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Examples Of Foreshadowing In Macbeth

499 Words2 Pages

Courtney Schemansky
Mr. Morgan
Lit into Film, 5th hour
11 February 2016
Macbeth- Writing Assignment Throughout the ages of literature, authors have been helping readers not be overly surprised by creating dramatic tension with exposing the ending to horrific novels through the device of foreshadowing. In Macbeth by William Shakespeare, foreshadowing is used to predict outcomes of the play and express the disastrous fate of Macbeth through the prophecies made by witches along with other events. Right from the start, the entire play is hinted before any of it even begins when Macbeth meets the three witches in the first act. The first witch praises, “All hail, Macbeth, hail to thee, Thane of Glamis!”(1.3.48) which was what Macbeth's title was, but they foretell his future when the second witch procliams “All hail, Macbeth, hail to thee, Thane …show more content…

This tell's the readers of events that unfold later in the play in regards to Macbeth's title. On the other hand, foreshadowing occurs when Duncan’s horses attack one another. This scene is ironic because the horses, who have always been obedient and the best of all the stallions, “Turn’d wild in nature, broke their stalls, flung out,” (2.4.16) this hints towards the fall of their king because “Contending ‘gainst obedience, as they would / Make war with mankind.’” (2.4.17-18) which predicts Duncans death and the upcoming rise of problems in the kingdom. Therefore, it is Macbeth’s interpretations of the prophecies that triggers his ambition and is the cause of his betrayal towards the King who trusted in him. Undoubtedly he has yet another encounter with the witches, which leads Macbeth to believe he is invincible after they say to him, “Macbeth shall never vanquish'd be until / Great

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