The Witches Flashcards
First impressions - Witches
1.1 Begins ‘in media res’ with ‘when shall we three meet again’. Audience are unaware as to what the witches have just been discussing, heightening the mistrust of them. They also open the play, immediately accentuating how important they will be in the play’s events.
1.1 - seem to be able to predict the future “there to meet with Macbeth”
Antithesis of “fair is foul and foul is fair” - foreshadows their use of lies hidden in truths/half truths and deception (a major theme in the play) - implications that they are going to corrupt M, a seemingly good man - they have nefarious intentions
Trochaic tetrameter used to create a chant-like rhythm reminiscent of unnerving witch chants, designed to scare the superstitious audiences of Shakespeare’s plays
Needlessly cruel - Witches
1.3 - “tempest-tossed” sailor for “weary sennights nine times nine” just because his “rump-fed runnion” of a wife wouldnt give them chesnuts. An out of proportion reaction and shows the scale of destruction they can inflict on others on a whim. Incapable of remorse - dissociates them from a human form as it detaches them from feeling emotions - unnatural cruelty displayed. “you should be women yet your beards forbid me to interpret that you are so”
This unnerves the audience, creating anticipation for their role in the rest of the play and how they are going to corrupt the characters. Creates a sense of unease.
Downfall of Macbeth - Witches
1.3 plants seeds of doubt into M’s mind, giving him an idea of potential success/power. “all hail Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter”
Additionally saying B “shall get kings, though thou be none” - feeding into M’s future paranoia, showing they know how his future will pan out.
Catalyst for the downfall of Scotland - unclear if they just wanted the destruction of M or the whole country, but with either option they would clearly be fine.
Picked the exact right person to cause the maximum levels of disruption - they are calculated, cruel, nefarious - corrupting
Second meeting - Witches
4.1 Gives him a false sense of security, purposefully toying with M “none of woman born shall harm M” - tells his prophecies in covert ways that make him feel safe and confident (to a fault)
“Macbeth shall never be vanquished until Great Birnam Wood” walks
Have a higher power controlling them in Hecate 3.5 - angry at them for abusing their power for “a wayward son” who is “spiteful and wrathful” - bring their intentions into question if Hecate is not in support.
Hecate’s dialogue has an iambic rhythm, differentiating herself from the witches clearly to the audience.
“And you all know, security/Is mortals’ chiefest enemy.” - Macbeth will ultimately be his own downfall, guided by the witches.
Anagnorisis - Witches
“juggling fiends” who “palter with us in a double sense”
By the time M has realised their true intentions it is too late and they have already destroyed his life, their goal from the beginning.
He has had the illusion of choice but has been guided by other characters this whole time, the plot to kill D planted in his mind by the witches - he has been helpless to their cunning abilities, fallen victim
