For the countless numbers of people who have watched Macbeth performed on stage, surely the most intriguing part of the play was the first couple of scenes. The opening sequence of the tragedy Macbeth, written by William Shakespeare is an effective beginning to the play because Act I Scene i and ii, set the stage for the rest of the play. This being that if ambition that is not checked by moral constraints, then destruction of lives and society will follow. This essay will describe how Shakespeare uses these two opening scenes to capture the audiences attention, establish the main characters and the setting, and initiate the plot.

The opening scene takes place on a windswept, lonely heath on the Scottish moors. This is a perfect setting for the introduction of the three witches who are often referred to as the "weird sisters" by other characters in the...