Act 1 Scene 1 Film Version of William Shakespeare's Macbeth In Elizabethan England, witches and the supernatural were a very genuine threat to everyday life. They were recognised as an antithesis to the divinely ordained order of the universe, often attributed with unexplained disease to neighbours and to livestock, as quoted in Act 1, Scene 3 when the second witch notifies the others that she has been 'killing swine'. The Elizabethan population did not commonly believe that witches were born supernatural beings, rather that they gained their powers by selling their souls to Satan. Indeed, this play was extremely relevant to modern life around the time of its first production. James I was personally terrified yet fascinated by witches after an attempt on his life by Agnes Sampson, a convicted witch.
Our first acquaintance with the witches is in Act 1 scene 1 of the play. Shakespeare makes it apparent that the witches are obviously going to play a major role in the play by opening it with them. It is also made evident that Macbeth will be the witches target for evil as the third witch says "There to meet with Macbeth" The witches chant "Fair is foul, and foul is fair" this is an oxymoron, i.e. a figure of speech c... ... middle of paper ... ...e that without the witches and other forms of supernaturalism the play would pan out very differently. The witches decide what happens the whole way through the play, and they are responsible for the storyline in its entirety.
This was the hill where all the witches were hanged. After a witch was hanged, later that night, their family would usually take the body down and give it a proper burial. The Salem Witchcraft Trials were one of the most terrible times in the history of America. As you can see the chaotic Salem Witchcraft Trials of 1692 were caused by superstition, the strict puritan lifestyle, religious beliefs, and hysteria.
Accused witches were examined for this mark, a red mark on the body where Satan had sucked blood. King James I was as fascinated by witchcraft as any of his subjects. In 1590 it was alleged that a group of witches had tried to kill him. Fired by this experience King ... ... middle of paper ... ...agree with the idea that Lady Macbeth is a fiend but I do not agree that she is a fiend - like queen. I believe this as when Lady Macbeth became queen she did not act in a fiendish manner.
They say that they are going to meet Macbeth on top of the Heath. This scene is important because this is where the witches are telling the audience about where they are going to make the predictions. Another scene that involves the witches is when they are ... ... middle of paper ... ...s a horror film but they would think of the play as being very good and interesting. They would watch it for entertainment and the special effects would have dramatic impact on the audience. The impact on the audience would change over the years.
Also the visual effects of the dagger, the apparitions and Banquo's ghost help people to understand what the character is feeling and why they are acting the way they are. Seeing the supernatural in a play shows how realistic it can be and also how powerful the supernatural really is. I think that without the clever use of the supernatural in Macbeth it would not be as fascinating and thought provoking as it is. Bibliography: Macbeth - Hilary Burningham CGP - GCSE Text guide Complete play of Macbeth Oxfordshire school, Shakespeare - Macbeth
I believe Elizabethan audiences would have reacted in a negative way to the witches presence. The witches would have caused shock and controversy amongst the audience. The possibility that witches can determine the future would have stirred the audience because in those days people suspected of being a witch was executed. ‘Thunder and lightning’ is used to help create the atmosphere of ‘Macbeth’. The ‘thunder and lightning’ is used to represent the witches.
However, when people began to learn how to read, they realized that witchcraft was against what the bible says. So this led to even more people being accused of being a witch. During the colonial era when the European countries where colonizing the world, England was a breeding ground for witch hunts. The religious persecution of small Christian groups in England led to the Puritans leaving the country. Arriving in the 13 colonies, here one of the worst witch trials in American history took place in Salem Massachusetts.
The Dramatic Impact of The Witches in William Shakespeare's Macbeth Witchcraft in the 17th centaury was frowned upon by the church as a result witches were feared and loathed in the community. Many people thought that they were directly connected to Lucifer (the devil). Their evidence of this was that the devils familiars came up from hell and drank the witches blood from devil spots (moles or birthmarks), in return for this blood he would grant them special powers such as the ability to fly, foul crops or kill at a glance. As a result of this propaganda created by the church thousands of innocent people were tried as witches and burnt at the stake. To be in a 17th centaury audience and have witches appear on stage would be terrifying and cause a genial reaction of shock and disgust.
When the battle’s lost, and won.” Every word they speak seems to link them with evil and foulness. “Fair is foul, and foul is fair, Hover through the fog and filthy air.” In Shakespearean England the atmosphere of distrust and suspicion was a powerful breeding ground for persecution and witch-hunts were common. People them days were induced to relate witches as rebels against God and the divine order. So starting the play with this dramatic scene is setting out to grip the audience’s attention from the very start of the play. The Shakespearean audience would therefore be immediately aware at the very start of the play that this drama concerns evil and foul deeds.