Year 6

Macbeth and the Witches

- Non-finite clause
- Visit again
- Figurative language –
idiom & personification
- Bring into existence
- Relating to hell
- Show/unearth
- Very unpleasant smell
- A large metal pot used
for cooking over open
fire
- Fall with a plop
figurative language
(Onomatopoeia)
- mixture of things that
form a one powerful
whole
- Evil or harmful
Disgusting smell Change the
Ugly evil women underlined
Smell strongly and indirect speech
unpleasantly - be to direct speech.
suggestive of
something - ‘Press on along
unpleasant the course you
Starving
had begun
A ghostlike image
fearlessly,’ urged
of a person
Boiling or turbulent
the apparitions.
The mask of the ‘since no man
helmet that covers born from
the face woman would
Beware vs be ever kill you, and
aware = beware no rebellion
indicates danger, would ever
but ‘be aware’ calls defeat you. Until
attention to smth. the day Birnam
Persistently Wood would
persuade march on to the
(someone) Castle of
Too powerful to be Dunsinane,’
defeated or added the
overcome apparitions.
The apostrophe ends Laugh in a loud,
the direct speech harsh way.
because the
reporting verb is Causing horror or
after the speech disgust.

A person legally Grimacing

entitled to the grotesquely so as
property or rank of to reveal the teeth
another on that
person's death Like tormented
souls (figurative -
Cause (a spirit or simile)
ghost) to appear by
means of a magic Severe physical or
ritual. mental suffering

Exactly alike Making twisting

A person, plant, or
animal that is
descended from a
particular ancestor
Questions: Blue section
• Why did Macbeth visit the witches in the
heath?
• What did the witches put in the stinking
brew?
• What was it like in the dark cave? How
does the author use the sense of smell in
her language to develop the setting?
• What are apparitions?
• Do you think Macbeth should trust the
witches? Give reasons for your answer.
• Because he was ravenous for answers
about his throne and Banquo’s
descendants.
• The witches put flesh from snakes,
frogs, bats and worms; organs from
dogs, lizards, tigers and murdered men.
• It’s dark and stinky. The author
describes the sense of smell using the
words: ‘stench’ and ‘stink’
• a ghost or ghostlike image of a person
• (Opinion + Evidence)
Questions: Green section
• Who was the queen of the witches?
What difference does it make to the
reader to know she was in the cave?
• What did Macbeth want to find out
from the witches?
• What apparitions were shown to
Macbeth?
• How does the author use language to
develop the sense of evil in the cave?
• Did the witches put Macbeth’s mind
at rest?
• Hecate. It makes this black magic seem more
powerful and evil, it also gives a sense of
importance to the deed.
• That he will not be killed by any man born of a
woman, or defeated by any rebellion. He also
found out Banquo’s descendants will rule over
Scotland for centuries.
• A visored helmet, a blood stained child, and a
crowned baby. He then saw seven identical
images of crowned boys followed by the image of
Banquo holding up a mirror reflecting countless
more sons.
• Dark, stench, black magic, flesh from all sorts of
animals and men mentioned, blood, sinister
magic, wicked spells, crones, reeked so of evil, pit
of hell, bloodstained, explaining how the witches
danced and cackled at Macbeth like tormented
souls in hellfire.
• No, because they showed him that his throne will
come to an end taken by Banquo’s descendants.
Questions: Red section
• The author writes that Macbeth came
ravenous for answers. What does that
mean?
• Why does Macbeth believe he is
invincible?
• Why was Macbeth so miserable at the
end of his visit to the witches?
• How does the author show the reader
that the witches were enjoying his
misery?
• What do you think Macbeth should do
when he leaves the cave? Do you think he
will do it? Give reasons for your answers.
• It means he was so eager to know answers for
his questions.
• Because the witches told him he will not be
defeated by any man born by a woman or by
any rebellion. Since all men are born by women
he thought he won’t be defeated.
• Because he knew his throne will come to an end
and will be given to Banquo’s descendants.
• By explaining how they were cackling and
dancing for him in a grisly, grinning manner like
writhing tormented souls in hellfire.
• Macbeth is a usurper, he should not listen to
Lady Macbeth (his wife), give the throne to
Banquo’s descendants and get back to his
normal life. No, because he is full of evil pride
and he is also influenced by power, witches, and
his wife.
Now use vocabulary from
the text to write your own
short paragraphs.
1- Describe the cave (sight, smell, sound,
who was there)
2- Use a non-finite clause to describe why
and how Macbeth approached the cave
3- direct speech (Macbeth asking his main
question)
4- Start with a prepositional phrase
4- Use a complex sentence
In the dark cave filled with the stench of
boiling flesh, the evil witches cast wicked
spells.
Ravenous for answers, Macbeth hurried to
the cave, panting with worry and distress.
‘Reveal to me the darkest secrets from the
pit of hell!’ ordered Macbeth. The
apparitions obeyed, revealing images that
made his hear pound with more fear.
Without a word, the witches cackled and
danced a grisly grinning dance like
tormented souls writhing in hellfire.