The Witches - Quotes

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  • Created by: Noah_S
  • Created on: 28-04-19 12:46
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  • The Witches
    • Paragraph 5
      • Shakespeare' play responds to Jacobean's belief in the supernatural and seems to imply that Macbeth is influenced by the evil witches as their prophecies come true. However, I believe that the witches sparked the idea of regicide, however it was Macbeth himself who carried out these actions.
      • LM: "Out, damned spot! Out, I say"
        • Due to her being overwhelmed with guilt, Lady Macbeth descends into madness. It seems like its due to her being her own victim of her ambition, and not the witches.
      • Macbeth: "Out, out brief candle, Life's but a walking shadow"
        • Macbeth reflect on his actions throughout the play, with his mind being full of grief. There isn't a reference to the witches, making it look like it was all his own fault.
    • Paragraph 2
      • Some critics refer to Lady Macbeth as the forth witch, which can be seen when she called upon the spirits to help her.
      • LM: "Without the illness should attend it"
        • The audience would view Lady Macbeth with disgust, as she is criticising her husband for being too good to let his ambition take over him.
      • LM: "Come you spirits"
        • Lady Macbeth is calling the spirits to aid her, something a witch would do. The Jacobean audience would view her negatively for this, with them believing that she is a witch.
    • Paragraph 4
      • After seeing the witches for the second time, Macbeth's ambition is so strong that he seems to believe he is invincible, leading him to make choices with no reasoning behind them.
      • "The castle of Macduff I will surprise"
        • Because of Macbeth believing himself to be invincible due to the witches, he decides to kill Macduff's wife and children, even though they aren't a threat to him. He doesn't realise the consequences of his actions.
      • "Then live, Macduff, what need I fear of thee?"
        • Macbeth's ambition makes him believe that he is invincible after meeting the witches for a second time, leading him to make erratic decisions.
    • Paragraph 1
      • Shakespeare opens his tragedy with the witches, making clear that the impact of the supernatural is a key theme. The Jacobean audience knows that witches are evil, so they are expecting the witches to cause chaos.
      • Banquo: "they look not like th' inhabitants o' th' earth"
        • The witches are described as different to men and women, showing that they do not belong on the earth. This complements the fact that they are supernatural to distinguish between the witches and other people.
      • "Fair is foul and foul is fair"
        • The statement contradicts itself, how can bad be good and good be bad? It shows the witches are a force of evil, and how they are supernatural.
    • Paragraph 3
      • Due to the influence of the witches, Macbeth's ambition begins to spiral out of control; he beings to hallucinate and his paranoia drives his decision-making
      • "Upon my head they placed a fruitless crown"
        • Due to him being influenced by the witches, Macbeth's ambition begins to spiral out of control. Since he won't have a heir, his paranoia takes control of him.
      • "Which of you have done this?"
        • Due to his guilt of killing Banquo out of paranoia from the witches' prophecy, Macbeth sees the ghost of Banquo. This could be seen as the witches punishing Macbeth because of his actions,

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