Supernatural Language

• Act 1 Scene 2

  • Duncan mirrors the witches' language when speaks of the first Thane of Cawdor, saying "What he hath lost, noble Macbeth hath won"
  • In 1:1, the witches said "When the battle's lost and won"
  • This suggest the witches can predict the future and it hints at their power.
• Act 1 Scene 3

  • Macbeth also mirrors the witches' language in this act, when, just before meeting the witches, he says "so foul and fair a day I have not seen".
  • Again, in 1:1, on first being introduced to the witches, they chant "fair is foul and foul is fair"
  • The mirrored words cause the audience to fear that Macbeth's fate is linked to the witches.
• Act 1 Scene 4

  • After conversing with Duncan, before leaving him, Macbeth suddenly speaks in rhyming couplets - something that only the witches do.
  • " - For in my way it lies, Stars, hide your fires, - let not light see my black and deep desires"
  • The use of rhyming couplets emphasises Macbeth's evil intentions. He is contemplating committing a treacherous, evil deed.
• Act 1 Scene 5

  • On his return from battle, Lady Macbeth also mirrors language previously spoken by the witches, when she greets him with "Great Glamis, worthy Cawdor, / Greater than both by all-hail hereafter"
  • In 1:3, when the witches first meet Macbeth, they greeted him as thus:
  • 1st witch: "All hail Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Glamis"
  • 2nd witch: "All hail Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor!"
  • 3rd witch: "All hail Macbeth that shalt be king hereafter"
• Act 1 Scene 5

  The link between Lady Macbeth and the witches reinforces the dark nature of the Queen-to-be and warns the audience of how dangerous she could potentially be.
• Act 1 Scene 7

  • Macbeth's descent into monosyllabic, chant-like language, again creates a link with the witches - when he tells Lady Macbeth "false face must hide what the false heart doth know"
  • Here, he has decided that he will kill the king. The evilness of the act is replicated in the witch-like language.