The Witches Flashcards
1
Q
How do the witches speak?
A
In trochaic meter (stressed syllables followed by unstressed syllables)
Paradoxical
2
Q
“Instruments of darkness”
A
- Evil and work to do malignant, pernicious implements
3
Q
“I will drain him dry as hell”
“He shall live a man forbid”
A
- Killing comes easily
- Seek to cause pain
4
Q
“So foul and fair a day I have not seen”
A
- Paradoxical
- Similar to “fair is foul, and foil is fair”
- Evil
- Supernatural
5
Q
“Stay, you imperfect speakers, tell me more”
A
- Macbeth shows greed and ambition
- ‘imperfect’ implies Macbeth believes the witches are unfinished
- Speak in paradoxes
- Can’t be trusted
6
Q
“Hover through the fog and filthy air”
A
- Repetition of ‘f’ emphasises foul nature of the witches
7
Q
“A deed without a name”
A
- Secrecy implies evil and unholyness
8
Q
“Enter Thunder and lightning”
A
- Pathetic fallacy
- Implies how callous and gruesome the witches are
9
Q
“When the battles lost and won”
A
- Speak in paradoxes
- Double meanings
10
Q
“So withered and wild in their attire”
A
- Loathsome
- Catastrophic
11
Q
“When shall we three meet again?”
A
- Control over their lives
12
Q
“Fair is foul, and foul is fair”
A
- Macbeth might not be as good as first perceived
13
Q
“Though his bark cannot be lost, / Yet it shall be tempest-tossed”
A
- Shows limits of witches’ power
14
Q
“Lesser than Macbeth, and greater”
A
- Banquo’s sons becoming kings
- ‘greater’ implies how he is good and not driven by greed and ambition like Macbeth
15
Q
“Security is mortal’s chiefest enemy”
A
- Meet with Hecate, goddess of witchcraft
- Macbeth’s overconfidence will lead to his downfall
