The Witches

• Which theme do the witches embody in "Macbeth"?

  The supernatural
• The witches introduce an eerie, otherworldly presence
• The witches provide insight into how people in Shakespeare's time viewed witchcraft.
• What do the witches challenge in terms of societal norms?

  Gender roles
• The witches blur the lines between masculinity and femininity
• The paradox "Fair is foul and foul is fair" sets the tone for the play.
• What literary device is used in the line "Fair is foul and foul is fair"?

  Inversion
• The witches' paradoxical opening line foreshadows Macbeth's involvement with the supernatural
• The witches' spell in Act 1 emphasizes the theme of the supernatural.
• What does the repetition of 'double' in the witches' spell emphasize?

  Ritualistic and ominous nature
• The witches are referred to as the "weird sisters
• The witches' use of "sisters" could symbolize women needing power and support.
• What quality does the adjective 'weird' link to in the witches?

  Supernatural influence
• The witches' beards forbid them to be interpreted
• In "Macbeth," masculinity is associated with power.
• Who describes the witches as "instruments of darkness"?

  Banquo
• The adjective 'wicked' conveys a sense of malevolence