What is the significance of Shakespeare placing the grim scene of witchcraft at the very opening of the ‘Macbeth’? Use quotes to support your answer.
Answers
Macbeth
Macbeth is one of the most popular plays of Shakespeare. Its popularity lies specifically on its opening scene.
The opening scene of Macbeth serves as the Exposition of the play. It foregrounds the theme of the play through the three witches.
The play opens with the grim scene of witchcraft. The three witches circle around and concoct through rhyme the background of the play.
Not a typical Aristotlean play though, Shakespeare follows and breaks certain Aristotlean conventions. Instead of the traditional Chorus he assigns the choric function to the three witches.
The witches foreshadow the upcoming incidents of the play like the 'Chorus'. They also create the gory background of the play.
The poetic chiasmus 'Fair is foul and foul is fair' weaves a web of mystery as well as prophecy.
The three prophecies made by them on account of Macbeth sets the action of the play.
The first prophecy, ' All hail, Macbeth! hail to thee, thane of Glamis!' reveals Macbeth's identity to the audience.
The second prophecy ' All hail, Macbeth, hail to thee, thane of Cawdor!' plants in him the seeds of ambition.
The last prophecy ' All hail, Macbeth, thou shalt be king hereafter!' firmly roots the ambition of Macbeth leading him to fructify the murder of Duncan in future.
The prophecy of the witches to Banquo 'Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none' further initiates the action of the play as Banquo will always be an object of suspicion for Macbeth leading him to kill Banquo and be haunted by his ghost in the time of his coronation.
Thus the entire play is firmly based on the grim scene of witchcraft at the very opening of the ‘Macbeth’.
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