8 Questions
What is the meaning of the witches' statement 'Fair is foul and foul is fair'?
They believe that good things are bad and bad things are good
What do the witches summon, reflecting their ominous intentions and the play's mood?
Thunderstorms
What is the significance of the term 'hurly-burly' used by the witches?
It refers to the chaos of the upcoming battle and subsequent events
What role do the Weird Sisters play in Macbeth?
They act as catalysts for the events in Macbeth.
What is the significance of the term 'hurly-burly' used by the witches?
It refers to the chaos of the upcoming battle.
What do Grimalkin and Paddock represent in relation to the witches?
They are demon assistants in the form of animals.
What event does scene one of Act one in Macbeth take place during?
A thunderstorm
What do the witches' last lines 'Fair is foul and foul is fair' reflect?
Their disregard for goodness and a preference for what is foul or evil.
Study Notes
- Scene one of Act one in Macbeth is set during a storm, where three witches appear.
- They agree to meet Macbeth after the battle and reveal his fate to him.
- The Weird Sisters act as catalysts for the events in Macbeth and set a dark mood.
- Their motivations for choosing Macbeth are unclear but they relish the chaos of the upcoming battle, referring to it as "hurly-burly."
- Old-fashioned term for any chaotic scuffle, it refers to both the battle and subsequent events.
- The witches summon thunderstorms, reflecting their ominous intentions and the play's mood.
- The witches have demon assistants in the form of animals, Grimalkin is a cat and Paddock is a toad.
- Shakespeare alludes to the common belief that witches used animals as messengers between themselves and the devil.
- The witches' last lines "Fair is foul and foul is fair" reflect their disregard for goodness and a preference for what is foul or evil.
Test your understanding of the eerie setting and the witches' role as catalysts in Macbeth's fate. Explore their summoning of a thunderstorm, the allusion to chaos with 'hurly-burly', and their demonic animal assistants. Delve into the symbolism and foreshadowing embedded in the witches' words.
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