Macbeth (by William Shakespeare)

Act I, scene I

The first scene of the tragedy “Macbeth” by William Shakespeare is introduced by three strange and unnatural characters: three witches.

The play begins with lightings and thunders and the poet doesn't give to the reader (or to the spectator) any information about the place where the three women are meeting; this aspect contributes to create a mysterious and unnatural atmosphere, reinforced by the suspense created by the noises at the beginning of the opera.

The first line reports the words of the first witch, who asks to her colleagues when they shall meet again. She makes three strange and dark suggestions, mentioning three different situations that might be considered as the same kind of weather: they could meet “in thunder, in lightning or in rain”. Indeed, it's quite common that when it rains a lot there are also lightnings and thunders and it's very difficult to see a lightning in the middle of a sunny and clear sky.

Besides, the second witch goes on suggesting situations and places where they could meet; as her colleague's ones, her suggestions are very strange and mysterious: she proposes to meet “when the hurly-burly's done, when the battle's lost and won”.

This line might refer to the battle between Norway and Scotland, that at the beginning of the tragedy is won by the Scottish king Duncan with the help of the two valorous generals Macbeth and Banquo.

The following line, that reports the words of the third witch, is closely connected with the second one: the third witch asserts that the battle her sister is referring to will be “lost and one” “ere the set of sun”, that means “before the sunset”, which will be the time they're going to have their meeting.

Therefore, the first which wants to know the place of this meeting, which is named in the following line by the second witch: they'll meet “upon the heath” with Macbeth.

The following three lines are very short and fast to say; in this way the poet wants to create a strong rhythm to add a frenetic atmosphere to the representation. Indeed, this aspect is also underlined by the exclamation of the third witch (“Anon!”, that means “Hurry up!”).

The three women call their animals (“Grey-malkin”, “Padock”, that are a cat and a frog) and then pronounce all together the last line of the scene, that might be seen as a kind of magic formula: “Fair is foul and foul is fair. Hover through the fog and filthy air”. In this phrase the reader has the opportunity to gain other information about the setting: the place where the women are speaking is foggy and the air is filthy; the scene takes place in a inhospitable location and the elements we know help the poet in his intent to create a magic and mysterious atmosphere, full of mysteries and dark secrets.

The reader might also notice that the words “foul and fair”, mentioned by the witches in this scene, characterise the beginning of the first line that belongs to the character of Macbeth, in the third scene of the first act: this might hint at the strong bond that ties together the destiny of Macbeth to the words mentioned by the witches during their meeting, a meeting that will strongly influence the development and the ending of Macbeth's life.