macbeth: context- supernatural. Flashcards
use this link. its aimed at KS2 but really helpful: https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/school-radio/english-ks2-macbeth-index/zkxcbdm
what was their a lack of during Shakespeare time and what did this mean people leant towards when something bad happened?
no scientific knowledge to explain natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods and droughts.
witches.
why were people scared of witches?
powers of evil were thought to be absolutely real; to most people hell was an actual place and devil a constant threat tot heir souls.
what was it believed that witches did to become witches?
signed with the devil and in return for their loyalty the devil gave them powers. they could inflict misfortune on people if they wanted to.
what happened when people thought you were a witch?
hundreds of innocent people (mostly women) were executed as suspected witches.
hundreds of thousands tortured and executed in euroupe.
what book did the king write, when and what did he convince parliament to do?
daemonologie 1604. tom pass act which said witchcraft was punishable by death which was still part of english law until 1951.
why Shakespeare include witches in macbeth?
macbeth 1606. early reign james 1st. succeeded to english throne in 1603 after being king of scotland. links to his hatred of witches as a way to try and please him.
