The Supernatural

Question 1

Fair is……, and …….
Act?

Answer 1

Fair is foul and foul is fair.
Act 1 scene 1

Question 2

Theme: The Supernatural
Quote: “Fair is foul, and foul is fair.” (Act 1, Scene 1)

Answer 2

Method: Paradox, Chiasmus
Analysis: The witches invert morality and truth, introducing the theme of deception and chaos. Suggests the supernatural’s power to distort reality.
Context: The Jacobean audience believed witches could manipulate truth and natural law.

Question 3

You should be woman…. And yet your beards …………. So
Act?

Answer 3

You should be women, and yet your beards forbid me to interpret that you are so.
Act 1 scene 3

Question 4

Theme: The Supernatural
Quote: “You should be women, / And yet your beards forbid me to interpret / That you are so.” (Act 1, Scene 3)

Answer 4

Method: Irony, Gender Subversion
Analysis: The witches’ ambiguous appearance challenges natural gender roles, reinforcing their otherworldly and unsettling presence.
Context: Blurring gender defied the rigid Jacobean social structure, making the witches even more threatening.