The Witches Essay Plan

Question 1

Point 1 + quotations for The Witches:

Answer 1

The Witches initially presented by Shakespeare as being inherently evil and agents of chaos

• “thunder and lightning”
• “When shall we three meet again?”

Question 2

Point 2 + quotations for The Witches:

Answer 2

Unnatural + inhuman

• “fair is foul and foul is fair”
• “look not like th’inhabitants o’th’earth”
• “instruments of darkness”

Question 3

Point 3 + quotations for The Witches

Answer 3

The Witches presented as having a huge amount of influence over Macbeth – shown through Macbeth’s reactions to their prophecies.

• “he seems rapt withal”
• “have we eaten on the insane root”
• “makes my seated heart knock at my ribs”

Question 4

Point 4 + quotations:

Answer 4

The Witches are presented as being a test of Macbeth’s morality

• “so fair and foul a day I have not seen”
• “trad[ing] and traffick[ing]”
• “black and deep desires”

Question 5

Point 5 + quotations:

Answer 5

The Witches are presented at being deceptive at times throughout the play– Shakespeare presents them as this through their ambiguous and equivocating language they use – particularly in Act 4 through the apparitions.

• “none of woman born shall harm Macbeth”
• “thou shalt not live”