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Representations - Witches (Witches in Shakepeare's context.…
Representations - Witches
Witches in Shakepeare's context.
Influential, a force not to be disregarded
Not to be trusted.
Actively involved in overthrowing King James I
Practiced by women
Unnatural - appearances of men and women, marked, incomplete.
Women had no legitimate power.
Relationships used to develop representations...
Macbeth
Appeal to his pride; they show him honour and respect (initially); they corrupt him; manipulative.
Lady Macbeth
Indirect relationship; revelation of their knowledge influences her to call on the same spirits which empower the witches.
almost practices witchcraft herself - to move between gender, for strength, in manipulating her husband...
As a woman cannot be powerful herself, but like other women, obtains through manipulation of the masculine or witchcraft - either way, they go beyond the constructs of nature and society.
Banquo
Reveal that his sons will be kings (all the way to King James VI)
He does not actively consort with them or act on their prediction. Does not perjure himself for the sake of power.
Three key representations
Witches interfere with the natural order - whenever appear, weather or natural disturbances, unnatural occurrences.
The Divine Right of Kings.
They corrupt people through deception.
Power gained through witchcraft is illegitimate and transitory.
Ideas are about what the character/society thinks are true, right, what is natural.
Ideas the witches accept/reject
Reject the idea that the natural order must be maintained and WILL be maintained.
Accept the idea that power is transitory when seized through corrupt means
They reject the idea that power is a divine right, given by God to the king.
Attitudes = what the characters DO about their ideas
Attitudes
Attitude is seen when they....
Use honourific language when they meet Macbeth, but later, treat him as an inferior
Chant, when they create potions in the cauldron, when they have visions
Cause the chaos and then disappear, when they appear in their natural form, which symbolises disorder
When they do not pursue Banquo
Values = what is important to a character, it MOTIVATES
What the witches value
They value malevolence, chaos, totes legit against God.
Value power for themselves, value overthrowing established order.
They value their power to control and corrupt.