"When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning, or in rain?"

(lines 1-2).

The second witch replies that they will meet

"when the hurlyburly's done, when the battle's lost and won." (lines 3-4),

and the third witch says that

"that will be ere the set of the sun"(line 5).

The witches proceed to discuss where they will meet, and decide that they will meet

"upon the heath" (line 7).

The third witch then prophesies that they will meet Macbeth there. They leave with one final chorus:

"Fair is foul, and foul is fair

Hover through the fog and filthy air,"

symbolising the inversion of the world.

1. What atmosphere is created by this way of opening the play?

Macbeth, the title character, is first brought into the story as part of the sergeant's report. Macbeth's character is greatly built up in this second scene by both the sergeant and King Duncan. The sergeant says,

Macbeth is portrayed as brave, heroic, bold, and fearless in the face of death. The King adds, "O valiant cousin! Worthy gentleman!" (line 24). Now we know that he has relation to the king and the throne, which is important later.

No more that thane of Cawdor shall deceive
Our bosom interest: go pronounce his present death,
And with his former title greet Macbeth.

A minor theme of trust appears here, though this theme isn't large enough to give it formal standing, but remember the King's trust: broken by Cawdor, and immense for Macbeth. Also, Macbeth is given title of Thane of Cawdor, a good gift for the King's "valiant cousin's service to the King (a reward).

"So foul and fair a day I have not seen." 

The witches then speak to Macbeth and give their great prophecy:

Present: "Thane of Glamis!" (line 48)

Future 1: "Thane of Cawdor!" (line 49)

Future 2: "Macbeth, that shalt be King hereafter!" (line 50)

We learn from Banquo's speech immediately following the Witches' greeting that Macbeth is visibly shaken by the Witches' words, for Banquo says,

"Good Sir, why do you start, and seem to fear

Things that do sound so fair?"

But Macbeth is not only shaken; he is so involved with his thoughts that he does not hear Banquo and therefore does not answer Banquo's question.

The witches then speak to Banquo when requested by him, giving their second great prophecy:

"Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none." (line 67)

Macbeth challenges the witches, questioning their prophecies. He says, "The Thane of Cawdor lives, / A prosperous gentleman . . . / . . . Say from whence / You owe this strange intelligence?" (lines 72 - 73).

In lines 83 - 88, Shakespeare adds in more humour to lighten the situation. Then Ross and Angus enter the scene. Ross tells Macbeth,

"He [King Duncan] bade me, from him, call thee Thane of Cawdor" (line 105).

This statement almost convinces Macbeth and Banquo of the witches' prophecies.

Does Banquo have prophecies of his own?

"What, can the devil speak true?" asks Banquo (line 107).

He says, in line 124,

"The instruments of darkness tell us truths,

Win us with honest trifles, to betray 's

In deepest consequence."

He thinks and says bad things of the witches. He calls them instruments of darkness and the devil. He might believe that these prophecies will only bring harm even before anything begins to happen.

As the other characters are involved in conversation, Macbeth speaks an aside.

(An aside is a speech spoken by one character and heard by no one else on stage except those actors whom he may be addressing. In this case Macbeth is speaking to no other characters.)

Macbeth tells himself that this beckoning him on (to greater things) by beings who know more than ordinary men ("supernatural soliciting") is ambiguous. That is, it is difficult to decide whether it is good or evil. The fact that he is made Thane of Cawdor seems to indicate that they tell the truth, and that appears to show that the beings are good.

On the other hand, how can they be good when he allows himself to see a picture so horrible that it makes his hair stand on end and his heart beat unusually hard. Macbeth goes on to say that immediate dangers ("present fears") are less frightening to him than horrible things which he imagines. Exactly what makes his hair stand on end and heart beat wildly becomes a bit clearer in the following line: "My thought, whose murder is but fantastical.... " Apparently he has been thinking of murdering someone. The picture of himself as a murderer has been so vivid that he has been thoroughly shaken and caught up completely by his inner thoughts. He is incapable of seeing anything around him.

Banquo remarks to his companions on Macbeth's self-absorption. But Macbeth continues his speech. If fortune ("chance") wants him to be king, he says, fortune may find a way to make him king. The implication is, of course, that Macbeth then will not have to do anything. (Almost certainly, he is thinking of the murder he has just been imagining.) Banquo, still watching Macbeth, remarks that Macbeth apparently is not yet accustomed to his new honours; they fit him

"like our strange garments [which] cleave not to their mould."

Macbeth ends his deliberations with

"Come what come may,

Time and the hour runs through the roughest day."

Banquo tells Macbeth that the group is waiting for him, and Macbeth begs their pardon. He also tells them that he appreciates the trouble they have taken to inform him of his good fortune. Then in an aside to Banquo, Macbeth advises Banquo to think about what has occurred, which they will sincerely discuss at their leisure. Banquo replies, "Very gladly."

1. What do the witches foretell of Macbeth and Banquo?

2. What is the effect of the prophesy on Macbeth himself?

3. What hints exist in this scene of what is to come?

4. How is the theme of duplicity and ambiguity expressed in this scene?