The Supernatural

• What supernatural force do the Witches represent?

  Evil supernatural force
• How do the Witches gain power over humans?

  Through their strange intelligence and future predictions
• What does the phrase "cannot be lost" suggest about the Witches' power?

  Their power is limited
• How do the Witches influence Macbeth's actions?

  They drive the action of the play
• What is the Witches' association with chaos?

  They impose unnatural order on good and natural
• What does Macbeth mean when he says the Witches "untie the winds"?

  They create chaos and destruction
• What motivates the Witches according to the text?

  Destruction rather than goodness
• How does Shakespeare portray the Witches' morality?

  As completely evil and inhuman
• What do the Witches celebrate?

  Evil
• What was the social context regarding witches during Shakespeare's time?

  • Many believed witches were real
  • The Weird Sisters seemed believable
  • They were frightening to a 1600s audience
• How do the supernatural elements affect the atmosphere of the play?

  • They make the play darker
  • They create a frightening atmosphere
  • Shakespeare hints at reality vs. illusion
• What do visions represent in Macbeth?

  Supernatural signs of guilt
• What vision does Macbeth see before killing Duncan?

  A vision of a dagger
• What does the dagger vision symbolize for Macbeth?

  His impending murder of Duncan
• What does Macbeth see in Act 3, Scene 4?

  Banquo's ghost
• How does the audience interpret Banquo's ghost in Macbeth?

  As a sign of Macbeth's guilty conscience
• What effect does Banquo's ghost have on Macbeth?

  It causes him to feel "strange infirmity"
• What does Lady Macbeth imagine in Act 5, Scene 1?

  Her hands will "ne'er be clean"
• What does Lady Macbeth's guilt lead her to do?

  She ultimately kills herself
• What are the characteristics of the visions in Macbeth?

  • Ambiguous: real or imaginary
  • Fill characters with fear
  • Reflect guilty conscience
• How does Macbeth react to Banquo's ghost?

  He is "blanched with fear"
• What does Macbeth's agitated language indicate?

  His loss of control due to fear
• How does Lady Macbeth's language during sleepwalking reflect her state of mind?

  It is desperate and disturbed
• What does the Doctor observe about Lady Macbeth's heart?

  It is "sorely charged"
• What does the Doctor believe causes Lady Macbeth's visions?

  Her guilty conscience