Significance of the Opening Scene of MacbethMacbeth is a play which attracts superlatives: it is Shakespeare's shortest
tragedy and the fastest moving, the most economical of the tragedies in its use
of language and thematic integration; it has the most pronounced atmosphere
of evil of any of his plays, but also contains the most insistent religious language;
it may be the greatest of morality plays, and was once thought the most
instructive tragedy in the world: it has been called his most timely, his darkest,
his most poetic, most philosophically ambitious play, fantastical and imaginative
beyond other tragedies. Its imagery has been termed ‘more rich and varied,
more highly imaginative than that of any other single play’. While it is said to
depict the happiest married couple in all his work, it is the play in which
Shakespeare addresses himself most pervasively to tragic action. "No other
tragedy has so many strange, disturbing phenomena". In the theatre, it has
accrued a unique aura of superstition, and has often to be referred to as the
Scottish play! Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” is a tragedy of the triumph of evil: we
are in a world of moral anarchy, symbolized by the withered beings, to whom
“foul is fair.” Human nature is conducted in terms of the divine pyramid
hierarchical order of providential, political and personal. Man is a universe in
miniature, a microcosm that is sympathetically connected to the macrocosm.
Thus when Macbeth’s “single state of mind” is shaken when his hand which
should bow in a gesture of obedience to Duncan, grab the dagger to decide his
destiny there is a corresponding disruption in the other two. From the world of
order, the order of the world of disorder can only be a conjecture. From the
world of thesis, the world of antithesis cannot be judged- for ‘fair’, fair is fair but
for ‘foul’, foul is fair. In the three tier hierarchical order disruption in any one will
shake the other two. Shakespeare deliberately starts the play with the
atmosphere of anti-thesis, mystery and horror of the underlying forces which
commands the action of the play to set the mood of his audience or readers- to
prepare them for the tragedy.
The play begins when the weather is not favorable rather hostile to men, most
disagreeable. The appearance of the witches in a deserted place, with thunder
and lightning, symbolizes a barren place where evil runs rampant obtaining its
mastery over all things. The storm, at its worst, not only harmonizes with their
grotesque guise and rites, it is also a symbol of the present convulsion in
Duncan’s kingdom and of the greater ones to come. The entry of the witches in
the number of the “three” gives a sense of the upcoming tragedy. The words of
the first witch “In thunder lightning or in rain?" refers to action, thought and
remorse that Macbeth will go through in times to come. Thunder refers to the
action of killing the king, lightning to the thought of the action and rain to the
tears that Macbeth spills upon Duncan's death. The first witch through her
words prepares the stage for their next meeting. Her questioning tone sets the
mood for their next meeting keeping us curious about their next meet. The
second witch evokes the sense of battle "When the hurly-burly’s done, / When
the battle's lost and won”. It is a tumult both in Macbeth’s mind and on the
battle field. The sense of battle is not only outside but also within Macbeth. The
singularity of the word "battle" and the use of apostrophe forces us to think as
in which battle to specify on--the one the Scottish army and Macbeth are
fighting against Sweden & Norway or the one where Macbeth in fighting with
himself. Both Macbeth's are fair in their own thoughts but foul in the others one
thinks Duncan as the king and the other thinks Duncan is to be killed. Both
Macbeths fight but for one to win the other has to loose. The questions here
stands that in a battle with self who would win. It is the battle of 'Crown' and
'Royalty' - both indistinguishable yet separated by a fine line of desire and duty.
But as the play progresses we will experience that the desire of Macbeth
murders the conscience of his duty to decide the destiny of Duncan. The words
of the third witch "That will be ere the set of sun" Specifies that they would meet
Macbeth again to water the seed of evil within his heart soon before the bright
sun of "good" set never to rise again.
Evil can act only on those who have the sight in themselves. Witches meeting
with Banquo is incidental but-meeting Macbeth is the incident. They just
prepare to meet him, they set the atmosphere of evil and darkness but Macbeth
himself becomes available to them with the withering height of ambition.
The witches together say: - "Fair is foul and foul is fair". This creates the paradox
which in the principle of the play. It is the reversal of conventional values which
is the central significance. Throughout the play Macbeth oscillates from fair to
foul and foul to fair thus becoming a hell hound with his conscience.
Macbeth is the victor and the vanquished. The presence of the word "again" in
the first line of the opening scene is a proposal of future impact. By this it is
indicated that the witches will happen again and again whether we see them or
not, they will mark their presence by Macbeth's actions. They perverted the
topography of Macbeth's psychological state.
The knowledge of future means to lend the elements of supernaturalism to the
play. The presence of the witches, the fog and filthy air and 'Gray-Malkin' not
only mark the presence of supernatural entity but also evil and darkness. The
shoot and crisp opening scene of 'Macbeth' introduces the super-natural
elements and gives the fare knowledge of the amalgamation of good & evil. It
teaches that man's moral virtues cannot stick to the moral goodness. That evil
is over mastering is the potent truth in the scene.