Act 1 Scene 3 Flashcards
Summary on content of scene and main quotes that can be used in exams. May also contain sample exam questions that are essay style (optional to answer)
Outline briefly what happens in this scene.
Macbeth and Banquo are at the camp after the battle when they encounter the three witches who give 3 prophecies to Macbeth and one to Banquo. After this, Macbeth is greeted by Ross as the Thane of Cawdor, which distresses Banquo but gives Macbeth hope.
What line does Macbeth say to Banquo that is a link to another scene?
“So foul and fair a day I have not seen” (line 36). This is linked to the last line in Act 1 Scene 1 with the witches - “fair is foul and foul is fair…”. This may foreshadow future events in the play.
What are the two predictions that Macbeth receives?
“…hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor.”
“that shalt be king hereafter.”
What does Banquo say in response to the predictions?
“My noble partner you greet with… grace… to me you speak not.” He then provokes then to “look into the seeds of time…speak then to me…”
What do the witches say to Banquo?
“Lesser than Macbeth, and greater.”
“Not so happy, yet much happier.”
“Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none.”
Macbeth then questions the predictions. What does he say?
He knows that he is “Thane of Glamis, but how of Cawdor?” He says that the Thane of Cawdor “lives a prosperous gentleman…”. He then enquires from where they got this “strange intelligence,” and commands them to “Speak, I charge you.” However, the witches vanish.
What is Banquo’s reaction to the witches that have vanished?
“Whither are they vanished?”
AND/OR
“Have we eaten the root that takes the reason prisoner?”
Who enters the scene and what do they say about Duncan?
Ross and Angus come and greet him with Duncan’s rejoice over the victory and his decision to give Macbeth the ‘Thane of Cawdor’ title by saying that “hail most worthy thane, for it is thine.”
What is Banquo’s response to this news?
“What, can the devil speak true?” This is the witches first prediction becoming true and Banquo cannot believe it.
What is Macbeth’s response to the news?
He says that the Thane of Cawdor lives and he asks why “do you dress me in borrow’d robes?”
What does Angus say in response to the question?
He says that the person who WAS the thane does live but “under heavy judgment bears that life, which he deserves to lose.”
Macbeth then says something that shows the audience his ambition of becoming king. What does he say? (clue - he mentions chance).
He states that “if chance will have me king, why chance may crown me without my stir.”
What do you think Shakespeare’s intention was to create the disbelief and confusion from Macbeth and Banquo a second time? What is noticeably different from their reactions compared to when the witches first disappeared?
When the witches disappeared, Macbeth is seeming to be in a daze and Banquo questions their very sanity and questions whether they have “eaten the insane root that takes the reason prisoner..”. However, once the first prediction comes true, Banquo then realizes that this must be happening to them due to dark forces - “can the devil speak true?” Macbeth, however, has full confidence that what they predicted will happen as he says to Banquo “Do you not hope your children will be kings?” which shows his belief in the witches. Shakespeare may have done this to show the change in character in Macbeth and Banquo within such a short space of time; he may also have done it to show how ambiguous Macbeth has become.
