With detailed reference to the text (Act 1 scenes 1-3) analyse the dramatic significance and the effect of the opening of the play'

'With detailed reference to the text (Act 1 scenes 1-3) analyse the dramatic significance and the effect of the opening of the play'

Macbeth was written in the 1600s by William Shakespeare. It was one of his tragedies. A tragedy is a play that ends in death and the hero or main character gets killed. I am going to be analysing the dramatic significance and the effect of the opening of the play with detailed reference to the text. Macbeth is about the fall of a good man and his greed for power. The play begins with three witches on a deserted heath in foul weather. Witches were greatly feared in Shakespearian times as people actually thought that they were real and could really harm you. People believed that they could make peoples health deteriorate instantly by using spells and potions and that they could kill people at a distance.

Lady Macbeth by George Cattermole.

Macbeth Consulting the Vision of the Armed Head. B...

English: Poster of Thos. W. Keene in William Shake...

They also believed that they could fly and could make themselves invisible at their own will. People thought that they could change the weather and used animals such as cats for the disguises for the evil spirits that served them. So the audience would have been really scared.

The witches play a major part in the play. Although they do not appear many times during the play, they have the significance of evil as the play is a dark, evil play full of greed. The witches introduce the play as a dark play that will have a death in it. The weather is horrible and this suggests that the play will also be an evil play as it does not start off with a very cheerful mood. The witches talk about the foul weather, the war and most importantly, Macbeth. This is the first time he is mentioned in the...