Reading Journal, Act 1, 'Macbeth'

Scene I:

• Stage directions – ‘thunder and lightening’. This is typical Gothic weather, creating atmosphere and noise which immediately builds tension.

• The play begins with an enigmatic opening – ‘When shall we three meet again?’ Throughout the witches’ dialogue more questions are raised – what battle? Who is Macbeth?
• Shakespeare uses stichomythia – ‘I come, Grey-Malkin.’ This part of scene 1 is arranged where single lines are spoken by alternate speakers, which, overall, speeds up the pace of the dialogue.

Scene II:

• Reference to blood multiple times. Including; in the stage directions ‘bleeding Captain’ and when the King says ‘What bloody man is that?’ Is this Shakespeare’s warning to the audience of the blood shed to come?
• This scene also focuses on glorifying Macbeth. His is described as ‘brave’ and he ‘well deserves that name’. This is further emphasised by the mention to ‘valour’. We learn that Macbeth has earned respect and he is a great warrior. However, we are brought to question, as the Captain is dying, is he a reliable storyteller?
• This scene is relatively graphic. It highlights that it is not about winning the battle, but how you win. Macbeth is shown to be a strong fighter as he ‘unseamed him from the nave to the chops…’ ‘Cannons overcharged’ shows the warriors were eager – is this because of Macbeth’s influence?

Scene III:

• Again, the witches’ enter with thunder, making their entrance more prominent. They are all together, emphasising the ‘power of 3’. This could be connotating reference to the past, present and future. They all join to being ‘all knowing’ – omniscient – which is a aspect of God’s nature. Yet, ironically, they are the opposite.
• After hearing the witches’, Macbeth’s speech beginning ‘Stay you imperfect speakers!’ is full of pace. The exclamation marks make it more powerful. He seems to consider and question all his options as he questions himself ‘But how of Cawdor? The Thane of Cawdor lives…And to be King stands not within the prospect of belief…’ This is in addition a very fast paced speech – the speed at which his thoughts are moving too. The excitement overwhelms him. 

Scene IV:

• Shakespeare uses irony again when the King shows he has no reason not to trust Macbeth; ‘He was a gentleman on whom I built an absolute trust.’
• ‘Our duties are to your throne…’ Do we believe Macbeth’s words? Is he still loyal to the King or are his words mechanical?
• Are question to the above is then answered when Macbeth says, aside, ‘Let not light see my black and deep desires’. He shows scheming and plotting, letting the audience realise that he is seriously considering the witches’ prophecy. However, Macbeth does not show if he will do anything about it. Is he just a weak man with great ideas that he is incapable of completing?
• This speech also switches from rhyming couplets to prose, which is similar to the chanting of the witches. It makes obvious more signs of evil and puts Macbeth at the same status and level of the witches.

Scene V:

• Begins with Lady Macbeth reading a letter – we cannot make a true immediate judgement of her, as she is not reading her own words. Could this symbolise two sides of one character? Is Lady Macbeth, Macbeth’s ego (Freud’s idea that the ego causes us to make the dangerous decisions and actions). Shakespeare gives Lady Macbeth no ambiguity.
• She shows dominance over Macbeth – ‘leave all the rest to me.’
• ‘Unsex me here’, ‘Make thick my blood’. Lady Macbeth is shown as almost masculine, a reversal of gender, which is shocking. Is this her wanting to rid herself of the last bit of morality she has so she can go through with the plans to kill Duncan. If this is the case, then she does have a conscience, she just doesn’t want it.

Scene VI:

• This scene sets up Scene VII – Lady Macbeth presents that she is two faced, or just a very clever woman. ‘We rest your hermits.’

Scene VII:

• As Macbeth enters alone, it means he does not have to hide his feelings, he has no one to pretend to, he can express everything. ‘Naked new born babe’, this usually promotes innocence, however, here, it is the reversal of innocence, into evil.
• Macbeth then presents himself as a more respectful man when he tells Lady Macbeth ‘We will proceed no further in this business.’ Nevertheless, he is quickly overruled by Lady Macbeth.
• Lady Macbeth makes reference to ‘valour’. This twists the Captain’s words, blackmailing Macbeth into her plans.
• ‘I have given suck’ – evidence to show Lady Macbeth had children, a reason that the audience could sympathise with her. Though she then says ‘Have plucked my nipple from his boneless gums and dashed the brains out.’ These horrifying words are made more dramatic because they come from a woman – someone meant to be typical fragile and nurturing.
• Act and Scene ends with Macbeth’s words ‘False face must hide what the false heart doth know.’ The use of aesthetics (like in Dorian Gray) is Shakespeare’s technique of hiding one’s true personality.