Act 1 scenes 1-4 establish the play’s dramatic premise—the witches’ awakening of Macbeth’s ambition—and present the main characters and their relationships
Explain to show how the four scenes establish a dark mood that affects the entire play
Explanation of how the four scenes establish a dark mood:
The effect on the entire play
The mood and tone of darkness is presented right away. Shakespeare uses the witches' meeting as a narrative hook to draw the audience in. Three witches stand together in thunder and lightning. They ask, "When shall we three meet again / In thunder, lightning, or in rain?" Act 1, Scene 1, lines 1-2 The answer is that they shall meet Macbeth on the heath after all events have unfolded. With that decided, the three weird sisters leave. This darkness foreshadows more darkness to come not only in the following scenes but in the whole play itself.
