Supernatural

Cards (23)

  • What is a key theme explored in Shakespeare's Macbeth?
    The supernatural
  • What does the noun "supernatural" refer to?
    Events or powers that cannot be explained by science
  • Which practices are associated with the supernatural?
    Fortune telling and casting spells
  • How were beliefs in the supernatural viewed in the Jacobean era?
    They were considered the norm
  • Who was the king during the time Macbeth was written?
    King James I
  • What book did King James I write about the supernatural?
    Demonology
  • How do supernatural forces drive the events in Macbeth?
    Through the actions of the weird sisters
  • What are the three specific forms of the supernatural in Macbeth?
    • Witches and witchcraft
    • Apparitions and ghosts
    • Disruption of nature
  • What danger does Shakespeare reveal through the supernatural in Macbeth?
    Interacting with supernatural powers is perilous
  • How does Lady Macbeth relate to the supernatural?
    She welcomes dark spirits to possess her
  • What does Lady Macbeth wish to be purged of?
    Guilt over Duncan's murder
  • How does Shakespeare create a fearful atmosphere in Macbeth?
    By using supernatural events to drive the plot
  • What do the weird sisters chant at the beginning of the play?
    Fair is foul and foul is fair
  • What does the phrase "fair is foul and foul is fair" imply?
    It creates a paradox using opposites
  • How does Macbeth's character change in relation to the supernatural?
    He becomes a fair warrior turned foul
  • What does Lady Macbeth command the spirits to do in her soliloquy?
    To fill her with cruelty
  • What biblical allusion does Lady Macbeth make when tempting Macbeth?
    She refers to the serpent in the Garden of Eden
  • What does the floating apparition of a dagger symbolize for Macbeth?
    His temptation to commit murder
  • How does Lennox describe the unnatural events following Duncan's murder?
    He mentions the earth being feverous
  • What does the phrase "Something wicked this way comes" imply about Macbeth?
    He is associated with evil and the supernatural
  • What does Lady Macbeth see while sleepwalking?
    Blood upon her hands
  • What does the line "Out, damned spot!" signify for Lady Macbeth?
    Her guilty conscience over Duncan's murder
  • What ultimately happens to Macbeth and Lady Macbeth as a result of their trust in supernatural powers?
    They lose their lives