Macbeth · Chapter
Scene I explained
Three witches meet in a desolate place amidst thunder and lightning, planning to reconvene after the battle to encounter Macbeth.
What happens
Three witches meet in a desolate place amidst thunder and lightning, planning to reconvene after the battle to encounter Macbeth. They chant 'Fair is foul, and foul is fair,' establishing an atmosphere of moral confusion and supernatural influence.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
This scene marks the dramatic climax because it presents the definitive psychological and strategic turning po…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Supernatural and Evil
The witches' appearance and chant introduce the supernatural as a force of moral inversion and chaos.
- Appearance vs. Reality
The line 'Fair is foul, and foul is fair' establishes the theme of deceptive appearances and moral ambiguity.
Characters to notice
- Three Witches
The witches convene in a stormy heath, setting their meeting with Macbeth after the battle.
- Macbeth
Mentioned as the one the witches plan to meet on the heath.
Key passages
“Fair is foul, and foul is fair: Hover through the fog and filthy air.”
What seems good is actually evil, and what seems evil is actually good; let us move through this murky, polluted atmosphere.
The witches' paradoxical chant encapsulates the play's central theme of moral inversion.
