What is a Witch’s favourite subject at school?

Spelling

Why do witches wear name tags?

So they know which Witch is which

Keywords Macbeth Witches Shakespeare Ambition Persuasion Responsibility Rhythm Incantation Rhyme

What is a witch?

Learning Objectives: To understand the role of the witches in the play To analyse their use of language and how it reflects their character

Did you know… In 1590 James I had heard there were witches in North Berwick who were plotting to kill him, through a witchcraft curse! Reports said that they had thrown cats and bits of dead human bodies into the North Sea as he was sailing across it. This raised a storm which almost wrecked James’s ship. James survived, heard of the plot and sent for the witches. He questioned their leader, Agnes Sampson. To his amazement the woman repeated to James some of the things he had whispered to his wife on the night of his wedding – words that no one but James and Anne could have heard. The king believed he had survived because he was a rightful king and protected by God (divine right). Shakespeare took this idea of a rightful king and witchcraft and wove them into Macbeth

Elizabethans believed… Witches could talk to the dead Witches could see into the future Witches could make people fall ill by using spells and potions Witches could fly and make themselves invisible Witches used animals such as cats as disguises for the evil spirits who served them Witches could cause bad weather and storms, affecting ships at sea and spoiling crops

Act 1 Scene 1 Thunder and lightning. Enter three Witches First Witch : When shall we three meet again In thunder, lightning, or in rain? Second Witch: When the hurlyburly's done, When the battle's lost and won. Third Witch: That will be ere the set of sun. First Witch: Where the place? Second Witch: Upon the heath. Third Witch: There to meet with Macbeth. First Witch: I come, Graymalkin! Second Witch: Paddock calls. Third Witch : Anon. ALL: Fair is foul, and foul is fair: Hover through the fog and filthy air. What type of weather is described in the scene? What do you notice about the end of each line?

Three witches appear in Act 1 Scene 1 Act 1 Scene 3 Act 3 Scene 5 Act 4 Scene 1

Fillet of a fenny snake, In the cauldron boil and bake; Eye of newt, and toe of frog, Adder’s fork, and blind worm’s sting, Lizard’s leg, and howlet’s wing, For a charm of powerful trouble, Like a hell broth boil and bubble. Double, double, toil and trouble: Fire, burn; and cauldron, bubble. What words do you not understand?

Read Act 4 Scene 1 Underline some of the ingredients the witches are using. Comment on what they are like. How does the spell sound? Is there a rhyming pattern?

Now you try! In pairs, come up with a list of horrible ingredients Then, when you are ready, create your own evil spell Extension: see if you can make it rhyme! Word Bank: Sprinkle of Tail of Drop of Pinch of Slither of frog limb blood skin hair guts liver stomach

Language What type of language do the witches use? What does it tell us about their character? Do you think they have an important role in the play? Why?

Have you? understand the role of the witches in the play? Analysed the language they used in act four scene one?

Spell-binding learning Read your neighbours mind. Write down three things they have learnt today.

What do you call a Witch that lives at the Beach?

A sand-witch

With acknowledgement to the TES Resource Site and its contributors