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Macbeth Literary Devices

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Act 1 Scene 1, the opening scene of Macbeth, consists of numerous different literary devices and techniques, which combined, contribute significantly to the overall foreboding, and evil atmosphere which is carried throughout the play. The Scene begins with stage directions, “A desolate place”. Desolate refers to an abandoned and/or uninhabited place. This depicts that the witches are secretive. Furthermore, it implies that the activity they are about to do is mischievous and unusual. Conclusively, stage directions have a big impact on the atmosphere, as they help to create suspense, and build up evil. “Thunder and Lighting”, is the following line. This is another use of stage directions. Likewise, to the previous one, it tells us about the witches’ unusual behavior. Pathetic Fallacy is a literary device that has been used here. Pathetic Fallacy is when the atmosphere or weather reflects a character’s feeling or behavior, in this case, the dark weather directly correlates to the witches’ weird, yet evil personality and/or behavior Moreover, imagery is included in this line too. Imagery is a literary device that allows the reader to picture what is happening, for instance, thunder and lightning allow the reader to ‘image’ what the weather and situation is like. Ultimately, this stage direction plays a …show more content…

Firstly, rhyming couplets are used. Rhyming couplets mimic a chant and give off a negative, weird, or suspicious feeling. An example of this device is, again and rain. Additionally, foreshadowing is also spotted in this line. Foreshadowing refers to one’s ability to predict correctly or see the future. Slowly, but steadily, the constant use of various literary devices is producing a suspenseful and dark

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