Macbeth Witches Chant Flashcards

Witches' Chant in "Macbeth"

• The chant highlights the ominous and supernatural aspects of the witches, setting a dark tone for the play.
• Repetition of "Double double toil and trouble" emphasizes the chaotic and sinister nature of their activities.

Ingredients for the Cauldron

• Fire burn and cauldron bubble: Represents the brewing of dark magic and spells.
• The component "Scale of dragon, tooth of wolf" evokes imagery of mythological creatures, enhancing the witch's sinister aura.
• "Witches mummy, maw and gulf" signifies the use of unsettling and macabre elements in their rituals, representing death and decay.
• "Of the ravin'd salt-sea shark": Suggests a connection to the ocean's depths, symbolizing danger and the unknown.

Dark Elements and Symbolism

• "Root of hemlock digg'd i' the dark": Hemlock is toxic, emphasizing themes of poison and danger inherent in witchcraft.
• "Liver of blaspheming Jew" and "Gall of goat, slips of yew": These ingredients contain cultural and traditional connotations of evil and curses.

Incorporation of Nature and the Supernatural

• "Silvered in the moon's eclipse" links magic to celestial events, reinforcing the supernatural relationship between witches and nature.
• "Nose of Turk and tartars lips" provides exotic and barbaric imagery, reflecting the witches' connection to foreignness and the chaos of war.

Themes of Death and Mortality

• "Finger of birth strangled babe" introduces the theme of mortality and loss, underscoring the witches' embrace of death.
• "Ditch delivered by a drab": This line evokes images of illegitimacy and despair, further deepening the themes of corruption and eerie occurrences.

Final Steps of the Spell

• "Make the gruel thick and slab" suggests a physicality to their spell, emphasizing the harshness and grotesque nature of their magic.
• "Add thereto a tiger's chaudron" invokes predatory instincts, aligning the witches with ferocity and danger.

Conclusion of the Ritual

• The chant concludes with "Cool it with a baboons blood" indicating the finalization of their dark sorcery, symbolizing the unnatural amalgamation of ingredients.
• "Then the charm is firm and good" affirms the completion of their incantation, stressing the power and efficacy of their dark magic.