4/22/22, 9:35 AM Macbeth: Foreshadowing | SparkNotes
Macbeth
William Shakespeare
SU
SU
SU
SU
Study No Fear Mastery Flashcards Infographic Graphic
LP
LP
LP
LP
Guide Translation Quizzes Novel
Summary Characters Literary Devices Questions & Answers Quotes Quick Quizzes Essays Further Study
Literary Devices
Foreshadowing
Most of the major events of the play are foreshadowed before they take place, although the hints can be incomplete or misleading. For
example, when the witches first meet Macbeth, they reveal that he will someday be king, but they do not specify that he will obtain that
position by murdering Duncan. The frequent use of foreshadowing also raises questions of agency and moral responsibility; to what extent
is Macbeth responsible for his choices and actions, and to what extent is he simply fated to carry out these particular actions?
The rebellion of the first Thane of Cawdor
The play opens with the Thane of Cawdor, a Scottish nobleman, attempting to raise a rebellion against Duncan and gain the throne for
himself. The rebellion is defeated, but these events hint that the political state of the kingdom is unstable and foreshadow Macbeth’s own
plot to seize power. The foreshadowing becomes even more explicit when Macbeth is awarded the title of the disgraced nobleman,
becoming the Thane of Cawdor himself. The audience suspects that Macbeth is going to follow in the traitorous footsteps of the man who
previously held the title.
The witches’ prophecies to Banquo and Macbeth
When they first encounter Banquo and Macbeth, the witches predict that Macbeth will become Thane of Cawdor and eventually King of
Scotland, and that Banquo will become the ancestor to a line of kings without actually ruling himself. These prophecies foreshadow events
that will happen later in the play, such as the murder of Duncan and the escape of Fleance. Macbeth does not simply wait to see if the
predicted events will come to pass, but shapes his actions toward either encouraging them to happen or trying to prevent them (for
example, he plans to kill Banquo and Fleance to make sure the prophecy does not come true).
Macbeth hearing a voice cry “Sleep no more!”
When Macbeth tells his wife about his experience murdering Duncan, he says that he thought he heard a voice cry out “Sleep no more!”
This statement implies Macbeth will never again be at peace or have a clean conscience, and will never be able to rest easy. The
statement foreshadows the guilt and paranoia that will torment both Macbeth and his wife for the rest of the play. It also more literally
foreshadows Macbeth’s insomnia and Lady Macbeth’s sleep-walking as symptoms of their guilty consciences.
https://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/macbeth/foreshadowing/ 1/3
4/22/22, 9:35 AM Macbeth: Foreshadowing | SparkNotes
foreshadows Macbeths insomnia and Lady Macbeths sleep walking as symptoms of their guilty consciences.
Macbeth’s bloody hands
When Macbeth first meets his wife after murdering Duncan, his hands are covered in blood. This image foreshadows the fact that Macbeth
is going to commit more violent acts. It also foreshadows how Lady Macbeth’s guilt will eventually drive her mad. Later in the play, she will
hallucinate that she is perpetually washing her hands, unable to clean them, which symbolizes her inability to find peace after her
involvement in the murder. When Lady Macbeth states, “What, will these hands ne’er be clean?” (5.1.39), she demonstrates that she is
suffering the torment foreshadowed on the night of the murder.
Predictions about threats to Macbeth
In Act 4, Scene 1, the witches make a number of predictions that Macbeth interprets as being in his favor. For example, they predict that no
one borne of a woman will harm him. These predictions serve as ironic foreshadowing because they hint at events to come later, including
Macbeth’s death at the hands of Macduff, and show how Macbeth misinterprets prophecies based on his own arrogance. Because he
wants to believe that he will be able to maintain power, he makes assumptions about what the prophecies are predicting and then uses
these assumptions to justify continuing to commit crimes. does not simply hint at what events will come, but shapes the events of the plot
based on how characters respond to what they believe is being predicted.
Previous section Next section
Tone Metaphors and Similes
SU
Notes See All Notes
LP
Add Note with SparkNotes PLUS
Macbeth
Add your thoughts right here!
Popular pages: Macbeth Take a Study Break
No Fear Macbeth
NO FEAR
Every Shakespeare Play Summed Up in a Quote
from The Office
Full Book Analysis
SUMMARY
Every Book on Your English Syllabus, Summed Up
Character List in Marvel Quotes
https://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/macbeth/foreshadowing/ 2/3
4/22/22, 9:35 AM Macbeth: Foreshadowing | SparkNotes
CHARACTERS
Macbeth A Roundup of the Funniest Great Gatsby Memes
CHARACTERS You'll Ever See
Themes
LITERARY DEVICES
QUIZ: How Many of These Literary Jeopardy!
Questions Can You Answer Correctly?
Ambition
QUOTES
Full Book Quiz
QUICK QUIZZES
Sign up for our latest news and updates! First Name Last Name
By entering your email address you agree to receive emails
from SparkNotes and verify that you are over the age of 13.
You can view our Privacy Policy here. Unsubscribe from our Email
emails at any time. Sign Up
The #1 FREE study site for students
Most Popular More Help Find Us On
No Fear Shakespeare About
Literature Guides Help
Other Subjects Contact Us
SparkNotes Blog How to Cite SparkNotes
How to Write Literary Analysis
Advertise
Copyright © 2022 SparkNotes LLC
Terms of Use | Privacy | Cookie Policy | Do Not Sell My Personal Information
https://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/macbeth/foreshadowing/ 3/3
