How is the atmosphere of evil achieved in Macbeth?

" Fair is foul, and foul is fair;

Hover through the fog and filthy air"

(I,i,L-11-12)

The witches immediately set the scene for the whole play with these two lines at the end of Scene One. They are describing a role-reversal where everything that was good is now evil, and everything that was evil has become good. These 'creatures' (for there is some doubt as to whether they are actually human) are responsible for much of the atmosphere that is created in the play as a whole).

They are also one of the driving forces behind Macbeth's ambition, because if they hadn't told him that he'd "...be King hereafter" (I,iii, L-50) he would never have wanted to become King, or at least he would have waited his turn. The witches therefore gave him the initial spur to kill Duncan, and are the cause of unnatural effects that happen in the play.

These are also a main factor in the atmosphere that is created.

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Ross talks to an Old Man in Act 2 about "...the heavens" being "...troubled with man's act" and says that "by th' clock 'tis day" (II,iv, L 6-7). He is explaining how the sky has been perpetually dark for as long as he (and the audience) can remember. The effect of the sky being dark on Shakespeare's audience would be profound. Since they saw the whole of nature as created by God, an evil force overturning creation and the equilibrium of nature would undoubtedly shock and quieten the audience.

Ross also describes inversions in the animal world. Ross's first example is of "A falcon..." being "...hawked at, and killed" by a mousing owl (II,iv, L 12-13). He also tells how "Duncan's horses...turned wild in nature...as they would make war with mankind". Shakespeare here makes a reference to the "Chain of Being", in which it was thought that all animals, humans, plants and objects had their place. The tales that Ross tells are all of creatures trying to move up in the Chain of Being. The owl is below the falcon in the Chain of Being, and so due to the supernatural, the owl wants to become greater and 'usurp' the falcon. The horses are trying to fight against humans.

At the start of the play, Macbeth is a patriarchal figure. He's a strong warrior who is also loyal to King Duncan. This all changes soon after he meets the witches. There was no way he would ever think about killing Duncan. Indeed, his wife has to use a strong argument to persuade him to go through with the murder. After he has gone through with it, after a short period of anxiety, and almost insanity, Macbeth does not hesitate when planning to "seize upon Fife" and "give to the edge o' th' the sword/His wife his babes, and all unfortunate souls that trace him in his line" (IV,iii, L 151-153). This shows what a dramatic and startling effect the witches prophecies and Macbeth's actions have had upon him.

At the start of this essay I mentioned how the witches set the scene of the play. During the play, they also continue the evil and unsettling atmosphere by their numerous appearances with Macbeth, or on their own. One such scene is at the start of Act 4 when the witches all use powerful and descriptive language to disgust and amaze the audience. For example, all kinds of parts of all kinds of dissected animals are thrown into their "charmed pot". They throw in the "wool of bat, and tongue of dog" and "eye of newt, toe of frog". (IV,i, L 14-15). To Shakespeare's audience this will have not only disgusted the audience but such witchcraft would have frightened them as well.

The other theatrical tool that Shakespeare employs is to use strange and vivid characters to show how the evil has been absorbed into every living thing. I've already mentioned the witches, but nearly every character (except for the 'non-evil' people like Duncan) are affected in some way. Lady Macbeth is seen reading a letter in Act I Scene 5, and also talking to the evil spirits which she believes to be at play. This could show how she is affected in the play as a whole. Macbeth is also dramatically affected, as I have already mentioned. The Porter is another character who is in the play to both amuse and unnerve (two ideas seldom used together). He does this through his loud and aggressive soliloquy and his mentioning of satanic ideas.