Macbeth - William Shakespeare Response Journal: Act I

The beginning scenes of William Shakespeare's infamous play, Macbeth, serve to establish the tragedy's dramatic premise, as centred on Macbeth's ambition being awakened by the witches. The first three scenes also introduce the main characters and their relationships with each other, while creating the dark mood infused throughout the play.
The play commences with a storm, from which three malicious witches emerge. The story then shifts to a battlefield, where a sense of the cruelty of war dominates. As the captain recounts the heroics of Macbeth and Banquo, he particularly stresses how M…