William Shakespeare's Macbeth

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In the play Macbeth, Shakespeare uses the effects of characterization through physical appearance, actions, and the character’s words to infuse character development.
In the story of Macbeth the first three characters to enter are the three witches. They are perceived to have beards and have the ability to shapeshift into animals, specifically rats without tails. They can be thought of as demonic figures from the underworld, or elements of the malicious supernatural. When the three witches are introduced into the story the first words said were “when shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning, or in rain?” (47). They were also thought the have been able to control the winds and weather. Like demons from the underworld. Throughout the story the three witches seem to stalk around the characters and leech into their minds like nightmares or bad thoughts. Also, whenever they speak they seem to all speak together in horrific tones and rhyme all of their words; like they are conjoined together. Throughout the story the three witches deliver an abundance of quotes that not only help develop themselves, but do introduce and develop other characters.
A prime example of this would be the last quote of Act 1 Scene 1: “Fair is foul, and foul is fair. Hover through the fog and filthy air” this quote then rolls into the introduction of the next characters because the words “fair is foul, and foul is fair” relates to the character Macbeth. Macbeth’s characterization throughout the story is significant because it is centered around him and his glorious yet malignant acts. In the beginning when he is introduced by Duncan (the King of Scotland), he said “What bloody man is that?” (49). The reader’s first thought of Macbeth is that he is warr...

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...gery. There is always conflict, whether it is internal or external.
Works Cited
WPMU DEV. The Wordpress Experts. 2013. 7 November 2013.

Oracle. Thinkquest. 14 September 2011. 7 November 2013.

Shakespeare, William. Macbeth. Barnes and Noble, INC: New York, 2007.
Shmoop. 2013. 7 November 2013.

Summary Central. 2013. 12 November 2013.

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SparkNotes. 2013. 1 December 2013.

http://summarycentral.tripod.com/macbeth.htm
http://resources.mhs.vic.edu.au/macbeth/theplay/imagery.html

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William Shakespeare's Macbeth

Illusion vs. Reality in Macbeth

Persuasion in Macbeth

Macbeth: The True Nature of Man