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Macbeth
Introduction + Context
Plot Summary
Detailed Summary & Analysis
Act 1, scene 1 Act 1, scene 2 Act 1, scene 3 Act 1, scene 4 Act 1, scene 5 Act 1, scene 6 Act 1, scene 7 Act 2, scene 1 Act 2, scene 2 Act 2, scene 3 Act 2, scene 4 Act 3, scene 1 Act 3, scene 2 Act 3, scene 3 Act 3, scene 4 Act 3, scene 5 Act 3, scene 6 Act 4, scene 1 Act 4, scene 2 Act 4, scene 3 Act 5, scene 1 Act 5, scene 2 Act 5, scene 3 Act 5, scene 4 Act 5, scene 5 Act 5, scene 6 Act 5, scene 7 Act 5, scene 8 Act 5, scene 9 Act 5, scene 10 Act 5, scene 11
Themes
All Themes Ambition Fate Violence Nature and the Unnatural Manhood
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All Characters Macbeth Lady Macbeth Banquo Macduff King Duncan Malcolm Weird Sisters
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Macbeth

Macbeth Act 1, scene 1 Summary & Analysis

Read our modern English translation of this scene.
Themes Key
Ambition Theme Icon
Fate Theme Icon
Violence Theme Icon
Nature and the Unnatural Theme Icon
Manhood Theme Icon
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Macbeth, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Ambition Theme Icon
Ambition
Fate Theme Icon
Fate
Violence Theme Icon
Violence
Nature and the Unnatural Theme Icon
Nature and the Unnatural
Manhood Theme Icon
Manhood
Summary
Analysis
As a storm rages, three witches appear, speaking in rhyming, paradoxical couplets: "when the battle's lost and won" (1.1.4); "fair is foul, and foul is fair" (1.1.10). They agree to meet again on the heath (plain) when the battle now raging ends. There they'll meet Macbeth.
The witches' rhyming speech makes them seem inhuman, ominous, and paranormal, which, in fact, they are.
Themes
Fate Theme Icon
Nature and the Unnatural Theme Icon
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