger arrives to tell her Duncan will attend the castle shortly Lady Macbeth calls upon the spirits of Darkness for the power to manipulate her husband Macbeth arrives in haste at the end of the scene and the pair excitedly discussed the implications of the prophecy Lady Macbeth appears the more decided of the two stating he that's come must be provided for with Macbeth simply saying we will speak further a key quote from this scene is when Lady Macbeth commands the spirits to unsex me here and fill me from the crown to the toe top full of diarist Cruelty the use of imperative verbs presents Lady Macbeth as self-assured and Powerful she seems confident to command these dark spirits to her will furthermore she wishes for her feminine nature to be symbolically removed so that she can be filled with diarist cruelty act 1 scene six Duncan arrives at Macbeth's Castle in Inverness along with Banquo his sons McDuff and the other thanes Duncan comments on the beautiful setting and weather before Lady Macbeth greets them and welcomes them into the castle the key line from this scene is Duncan's this Castle had a pleasant seat the air nimbly and sweetly recommends itself unto our gentle senses Shakespeare uses joyful positive language to represent Duncan as a kind and gentle King but this creates a dramatic irony as the audience is aware from the previous scene that the castle is to be Duncan's place of death the strong contrast in tone with the previous scene is jarring and serves to heighten the tension as the duplicitous Lady Macbeth is shown to brightly welcome the guests without a hint of her cruel and maniacal Behavior seen previously act 1 scene 7. in the final scene of the First Act Macbeth appears alone on stage his mind is fraught with worry and he agonizes over whether to kill Duncan first commenting that if he were to do it quickly and not suffer any consequences it would be of great benefit to him yet he also recognizes that the act of murdering the king is a sin or crime against God which will surely result in him being caught and punished Macbeth criticizes his own ambition calling it vaulting ambition which overleaps itself meaning his ambition is reaching Beyond where it should he seems to resolve not to act upon his desires here next Lady Macbeth enters and Macbeth greets her by saying they will proceed no further however Lady Macbeth responds with furious taunting she calls him a coward and implies he is not a man using their gender expectations of the time to humiliate him and persuade him to reconsider Lady Macbeth appears the stronger world of the two as she then reveals the plan of how they will drug the servants and then following the murder smear their bodies with the blood of the king to frame them Macbeth Revels in lady Macbeth's strength and intelligence describing her strong will in the phrase undaunted metal at the end of the scene and act the stage is set for the murder to take place a key quote from this scene is Lady Macbeth's horrific and violent claim that she would be willing to take a newborn baby nursing at her breast and dashed the brains out if she had promised or sworn to do as she claims Macbeth has done Shakespeare uses violence and depraved imagery here to present Lady Macbeth as both an evil temptress and a powerful woman it also shows she is willing to do anything to convince her husband to commit murder which presents her as more ambitious than Macbeth who doubts himself it flips the Jacobian idea of male superiority on its head and sets up Lady Macbeth as a cunning and Wily plotter so as the First Act comes to an end the audience is on tenterhooks to see if the Macbeth's will follow through with their heretical plan