10 Questions
What does Macbeth ask the witches when he enters the cave?
To speak with their masters
What items do the witches throw into the cauldron to make their potion?
Snakes, hats, and toads
Which phrase describes the appearance of the first spirit that emerges from the cauldron?
A severed head with arms
How does Macbeth react when the first spirit appears from the cauldron?
He is unfazed and tries to converse with the spirit
During his encounter with the witches, what does Macbeth demand to know?
His own fate and destiny
How do the witches respond when Macbeth asks them what they are doing?
"We are calling up spirits of the dead to reveal the future."
Who does Macduff want to put onto the throne of Scotland?
Malcolm
What news does the messenger bring to Macduff in England?
Macduff's castle has been taken and his family slaughtered
How does Lady Macduff react when the hired murderers burst into her chamber?
She hides her children and tries to protect them
What is Macbeth's reaction upon hearing about his wife and children's fate?
He breaks down and cries hopelessly
Study Notes
Macbeth's Encounter with the Witches
- Macbeth visits the three witches in a cave, seeking knowledge about his future
- The witches prepare a potion, adding various ingredients, including snakes, toads, and eyes of dead creatures
- Macbeth demands to know the truth, and the witches summon spirits to answer his questions
The Three Spirits
- The first spirit appears as a severed head with arms, warning Macbeth to "beware Macduff, the Thane of Fife"
- The second spirit appears as an infant, streaked with blood, telling Macbeth to "be bloody, bold, and resolute"
- The third spirit appears as a crowned child holding a tree branch, predicting that Macbeth will not be vanquished until Birnam Wood comes to Dunsinane Hill
Macbeth's Reaction and Consequences
- Macbeth is emboldened by the prophecies, believing he is safe from harm
- He asks if Banquo's children will ever rule Scotland, and the witches vanish
- Macbeth sees Banquo's ghost, smiling and pointing to visions of his royal descendants
- Enraged by the witches' prophecies, Macbeth sends murderers to kill Macduff and his family
The Murder of Lady Macduff and Her Children
- Macbeth's hired murderers arrive at Macduff's castle, killing Lady Macduff and her children
- The scene shifts to England, where Malcolm and Macduff discuss the plight of Scotland under Macbeth's rule
- A messenger from Scotland brings news of the slaughter to Macduff, who is devastated by the loss of his family
Read an excerpt from a classic play where Macbeth seeks out the witches in a cave to know his fate. The witches are concocting a potion with various vile ingredients to call up spirits of the dead for prophecy.
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