Throughout Scene 1-4 Macbeth is portrayed as a heroic and valiant man, however with sly and manipulative characteristics brought out by the Witches. The use of structure and language allows Shakespeare to present both Macbeths flaws and weaknesses to the audience. The arrangement of the meeting place for the witches, in act 1 upon hill in dark and destructive weather, symbolises the witches as a representation for temptation, foreshadowing Macbeth’s potential human weakness to be susceptible to temptation, before we are even introduced to Macbeth himself.
Shakespeare presents Macbeths character as brave and fearless in Scene 2; without Macbeth being present. “Till he unseamed him from the nave to th’chaps and fixed his head upon our battlements”, this quotation is said by the captain, who is commending Macbeth for defeating the leader of the rebel army. We can see from this, how Macbeth posesses a merciless attitude and has no problem boasting his achievements in such a crude manner. The use of vivid imagery depicts Macbeth’s bravery in slaughtering the enemy, despite the brutality of the death. The gratitude proclaimed by the Captain also highlights Macbeth’s loyalty and devotion to the King, placing Macbeth on a pedestal to highlight Macbeth’s vast downfall later on in the play. In addition to this the Captain uses a simile, “Like Valour’s minion carved out his passage till he faced the slave”. Again, this depicts Macbeth as a courageous hero who used his ruthless bravery to make a pathway for himself in battle.
In the play A View from The Bridge, Miller builds on showing Eddie Carbone’s human weakness (jealousy) through subtly suggesting he may have more than father-like feelings for his niece, Catherine. “ Katie, you are walkin’ wavy! I don’t like the looks they’re givin’ you … heads are turnin’ like windmills.” Through this quotation we get a taste of Eddie’s