Shakespeare opens the first scene with three witches/ weird sisters ending their meeting; we enter as they are arranging their next meeting. Shakespeare describes the scene through the characters, "Fog and filthy air", "In thunder, lightning, or in rain". This very short scene introduces us to a supernatural theme. The weird sisters show supernatural fortune telling as they say that they will "meet Macbeth upon the Heath", this knowledge could not have been known with out the use of a supernatural talent. The function of the witches is to show the evil hidden in Macbeth's mind, to create an atmosphere of doom and tragedy and to draw Macbeth towards his fate. The weird sisters represent all that is evil, once you know the plot you quickly draw a conclusion that Macbeth also represents Evil in the deed that he committed, so you can connect Macbeth to the witches to some extent.
Lady Macbeth by George Cattermole.
English: Poster of Thos. W. Keene in William Shake...
Macbeth and Banquo with the Witches by Henry Fusel...In Line thirty-eight, Act one Scene three, he repeats the witch's previous line but not in the same distribution, 'so fair and foul a day I have not seen', 'fair is foul, and foul is fair'. This was probably done to slip a subtle hint to the audience. Shakespeare opens the play with a really strong dramatic action. Shakespeare mentions witches, in Shakespearean times a witch was an ugly woman with a sinister nature, who performed supernatural deeds, the witches in Macbeth are called 'secret, black and midnight hags' to show that they are evil creatures.
This scene awakens curiosity among the audience, but it doesn't satisfy their need for knowledge. We leave this scene while still in deep suspense. This scene sets the mood of the play, but the action doesn't start until the next scene.
Scene two opens at a military camp near Forres, King Duncan enters...