Act 1 Scene 3 Flashcards
What language does Shakespeare use for the witches?
Shakespeare uses rude, vulgar, and shocking language for the witches to support their role as the evil supernatural influence in the play.
Why are animals referred to frequently?
This can be seen as symbolising the witches’ links to nature and lower-level animals.
How is Macbeth’s occasional use of the witches’ way of speaking important?
It emphasises the impact of the witches and associated dark spirits on Macbeth.
What is shown about the witches in this scene?
The witches describe the cruel actions that they have committed; for example, one witch has been killing pigs, while the other witch harmed the husband of a woman who denied the witch chestnuts.
“Though his bark cannot be lost,
Yet it shall be tempest-toss’d.”
The witch does not have enough power to kill the sailor, and instead controls the wind to place his ship in danger
“I’ll drain him dry as hay”
This could be a comment on Macbeth, causing foreshadowing; he later becomes drained morally, spiritually, and physically by the end of the play
The Theme of Sleep: “Sleep shall neither night nor day”
Another piece of foreshadowing is that the witch says that she will prevent the sailor from sleeping; Macbeth loses sleep due to his unnatural, immoral deeds; this is the theme of sleep.
How is Banquo presented?
Banquo is presented as having the opposite views to Macbeth, providing a contrast; the tragedy that befalls Macbeth is as much his fault as others; Banquo seems uninterested in the witches.
Banquo questions Macbeth’s reaction to the prophecy: “Why do you start and seem to fear things that do sound so fair?”
This suggests that it is not the first time thoughts of becoming King have entered Macbeth’s head; it introduces the theme of guilt and shows he has thought of this before.
“Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair and make my seated heart knock at my ribs”
Macbeth is clearly very shocked by his thought of killing the king to fulfil the prophecy.
“The instruments of darkness tell us truths; win us with honest trifles”
Banquo refers to the witches as “instruments of darkness”, emphasising their supernatural evil, while he explains that they tell only part of the truth to tempt them, often resulting in downfalls.
“So foul and fair a day I have not seen.”
Shakespeare seems to link Macbeth with the supernatural and evil elements of the play from his first appearance; this quote is similar to the witches’ words in the first scene.
