act 1 scene 1

• Act one Scene one of Macbeth begins in the midst of a storm
• Three witches appear on a Scottish moor, enchanting tones, agree to meet again after the battle
• Witches will agree to Macbeth, then disappear quickly, called away by their familiars Grimalkin and the paddock
• The Weird Sisters act as a catalyst for the events in Macbeth, setting up a dark mood leading to Macbeth's tragic end
• Witches' motivations for choosing Macbeth are unclear, but they relish the upcoming battle and chaos that will follow, referring to it as hurly-burly
• Hurly-burly refers to a chaotic scuffle, in this case, the battle and subsequent events
• Witches summon thunderstorms reflecting their ominous intentions and the play's mood
• Mood of malevolence enhanced when witches reference their familiars, Grimalkin (cat) and paddock (toad)
• Shakespeare alludes to the belief that witches used animals as messengers between themselves and the devil
• Witches' chant "fair is foul and foul is fair" reflects their disregard for goodness and preference for what is foul or evil