Tala :)

In act 1 scene 1, Shakespeare creates an eerie and ominous atmosphere through the use of an oxymoron and
pathetic fallacy. The setting “thunder and lighting” depicts bad weather, which in turn paints the eerie
atmosphere and tense mood that sets the play. The play opens with noise and disorder, forbidding the evil
that will come. The use of a pathetic fallacy creates an ominous and chaotic tone that will probably follow
the play. Additionally, one can say that it foreshadows the unrest that will occur during the play. It could
also be referring to common belief at the time of writing that witches could control weather inferring that
the bad weather is the witches doing. Pathetic fallacy is used once again in the line 5 “ere the set of sun”
and line 8 “there to meet Macbeth” it suggests and foreshadows that a darkness is going to overcome
Macbeth. By creating darkness, Shakespeare sets the play to be a play of ‘illusion’ and darkness. It would be
also interesting to know how Shakespeare maintains a rhyme for supernatural/evil characters. This is seen in
line 11 “Fair is foul and foul is fair, hover through fog and filthy air” where Shakespere uses a rhyming
couplet. The witches speak in rhyming tetrameter which breaks up their speech, making it disjointed and
sets them apart . Shakespeare also uses a paradox to reflect a certain angst of the witches and to point out
their absurdities with the goal of making them seem inhuman, ominous, and paranormal. The line "fair is
foul, and foul is fair" may also serve as a warning to the readers in the sense that some things are not what
they seem, creating an unnerving and mystifying mood. The “Fog” also suggests, through pathetic fallacy,
not only how our vision is restricted but suggests how the play has layers to it, truly showcasing its
complexity