Macbeth. William Shakespeare

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       Scene I

       An open place

      [Thunder and lightning. Enter three WITCHES.]

       First Witch

      When shall we three meet again?

      In thunder, lightning, or in rain?

       Second Witch

      When the hurlyburly’s done,

      When the battle’s lost and won.

       Third Witch

      That will be ere the set of sun. 5

       First Witch

      Where the place?

       Second Witch

      Upon the heath.

       Third Witch

      There to meet with Macbeth.

       First Witch

      I come, Graymalkin.

       Second Witch

      Paddock calls. 10

       Third Witch

      Anon!

       All

      Fair is foul, and foul is fair:

      Hover through the fog and filthy air.

      [WITCHES vanish.]

      ACT I SCENE I

      This short opening scene gives an immediate impression of mystery, horror and uncertainty. These witches would have been truly frightening to an audience in Shakespeare’s day, many of whom would have seen, or at the very least known about, women burnt at the stake for selling themselves to the Devil. Macbeth is introduced by name by the Third Witch, and this raises questions in the audience’s mind – who is he? And what can these disgusting hags want with him?

      3. hurlyburly the confused noise of storm and battle. Thunder was produced for the Elizabethan stage by rolling cannon-balls. Nowadays the same effect is produced by shaking sheets of metal, or through electronic and digital sound equipment.

      4. lost and won the first of many apparent contradictions and confusions (see line 12 of this scene). The words can mean ‘decided one way or the other’.

      9. Graymalkin a name for a grey cat, which was a common ‘familiar’ of witches. A familiar was a demon which attended and assisted a witch; these spirits usually took some rather sinister form.

      10. Paddock a toad. This is the Second Witch’s familiar. Sounds were probably made off-stage to represent the calls of these familiar spirits, though it is difficult to imagine what sound a toad was supposed to make.

      11. Anon! I am coming at once.

      12. This line is a kind of motto for the witches. They delight in a reversal of all the normal values. Macbeth seems to involve himself with them by echoing the phrase in Act I, Scene iii, line 39.

      13. fog and filthy air this may have been produced by burning resin under the stage; again, in today’s theatre if an effect is required it is more likely to be produced by smoke machine, dry ice or something similar.