The witches in Act 1, Scene 3 of ‘Macbeth’
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain how language has been used to describe the witches in Act 1, Scene 3 of ‘Macbeth’.
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
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.
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.
Teacher tip
Use LC2 to help students build a nuanced interpretation by tying their original interpretation of the witches as women who conform to common beliefs about witches, to the additional suggestion that they are unknowable and unquantifiable 'things'.
Equipment
You will need access to a copy of William Shakespeare's 'Macbeth'.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What is the name of the character who, with Macbeth, hears prophecies from the witches in Act 1, Scene 3 of 'Macbeth'?
Q2.Which adjective best describes the atmosphere of the opening scene of 'Macbeth'?
Q3.What do the witches tell Macbeth in Act 1, Scene 3 of 'Macbeth'?
Q4.What happens after the witches deliver the prophecies in Act 1, Scene 3 of 'Macbeth'?
Q5.James I, the monarch when 'Macbeth' was first written and performed, believed in witches. What two things did he do to show this belief?
Q6.Is the witches' appearance in Act 1 of 'Macbeth' the only unnatural event to occur in the play?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What qualities should an ideal Jacobean woman adhere to?
Q2.What are common features of outsiders?
Q3.Which quotation best expresses Macbeth's confusion about the witches in Act 1, Scene 3 of 'Macbeth'?
Q4.What device does Shakespeare use to explore the idea of disorder and chaos in 'Macbeth'?
Q5.Which statements best explain why Macbeth and Banquo are confused by the witches in Act 1, Scene 3 of 'Macbeth'?
Q6.In Act 1, Scene 3 of 'Macbeth', Banquo compares the witches to 'bubbles' and 'things'. Which statements best describe the effect of this language?
To help you plan your 10 English lesson on: The witches in Act 1, Scene 3 of ‘Macbeth’, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 10 English lesson on: The witches in Act 1, Scene 3 of ‘Macbeth’, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 English lessons from the Macbeth: Lady Macbeth as a Machiavellian villain unit, dive into the full secondary English curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.