Macbeth's decision to kill Macduff's family...

P. Macbeth makes the decision after seeing the witches and hearing their prophecies to send soldiers to kill MacDuff’s family. [Why does he do this? Self-fulfilling prophecy? Explain.] Q. ‘No boasting like a fool; / This deed I’ll do before the purpose cool.’ E. This is a rhyming couplet. Shakespeare often wrote couplets to show the audience that an Act or scene had finished. This is the end of Act 4 and so it is a significant moment. However, the witches also rhyme, and so by Macbeth also rhyming here, it links him to them, via the prophecies. Macbeth is becoming more attune to the supernatural: he sees Banquo’s ghost, he sees daggers. Shakespeare’s audience would be very aware of listening out for rhyme and so they would make these connections. What’s in it for the witches? - People were more superstitious and believed in the supernatural and witches - Shakespeare is showing how a king can be manipulated in a negative way - King James 1 had written a book about witches and so he believed strongly in them - King James was a new King, and so Shakespeare is trying to make sure he will be a good king. - As witches, they love chaos, so for them they encourage Macbeth and watch his downfall. One decision which Shakespeare makes is to include the witches….