Examples Of Foreshadowing In Macbeth

“Macbeth”, a tragedy by William Shakespeare illustrates the devastation toward one's character as a result of use of ambition without the presence of morality. The effective use of Scotland's heath, immense castles, and bleak weather conditions in the story, serve to deliver a somber tone and sinister atmosphere to the reader. The setting is a necessary element in the story that symbolizes a secure environment that sharply contrasts with an environment that is insecure. Through the character of Macbeth, the reader is introduced to a man who at first is not characteristically driven to perform malicious actions, but in the end gives up his moral values for his desire. Shakespeare effectively uses Macbeth and his emotionally weak character in

Shakespeare utilizes an abundance of examples of foreshadowing in this tragedy. Foreshadowing not only provides hints of future events in the story, but also emphasizes the major theme and the plot. The following quote foreshadows the event in which Macbeth attains control of a kingdom: “All hail Macbeth! Hail to thee Thane of Glamis! All hail Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor! (…) that shalt be king hereafter!”(Shakespeare 17). The primary indication that the witches predict that Macbeth will become king is that they repeat, “Hail to thee” several times which is often said to royalty or people of great importance. They refer to him as a king, which insinuates that he will become king and his desire for power, will become reality. Furthermore, the following quote explicitly utilizes foreshadowing in order to reinforce the theme of desire to acquire power: “By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes. Open locks, whoever knocks”(Shakespeare 123). This phrase is said by one of the witches, it is obvious that they are referring to Macbeth as “something wicked this way comes”, however they are also referring to the negative outcomes that will occur because of the overpowering strength of Macbeth's desire for power. It is now apparent that the witches have the ability to predict future events in the play. Moreover, it is also becoming more apparent that the witches are simply a creation of Macbeth's