The Witches Flashcards
Quotes
‘The Sovereignty will fall upon Macbeth’
The witches prophecy has become true- Macbeth is to become king. Divine right of kings, the word ‘Fall’ suggests that it has just happened to him and it is quite deterministic (pre-destined). Link to power, control and sovereignty.
‘For none of women born / shall harm Macbeth’
They are setting Macbeth up to make him think he is the most powerful, which show their power over Macbeth and how he acts as king. Trickery- which gives Macbeth a false sense of security. Weird phrasing so the audience can figure out that something doesn’t add up. Sounds like a riddle.
‘Fair is foul and foul is fair / Hover through the fog and filthy air’
Opposites become the same / switching. Good also being bad. Trochaic tetrameter + iambic pentameter (Rhythm changes across the line which is meant to sound weird). Almost all themes have some link. Dichotomy- two things being opposed to each other. So much alliteration + the rhythm makes it sound like a nursery rhyme.
‘All hail Macbeth, hail to thee, Thane of Glamis. All hail Macbeth hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor. All hail Macbeth that shall be king hereafter’
This sets up the prophecy and makes Macbeth become aware of what his pre-destined fate is. Also sets up his greed and ambition later. The Great Chain of Being suggests their is an order you can progress through in life and you cant jump the order ‘overleaping’.
But make amends now
Hecate told the witches to tell the phocephy to Macbeth yet she is realising they have gone too far and she is telling them to undo it. It shows how their is always someone more powerful.
