Witches Flashcards
How are the witches introduced?
Shakespeare introduces the Witches in the first scene of the play, thus giving special emphasis to their importance. Shakespeare’s use of parallelism in the paradoxical phrase “Fair is foul, and foul is fair” foreshadows the rest of the play.
Why are they called “weird”
meaning fate in Old English and therefore associating their speech with prophecy
What do the witches represent?
The witches could represent the three fates from classical mythology, as the three fates represent the past, present and future. This reflects the three predictions they give to Macbeth, as they claim to “spin the threads of life”. Shakespeare suggests they are in control of events, as they decide on the fates and destinies of men - or perhaps they lead them to their fate
Why is supernatural important at the time the play was written?
The monarch at the time of writing in the early 17th Century was James I, who wrote the book ‘Daemonologie’ which explained how to identify a witch and how to torture them. These witches would be seen as a very real and genuine threat to the contemporary audience, who actually believed that witches lived amongst them and are more than a fictional fantasy.
How does Shakespeare favour James?
Through connecting witches to regicide Shakespeare is clearly demonstrating that witchcraft is infernal and thus Shakespeare is evidencing his allegiance to the king and gaining his favour through this play so James could financially support the theatre
How does the witches link to the bible?
The audience perceives the Witches as agents of the devil, Therefore they are the
devil’s influence on earth, carrying out the
work that is beyond his capability. Hence,
regicide is the work of the devil.
How does Adam and eve link to the witches?
They act as part of the fall of man, in causing
him to succumb to temptation – like the
serpent in the Garden of Eden.
How does the witches contradict the trinity?
The Witches form an anti-trinity - as they always appear in a three they form a trinity of evil. This
opposes and contradicts the trinity of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, who according to the Bible, comprise “one God in three Divine persons”. Thus it could be contended that the three Witches comprise the Devil in three infernal persons.
Why does Shakespeare use Trochaic Tetrameter when the witches speak?
The audience will notice this shift in meter between the characters and place importance on what is being said.
What is the reason for using Trochaic Tetrameter?
This causes the witches to stand out as different and other-worldly, as this is a difficult and unnatural way to speak, causing them to be perceived as supernatural and dangerous
What is the purpose of the rhyming couplets?
Shakespeare’s use of rhyming couplets gives the Witches’ speech a spell-like sound as is symbolic of spell casting and bringing things into existence through their utterances.
What does the use of rhyming couplets suggest?
This sets up the debate as to whether the Witches are really controlling events or if they are in actuality leading Macbeth into his own demise.
Analyse “fair and foul”
The oxymoronic language used by Shakespeare reflects Macbeth’s confusion in the audience, who would be similarly ambivalent towards the actual meaning of the prophecies, as they too cannot understand the oxymorons.
give extra analysis for fair and foul
○ This works to cultivate intrigue and build tension.
● Things that are accepted as foul seem fair to Macbeth, like regicide (killing the King).
● Macbeth who was fair becomes foul, himself.
Analyse “valour of my tongue”
abstract noun-valour
Their use of language to tempt and control connotes satanic imagery and the snake in the Garden of Eden.
○ They are female and so this is the only way women can have power
○ The serpent used untrustworthy language to tempt Eve, in the Garden of Eden, through twisting what God had said and claiming he didn’t want them to become like him; the fruit wasn’t really forbidden.
