Act 4 Scene 1

Question 1

First Apparition

Answer 1

ARMED HEAD SAYS ‘beware macduff’

Question 2

Second Apparition

Answer 2

A BLOODY CHILD SAYS ‘none of woman born shall harm macbeth’

• prophecies given by the apparitions are double-edged and turn against macbeth.
• they are ambiguous and the witches use equivocation to withhold key information about Macbeth’s fate, which makes him hungry for more

Question 3

Third apparition

Answer 3

CROWNED CHILD HOLDING A TREE SAYS ‘…never vanquished be until Great Birnam wood to high Dunsinane Hill shall come against him’

Question 4

‘Double Double Toil and trouble; fire burn and cauldron bubble’

Answer 4

• speaking in synchronisation which shows they are chanting a spell
• audience at the time would’ve been horrified

Question 5

‘Eye of newt, toe of frog’

Answer 5

• witches give graphic descriptions of ingredients for their spell, this shows how unnatural it is and how powerful they are
• the revolting level of detail is meant to shock and disturb the Jacobean audience

Question 6

‘Something wicked’ ~witch

Answer 6

• (was macbeth)
• Macbeth has descended so far into evil that he has no more compassion or mercy, leading to the witches no longer referring him as ‘someone’ which means he has lost all of his human attributes
• evident when he shows no pity when Macduff’s wife and child die