what role do you think the witches serve in Macbeth? What is their significance and influence in the narrative? What can we infer about life in Macbeth's Scotland based on the play's portrayal of witchcraft? Have people's attitudes toward the supernatural changed since Shakespeare's time?
It is dark and stormy and ominous. Something is not right in the Elizabethan universe and the audience is about to be let in on it. Elizabethans really believed that witches were the Devil's servant. They believed they were ugly old and just bad news. So, Shakespeare hits his audience with a triple dose of witch in the first lines of the play, "When shall we three meet again In thunder, lightning, or in rain?". They then go on to call all kinds of badass spirits (animal spirits) to help them out. All the while it is lightning and thunder. So, the mood of the first scene sets us up for things to come. . The darkness in the first scene slowly spreads across the entire play making the forbidden and the ominous very much the mood and texture of the play.
MACBETH
I'll put it on.
Seend out more horse ;skirr the country round;
Hang those thattalk of fear.Give me mine armour.
How does your patient, doctor?
DOCTOR
Not so sick ,my lord, As she is troubled with thick coming fancies,That keep her from her rest .
MACBETH
CURE HER OF THAT. CANST THOU NOT MINISTERTO A MIND DISEASED, PLUCK FROM THE MEMORY A ROOTED SORROW, RAZE OUT THE WRITTEN TROUBLES OF THE BRAIN AND WITH SOME SWEET OBLIVIOUS ANTIDOTE CLEANSE THE STUFF'D BOSOM OF THAT PERILOUS STUFF WHICH WEIGHS UPON THE HEART?
DOCTOR
THEREIN THE PATIENT MUST MINISTER TO HOMSELF.
MAACBETH
THROW PHYSIC TO THE DOGS; I'LL NONE OF IT. COME, PUT MINE ARMOUR ON ; GIVE ME MY STAFF. SEYTON, SEND OUT. DOOCTOR ,THE THANES FLY FROM ME. COME, SIR, DISPATCH. IF THOU COULDST ,DOCTOR ,CAST THE WATER OF MY LAND, FIND HER DISEASE , AND PURGE IT TO A SOUND AND PRISTINE HEALTH , I WOULD APPLAUD THEE TO THE VERY ECHO, THAT SHOULD APPLUAD AGAIN.--PULL'T OFF, I SAY .-- WHAT RHUBARB, CYME,OR WHAT PURGATIVE DRUG, WOULD SCOUR THESE ENGLISH HENCE? HEAR'ST THOU OF THEM?
DOCTOR
AY, MY GOODLORD; YOUR ROYAL PREPARATION MAKES US HEAR SOMETHING.
MACBETH
BRING IT AFTER ME.
AST THIS POINT IN THE PLAY, MACBETH HAS BEEN MADE AWARE OF THE APPROACHING ARMIES. STARTING WITH SCENE, EXPLAIN HOW SHAKESPEARE PRESENTS THE ROLE REVERSAL OF THE MACBETHS.
WRITE ABOUT :
•HOW SHAKESPEARE PRESENTS THE MACBETTHS IN THIS SCENE.
•HOW SHARESPEARE PRESENTS THE MACBETH IN THE PLAY AS A WHOLE
WILLAM SHARESPEARE: MACBETH READ THE FOLLOWING EXTRACT FROM ACT 5 SCENE 3 OF MACBEH AND THEN ANSWER THE QUESTION THAT FOLLOWS
