Act 1

Theme 1: Unnatural vs Natural

Example Techniques Effect

(Quote) (Analysis)
“In thunder lightning Pathetic fallacy The witches control the
or in rain” Allusion weather. Each time they
enter a scene, lousy
weather creates a tense
environment. This
alludes to King James'
book of demonology where
witches possess the
power to control the
weather. The Unnatural
aspect of the witches is
their supernatural power
to have control of the
weather and time which
disrupts the natural
order.

“When the hurley Rhyme Ambiguous language and

burley’s done when the riddles link to the
battles lost and won” witch's unnatural nature
“Fair is foul, and foul as it is an anomaly to
is fair. Hover through be talking in riddles
the fog and filthy air.” and rhyme. The short
rhyming verse can
imitate the casting of
spells, furthermore
adding to their strange
and unnatural character

“The raven himself is Symbolism The historical allusion

hoarse Historical Allusion to the Jacobean era in
That croaks the fatal Zoomorphism which the king was
entrance of Duncan foreshadowing naturally chosen by god
thus the foreshadowing
death of Duncan through
the symbolism of ravens
would disrupt the chain
of being causing the
natural world to be
unstable.
Theme 2:Ambition

Example Techniques Effect

(Quote) (Analysis)
“Were such things here metaphor The metaphor of drugs
as we do speak about? Or conveys the idea that
have we eaten on the ambition can ‘prison’
insane root that takes reason and rationality
reason, prisoner?” and reflects how
ambition can be
blinding. Drugs are
temporary and addicting
just as his desire for
the throne.

“Stay, you imperfect Irony Macbeth acknowledges

speakers, tell me more.” Imperative language that the witch's
prophecies are flawed
however he still
believes them. They
planted the seed of
ambition in him,
catalysing the chain of
the proceeding events.
The imperative language
contrasts Macbeth's
prior curious tone. This
contrast highlights
Macbeth’s sudden
confidence alluding to
the initiation of his
ambition.

Commencing in a truth? I Elongated Sentences He ponders all the

am Thane of Cawdor. Hypophora possibilities of
If good, why do I yield personification fulfilling his ambition
to that suggestion and feels oddly excited
Whose horrid image doth about contemplating
unfix my hair, these ideas, questioning
And make my seated heart himself repeatedly and
knock at my ribs, self-indulging through
Against the use of his chain of expression.
nature? Present fears
Are less than horrible
imaginings.
My thought, whose murder
yet is but fantastical,
Shakes so my single
state of man that
function
Is smothered in surmise
— and nothing is,
But what is not?

“look like th' innocent Biblical allusion Lady Macbeth is

flower, But be the Foreshadowing manipulating Macbeth
serpent under't'” Symbolism into doing what
satan/lucifer did as he
went against god and the
natural order which led
 to his downfall, thus
foreshadowing that
Macbeth will face a
similar fate. Lady
Macbeth symbolises satan
as she is encouraging
Macbeth to take the
forbidden fruit which is
the throne.

Theme 3:Fate vs free will

Example Techniques Effect

(Quote) (Analysis)
“Make my seated heart personification He questions why his
knock at my ribs against body is reacting in such
the use of nature?” a way that symbolises
his moral integrity and
ambition to fight
causing an inner
conflict.

Theme 4:Illusion vs reality

Example Techniques Effect

(Quote) (Analysis)

Theme 5:Femininity vs Masculinity

Example Techniques Effect
(Quote) (Analysis)
“Under my battlements. Historical allusion The negative connotation
Come, you spirits Imperative language attached to femininity
That tend on mortal Negative connotations highlights the lack of
thoughts, unsex me here, Symbolism power and control, the
debilitating nature of
gender norms which Lady
And fill me from the Macbeth defies. However,
crown to the toe, must still be stripped
top-full away of her feminine
traits which are
Of direst cruelty. Make symbolised as weak and
thick my blood” replaced with
masculinity symbolised
as strong in order to
take command of the
prophecy. She commands
the spirits to take away
her sense of femininity,
through the use of
imperative language
which then portrays her
in a more masculine
light.