Weird Sisters
WITCHCRAFT
Witchcraft is the term for
using magical powers and
the supernatural to control
people, events, and
happenings. Most human
societies have believed in
witchcraft.
In Shakespeare’s time,
people believed in witches
and often blamed their
own misfortunes on
witches and witchcraft.
Basically, anything bad
that could happen could
(or would) be blamed on
witches.
HECATE
Hecate is the goddess of
Magic and enchantment
and the Queen of Witches.
SISTERS
Huh!? Let me explain…
In the Folio edition the spelling
is weyward. Our modern-day
meaning of weird, i.e., odd or
strange, is not really accurate.
Weird here comes from the
Anglo-Saxon wyrd, and means
fate or destiny. Thus the Weird
Sisters are foretellers of
Macbeth's fate.
Let’s do some hunting and gathering…
1. List 5 magical powers the witches possess in Macbeth.
Support your answers with evidence from the text!
2. In Act 1, scene 1, the witches pronounce “Fair is foul,
and foul is fair” (line 11). What do you think the witches
mean by this?
2. What two questions does Macbeth ask the witches in
Act 1, scene 3 lines 70-79?
3. What lines from the play suggest that the intentions of
the witches is that of evil and mischief?
Let’s unravel Act 3, scene 5…
1. What line suggests Hecate is the
witches’ superior?
2. What is Hecate’s intention with
Macbeth? (As always, give evidence
from the text).
3. Look at lines 30-34. [He
shall…enemy.] What is going to be
the cause Macbeth’s downfall?
Some classical portrayals
show her as a triplicate
goddess holding a torch,
a key, and a serpent.
Act 4, scene 1: the final deed of the Witches
For the audience, the strange apparitions act as symbols
that foreshadow the way the prophecies will be fulfilled.
1. What event or occurrence does each symbol foreshadow?
2. How does Macbeth interpret the apparitions?
3. When Macbeth says “And damn’d all those that trust
them!” (line 139), why is this ironic?