Starter quiz
- What is the name of the character who, with Macbeth, hears prophecies from the witches in Act 1, Scene 3 of 'Macbeth'?
- Lady Macbeth
- King Duncan
- the Scottish army
- Banquo ✓
- Macduff
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- Which adjective best describes the atmosphere of the opening scene of 'Macbeth'?
- familiar
- ominous ✓
- staging
- pathetic fallacy
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- What do the witches tell Macbeth in Act 1, Scene 3 of 'Macbeth'?
- That his children will be kings.
- That Duncan will leave the throne to him.
- That he will be king. ✓
- That he should kill King Duncan in order to become king.
- That they will help him become king.
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- What happens after the witches deliver the prophecies in Act 1, Scene 3 of 'Macbeth'?
- They tell Lady Macbeth the prophecies.
- They cast a spell on Banquo.
- They disappear. ✓
- They arrange to help Macbeth kill King Duncan.
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- James I, the monarch when 'Macbeth' was first written and performed, believed in witches. What two things did he do to show this belief?
- He persecuted witches. ✓
- He banned the play, 'Macbeth' for a period of time.
- He employed witches in his court.
- He wrote a book about witches. ✓
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- Is the witches' appearance in Act 1 of 'Macbeth' the only unnatural event to occur in the play?
- Yes. Other unpleasant and violent things happen but nothing else unnatural.
- Yes. The unnatural event starts the play but only to foreshadow ominous events.
- No. Many unnatural occurrences punctuate the play. ✓
- No but the only other unnatural event is when Hecate appears.
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Exit quiz
- What qualities should an ideal Jacobean woman adhere to?
- Maintaining a high standard of education.
- Obeying men, particularly a father or husband. ✓
- Marrying and having children. ✓
- Supporting a husband financially.
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- What are common features of outsiders?
- Outsiders are supernatural.
- Outsiders can be seen as threatening. ✓
- Outsiders are introduced first in a text.
- Outsiders conform to societal standards.
- Outsiders are rejected by society. ✓
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- Which quotation best expresses Macbeth's confusion about the witches in Act 1, Scene 3 of 'Macbeth'?
- 'into the air'
- 'what seem'd corporal melted' ✓
- 'would they had stay'd'
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- What device does Shakespeare use to explore the idea of disorder and chaos in 'Macbeth'?
- The theme of witches.
- The theme of the unnatural. ✓
- The theme of women.
- The theme of conforming.
- The theme of the outsider.
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- Which statements best explain why Macbeth and Banquo are confused by the witches in Act 1, Scene 3 of 'Macbeth'?
- They seem inhuman. ✓
- They are bubbles.
- They appear to be genderless. ✓
- They are hallucinations.
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- In Act 1, Scene 3 of 'Macbeth', Banquo compares the witches to 'bubbles' and 'things'. Which statements best describe the effect of this language?
- It conveys their unnaturalness. ✓
- It conveys their wildness.
- It conveys his interest in the witches.
- It conveys the witches' subversive nature. ✓
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Worksheet
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Presentation
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Video
Lesson Details
Key learning points
- The witches could be interpreted as being presented as genderless
- The witches' non-conformity to gender roles seems to confuse Macbeth and Banquo
- The witches could be interpreted as unnatural, threatening outsiders
- The witches' behaviour would subvert a Jacobean audience's expectations of femininity
- The theme of the unnatural is first introduced
Common misconception
The witches are presented solely as women, threatening women but women nonetheless.
Look at the language in Act 1, Scene 3: Banquo and Macbeth see the witches as unnatural, not just strange women.
Keywords
Outsider - Being an outsider is an important idea, particularly to Shakespeare. An outsider is a character who is not accepted by society.
Genderless - In the context of ‘Macbeth’, the witches are genderless characters: they neither present nor behave in a way this society expects of women.
Conform - If you conform, you accept rules or standards.
Subvert - If you are subversive you don’t accept rules or standards.
Femininity - Femininity refers to qualities which are seen as characteristic of women or girls.
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