Question

ASAP!!!!! 15POINTS

Macbeth
1.) As you read Scene 3, lines 1–37, continue to cite textual
evidence.
• Underline examples of the witches’ malicious behavior or plans for such
behavior.
• In the margin, explain the extent of the witches’ power and the way in
which they use it (lines 8–25).
2.) Fate is a theme in Macbeth if the witches can foresee the fate of others what effect or influence do you think they will have on the outcome of the play?
3.) As you read Scene 3, lines 38–88, continue to cite textual
evidence.
•Underline the witches’ predictions for Macbeth and Banquo,and restate
them in the margin.
•In the margin, explain why Macbeth disbelieves the witches at first (lines
71–75).

Answer 1

• The First Witch provides a few example's of what she can do to a man - "drain him dry as hay" (line 18) or make him never sleep as in "Sleep shall neither night nor day / Hang upon his penthouse lid" (lines 19-20). The 'penthouse lid' is literally the upper eyelid, so the image is that 'sleep' can't 'hang' on the top eyelid to close it.

• The witches' prophecy influences the actions of the characters, thus, causing them to do things they never before would have considered. In the case of Macbeth, an honorable and loyal soldier, we see the prophecy of becoming King opens him to dishonorable acts.... acts that multiply and become increasingly despicable. Rather than wait to see if the prophecies are in fact fated.... Macbeth helps them along and feels justified in doing so.

• This scene shows us that the witches do have some supernatural power, although we cannot know for certain just how much.

They tell Macbeth that he will be made the Thane of Cawdor, and this is not technically a prophecy because it has already happened: Duncan told Ross at the end of the prior scene to go and execute the Thane of Cawdor for treason, "And with his former title greet Macbeth" (1.2.76). Macbeth isn't aware that this has happened, however, and so when Ross approaches him to present him with his new title, it seems as though the Weird Sisters have foretold the future. It is possible that when they tell him that he will be king, they aren't prophesying but rather telling him something to manipulate him: they might just want to see what he'll be willing to do in order to make this statement become reality. If so, then they perhaps have no real ability to foretell future events.

However, they do vanish (according to the stage direction just after line 81). Being able to disappear into thin air does seem to indicate that they have some supernatural ability, if not the one they claim to possess. At the beginning of the scene, they discuss a number of things which, if they can really do them, would also indicate their supernatural natures: sailing anywhere in a sieve, torturing a man by preventing him from sleeping for a long period of time, controlling the winds, and so on.

• The witches prediction for Banquo: line 67, his children will be kings.

• Prediction for Macbeth: lines 49 and 50, that he is the Thane of Cawdor and will be the king soon.

• Macbeth doesn't believe their prediction because, as he says, "The Thane of Cawdor lives" (line 72), and for the prediction that he will become king, that's just a crazy stretch to Macbeth - it "Stands not within the prospect of belief" (line 74).

Hope this helps <3

Answer 2

Answer: Macbeth’s discovery that he is indeed Thane of Cawdor makes him believe that the witches’ other predictions must also be accurate. Students may also feel that Macbeth accepts the witches’ predictions because he is a superstitious man in a superstitious age and/or because the predictions give him a pretext for doing what he already was wont to do (because of his excessive ambition). Students should support their ideas with details from the play as well as logical reasons.

Step-by-step explanation: