Supernatural

• Describe what happens in act 1 scene 3

  Act 1 Scene 3: The witches' first meeHng with Macbeth. Macbeth immediately seems suscepHble to their prophesises; Banquo, while fascinated, acknowledges they are evil. Their 1st prophecy comes true at the end of the scene, giving them credibility.
• Give 3 quotes from this scene

  "So foul and fair a day I have not seen"

  Banquo seems "rapt", but recognises they are "instruments of darkness"

  "Why do you dress me in borrowed robes?"
• Explain the quote, "So foul and fair a day I have not seen"

  In this quote we see Macbeth echoing what the witches have said in previous scenes. This shows the pervasiveness of the witches and how they have an influence throughout the play. This shows the supernatural essence of the play as Macbeth has not interacted with the witches yet
• Explain the quote, "instruments of darkness"


  This not only shows how Banquo is a dramatic foil to Macbeth as he recognises their evilness. It shows how as Banquo is a good person with positive intention, he can recognise the evilness of the witches. Not only we know of the witch mysteriousness but so do the characters
• Explain the quote, "Why do you dress me in borrowed robes?"


  This quote not only relates to the extended metaphor that new status is like borrowing clothes, but also that the witches prophecy has almost immediately come true. This shows the influence and supernatural power of the witches.
• Describe Act 2 Scene 1


  Act 2 Scene 1: Macbeth sees an appariHon of a knife, both a warning and an invitaHon, which leads him to the murder. The director can choose: can the audience see the knife (implying it's real and supernatural) or not (it's evidence of Macbeth's evil mind)?
• Give 3 quotes for this scene

  "Come, let me clutch thee"

  "a dagger of the mind, false creaHon"

  "I see thee" x 3

  "I go and it is done"
• Explain the quote, "Come, let me clutch thee"

  Macbeth uses an imperative in this quote, this shows his eagerness and ambition to commit regicide. This whole soliloquy shows how Macbeth is essentially losing his sanity and it is almost as though he is embracing it.

  - influence of witch's

  - vision = supernatural?
• Explain the quote, "a dagger of the mind, false creaHon"

  This quote shows the metal stress Macbeth is going through... he knows that his mind is playing tricks on him yet he welcomes it. The idea of a false creation may suggest some sort of supernatural background
• Explain the quote, "I see thee" x 3 and "I go and it is done"


  The repetition of 'i see thee' not only stresses Macbeths loss of sanity but also as it is a tricolon, it echoes the witches

  'I go and it is done' shows how Macbeth has resolved his thoughts and caved into the idea of regicide. The witches and his ambition have gotten the better of him
• Describe Act 4 Scene 1

  Macbeth returns to the witches desperate to know the future. This shows his complete surrender to the supernatural. They show him three appariHons plus Banquo's descendants. He is sHll unaware they are tricking him. Macbeth driven by madness/ supernatural?
• Give 3 quotes from this scene

  "I conjure you"... "answer me" x2

  "none of woman born/ Shall harm Macbeth"

  "Infected be the air whereon they ride, And damned all those that trust them."
• Explain the quote, "I conjure you"... "answer me" x2

  Macbeth is trying to assert his power over the witches by using imperative verbs. This shows how he thinks of himself highly. However the use of 'conjure' shows how he has wicked intentions as he uses somewhat evil verbs to describe his acts
• Explain the quote, "none of woman born/ Shall harm Macbeth"


  This quote from the witches makes Macbeth feel as though he is safe, however there is proleptic irony as we know that Macduff was born by a Caesarean section. A Caesarean section was extremely rare in Jacobean times as it was extremely dangerous.

  This give Macbeth false confidence and misleads him showing how the witches do not pick sides
• Explain the quote, "Infected be the air whereon they ride, And damned all those that trust them."

  This is complete irony, Macbeth trusts them so he basically damns himself What the sentence means is that the witches are such terrible, sick creatures that even the air which they ride on becomes infected...
• Conclusion: How is Witchcraft / the supernatural represented in Macbeth


  The witches are shown to have a strong influence on everything that occurs in the play.

  Supernatural shouldn't be trusted and as Macbeth does he is lead to his death by the witches prophecy.