Where hast thou been, sister?
Where have you been, sister?
Where've you been?
where u been
Killing swine.
Killing pigs.
Killing pigs.
killing pigs
Sister, where thou?
Sister, where have you been?
Where were you?
where r u
A sailor’s wife had chestnuts in her lap,
And mounch’d, and mounch’d, and mounch’d. “Give me,” quoth I.
“Aroint thee, witch!” the rump-fed ronyon cries.
Her husband’s to Aleppo gone, master o’ th’ _Tiger:_
But in a sieve I’ll thither sail,
And, like a rat without a tail,
I’ll do, I’ll do, and I’ll do.
A sailor's wife had chestnuts in her lap, and ate, and ate, and ate. 'Give me,' I said.
I met a sailor's wife with chestnuts, munching them down. I asked her to give me some.
sailors wife eating chestnuts i asked for one she said no
I’ll give thee a wind.
I'll give you a wind.
I'll give you a wind.
ill give u wind
Th’art kind.
You're kind.
Thanks.
ty
And I another.
And I'll give another.
I'll add one too.
ill give one 2
I myself have all the other,
And the very ports they blow,
All the quarters that they know
I’ the shipman’s card.
I will drain him dry as hay:
Sleep shall neither night nor day
Hang upon his pent-house lid;
He shall live a man forbid.
Weary sev’n-nights nine times nine,
Shall he dwindle, peak, and pine:
Though his bark cannot be lost,
Yet it shall be tempest-tost.
Look what I have.
I myself have all the others, and the very ports they blow toward—
I control all the rest of the winds, and I know every port they're heading to.
i got all the winds know where theyre going
Show me, show me.
Show me, show me.
Show me, show me.
show me
Here I have a pilot’s thumb,
Wrack’d as homeward he did come.
Here I have a pilot's thumb, wrecked as he came home.
Look—I have a pilot's thumb. He wrecked coming home.
heres pilots thumb from ship wreck
A drum, a drum!
Macbeth doth come.
A drum, a drum! Macbeth comes.
Drums! There—that's Macbeth!
drums macbeth coming
The Weird Sisters, hand in hand,
Posters of the sea and land,
Thus do go about, about:
Thrice to thine, and thrice to mine,
And thrice again, to make up nine.
Peace!—the charm’s wound up.
The Weird Sisters, hand in hand, posters across the sea and land,
We are the Weird Sisters, walking hand in hand, moving fast across sea and land.
were the weird sisters hand in hand moving everywhere
Speaks publicly in clipped, controlled lines that give almost nothing away. Speaks in aside in long, twisting, self-interrupting sentences that loop back on themselves — his private language is nothing like his public one. The gap between them is the play. Watch for how his verse becomes more tortured when he's alone or barely alone: 'This supernatural soliciting / Cannot be ill, cannot be good...' That spiral of logic-that-goes-nowhere is Macbeth's distinctive inner voice.
So foul and fair a day I have not seen.
I've never seen a day so foul and yet so fair.
I've never seen a day that's both so ugly and so beautiful at the same time.
day so foul fair never seen it
His skepticism about the Witches — 'oftentimes, to win us to our harm, the instruments of darkness tell us truths' — is the play's most accurate diagnosis, delivered by the man who won't act on it. He's more intellectually sophisticated than Macbeth about what's happening, and less emotionally captured. He notices Macbeth going pale; he won't intervene. He's not a hero — but he's right.
How far is’t call’d to Forres?—What are these,
So wither’d, and so wild in their attire,
That look not like the inhabitants o’ th’ earth,
And yet are on’t?—Live you? or are you aught
That man may question? You seem to understand me,
By each at once her choppy finger laying
Upon her skinny lips. You should be women,
And yet your beards forbid me to interpret
That you are so.
What are these creatures? They look neither woman nor shadow, yet on the earth they stand. Are you real, or mere illusion?
What are these things? They don't look like women or ghosts. But they're standing on the ground. Are they real or just visions?
what r these not women not ghosts but here real or fake
Speak, if you can;—what are you?
Speak, if you can. What are you?
Talk to us. Who are you?
who r u
All hail, Macbeth! hail to thee, Thane of Glamis!
All hail, Macbeth! Hail to you, Thane of Glamis!
All hail, Macbeth! You're the Thane of Glamis!
all hail macbeth thane of glamis
All hail, Macbeth! hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor!
All hail, Macbeth! Hail to you, Thane of Cawdor!
All hail, Macbeth! You're the Thane of Cawdor!
all hail thane of cawdor
All hail, Macbeth! that shalt be king hereafter!
All hail, Macbeth, who shall be King hereafter!
All hail, Macbeth! You'll be King!
all hail macbeth king later
Good sir, why do you start and seem to fear
Things that do sound so fair?—I’ th’ name of truth,
Are ye fantastical, or that indeed
Which outwardly ye show? My noble partner
You greet with present grace and great prediction
Of noble having and of royal hope,
That he seems rapt withal. To me you speak not.
If you can look into the seeds of time,
And say which grain will grow, and which will not,
Speak then to me, who neither beg nor fear
Your favours nor your hate.
If what you say is true, why do you stop me with predictions that promise me great things, yet give me no assurance? 'Thane of Glamis' I am already. Cawdor I know I'm not yet. But to be King— I don't know how that's possible.
Wait, if you're telling the truth, why are you just leaving me with these promises? I'm already Thane of Glamis. I know I'm not Thane of Cawdor. But King? How does that happen?
why tell me this if u wont explain glams = have cawdor = dont have king = ??? how
Hail!
Be careful. Often, the instruments of darkness tell us truths—minor, trivial truths— to draw us into the deepest evil. Macbeth, be wary.
Watch out. Dark magic often tells you something true to trick you into believing something false. These things are dangerous.
beware dark magic tells small truths to trap you watch yourself
Hail!
Your words are strange to me. But so far, I'm speaking truth: I never sought these titles, yet they come to me. Your daughters shall be mothers to kings, though you will never be king yourself.
What you're saying sounds off to me. But look—I didn't ask for these titles. I didn't even think about them. Yet here they are. And you—you'll father kings, even if you're not one yourself.
weird didnt ask for this but its happening u will have king sons just not be king urself
Hail!
Come—the air calls us. Come, let's not wait.
Come on—we're going. Let's move.
time to go lets bounce
Macbeth and Banquo receive the Witches' prophecies in the same scene, in the same place, under identical conditions. One of them is destroyed by what he hears. The other is not. The difference is not intelligence — Banquo is if anything the more sophisticated thinker, immediately recognizing the theological danger. The difference is ambition.
Banquo's prophecy is about his descendants. To fulfill it, he has to do nothing except survive and have children. It requires no action. There's nothing to plan, nothing to execute, nothing to make happen. The future will arrive or it won't.
Macbeth's prophecy is about himself, in his own lifetime. He's already Glamis. He'll shortly be Cawdor. King is the next and final step — and there is a living king in the way. The prophecy doesn't just predict; it implies a vacancy that needs creating. Macbeth doesn't manufacture this implication. The political reality manufactures it, and the prophecy activates his awareness of it.
Shakespeare is precise about this: Macbeth doesn't decide to kill Duncan in this scene. He discovers that the thought of killing Duncan is already there, waiting. His terrified aside — 'why do I yield to that suggestion whose horrid image doth unfix my hair' — is the reaction of a man who has looked into his own mind and found something he didn't put there.
Or did he? That's the play's question. Was the ambition always there, and the Witches just named it? Or did their naming call it into being? Shakespeare doesn't answer this — and that is where the play's moral weight lives.
Lesser than Macbeth, and greater.
Wait! Tell me more! I need to know the truth of these predictions. Will you speak to me?
Hold on! Tell me more! I need to understand what you're saying!
wait tell me more what does this mean
Not so happy, yet much happier.
The earth has bubbles, as the water has. And these have vanished into them. Where did they go?
What was that? They just disappeared. Like bubbles in water.
they vanished like bubbles where did they go
Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none:
So all hail, Macbeth and Banquo!
They were here. We both saw them. We heard them speak our names. They knew things that no mortal could know. They called you by titles you haven't earned yet. That wasn't imagination.
No—they were real. We both saw them. We heard them. They knew things. You're a thane-in-waiting now.
they were real we both saw they knew shit were here theyre gone
Banquo and Macbeth, all hail!
Two truths are told, as happy prologues to the swelling act of the imperial theme. I am Thane of Glamis. Cawdor is already mine. Then I will be King. The greatest is behind. (Aside) If chance will have me king, why, I need not strain for it. Chance may crown me without my deed.
Two of their predictions are already coming true. They're like the opening of a play that's going to make me king. I'm already Thane of Glamis. Cawdor will be mine. And then the crown. (To himself) If chance makes me king, why force it? Maybe it just happens.
two truths happening im thane of glamis cawdor coming then king may just happen no need to force
Stay, you imperfect speakers, tell me more.
By Sinel’s death I know I am Thane of Glamis;
But how of Cawdor? The Thane of Cawdor lives,
A prosperous gentleman; and to be king
Stands not within the prospect of belief,
No more than to be Cawdor. Say from whence
You owe this strange intelligence? or why
Upon this blasted heath you stop our way
With such prophetic greeting?—Speak, I charge you.
Stay, you imperfect speakers, tell me more. By Sinel’s death I know I am Thane of Glamis; But how of Cawdor? The Thane of Cawdor lives, A prosperous gentleman; and to be king Stands not within the prospect of belief, No more than to be Cawdor. Say from whence You owe this strange intelligence? or why Upon this blasted heath you stop our way With such prophetic greeting?—Speak, I charge you.
stay, you imperfect speakers, tell me more. by sinel’s death i know i am thane of glamis; but how of cawdor? the thane of cawdor lives, a prosperous gentleman; and to be king stands not within the prospect of belief, no more than to be cawdor. say from whence you owe this strange intelligence? or why upon this blasted heath you stop our way with such prophetic greeting?—speak, i charge you.
stay, you imperfect speakers, tell me more. by sinel’s death
The earth hath bubbles, as the water has,
And these are of them. Whither are they vanish’d?
The earth hath bubbles, as the water has, And these are of them. Whither are they vanish’d?
the earth hath bubbles, as the water has, and these are of them. whither are they vanish’d?
the earth hath bubbles, as the water has, and these are of t
Into the air; and what seem’d corporal,
Melted as breath into the wind.
Would they had stay’d!
Into the air; and what seem’d corporal, Melted as breath into the wind. Would they had stay’d!
into the air; and what seem’d corporal, melted as breath into the wind. would they had stay’d!
into the air; and what seem’d corporal, melted as breath int
Were such things here as we do speak about?
Or have we eaten on the insane root
That takes the reason prisoner?
Were such things here as we do speak about? Or have we eaten on the insane root That takes the reason prisoner?
were such things here as we do speak about? or have we eaten on the insane root that takes the reason prisoner?
were such things here as we do speak about? or have we eaten
Your children shall be kings.
Your children shall be kings.
your children shall be kings.
your children shall be kings.
You shall be king.
You shall be king.
you shall be king.
you shall be king.
And Thane of Cawdor too; went it not so?
And Thane of Cawdor too; went it not so?
and thane of cawdor too; went it not so?
and thane of cawdor too; went it not so?
To the selfsame tune and words. Who’s here?
To the selfsame tune and words. Who’s here?
to the selfsame tune and words. who’s here?
to the selfsame tune and words. who’s here?
The King hath happily receiv’d, Macbeth,
The news of thy success, and when he reads
Thy personal venture in the rebels’ fight,
His wonders and his praises do contend
Which should be thine or his: silenc’d with that,
In viewing o’er the rest o’ th’ selfsame day,
He finds thee in the stout Norweyan ranks,
Nothing afeard of what thyself didst make,
Strange images of death. As thick as tale
Came post with post; and everyone did bear
Thy praises in his kingdom’s great defence,
And pour’d them down before him.
The King hath happily receiv’d, Macbeth, The news of thy success, and when he reads Thy personal venture in the rebels’ fight, His wonders and his praises do contend Which should be thine or his: silenc’d with that, In viewing o’er the rest o’ th’ selfsame day, He finds thee in the stout Norweyan ranks, Nothing afeard of what thyself didst make, Strange images of death. As thick as tale Came post with post; and everyone did bear Thy praises in his kingdom’s great defence, And pour’d them down before him.
the king hath happily receiv’d, macbeth, the news of thy success, and when he reads thy personal venture in the rebels’ fight, his wonders and his praises do contend which should be thine or his: silenc’d with that, in viewing o’er the rest o’ th’ selfsame day, he finds thee in the stout norweyan ranks, nothing afeard of what thyself didst make, strange images of death. as thick as tale came post with post; and everyone did bear thy praises in his kingdom’s great defence, and pour’d them down before him.
the king hath happily receiv’d, macbeth, the news of thy suc
We are sent
To give thee from our royal master thanks;
Only to herald thee into his sight,
Not pay thee.
We are sent To give thee from our royal master thanks; Only to herald thee into his sight, Not pay thee.
we are sent to give thee from our royal master thanks; only to herald thee into his sight, not pay thee.
we are sent to give thee from our royal master thanks; only
And, for an earnest of a greater honour,
He bade me, from him, call thee Thane of Cawdor:
In which addition, hail, most worthy thane,
For it is thine.
And, for an earnest of a greater honour, He bade me, from him, call thee Thane of Cawdor: In which addition, hail, most worthy thane, For it is thine.
and, for an earnest of a greater honour, he bade me, from him, call thee thane of cawdor: in which addition, hail, most worthy thane, for it is thine.
and, for an earnest of a greater honour, he bade me, from hi
What, can the devil speak true?
What, can the devil speak true?
what, can the devil speak true?
what, can the devil speak true?
The Thane of Cawdor lives: why do you dress me
In borrow’d robes?
The Thane of Cawdor lives: why do you dress me In borrow’d robes?
the thane of cawdor lives: why do you dress me in borrow’d robes?
the thane of cawdor lives: why do you dress me in borrow’d r
Who was the Thane lives yet,
But under heavy judgement bears that life
Which he deserves to lose. Whether he was combin’d
With those of Norway, or did line the rebel
With hidden help and vantage, or that with both
He labour’d in his country’s wrack, I know not;
But treasons capital, confess’d and prov’d,
Have overthrown him.
Who was the Thane lives yet, But under heavy judgement bears that life Which he deserves to lose. Whether he was combin’d With those of Norway, or did line the rebel With hidden help and vantage, or that with both He labour’d in his country’s wrack, I know not; But treasons capital, confess’d and prov’d, Have overthrown him.
who was the thane lives yet, but under heavy judgement bears that life which he deserves to lose. whether he was combin’d with those of norway, or did line the rebel with hidden help and vantage, or that with both he labour’d in his country’s wrack, i know not; but treasons capital, confess’d and prov’d, have overthrown him.
who was the thane lives yet, but under heavy judgement bears
The greatest is behind. [_To Ross and Angus._] Thanks for your pains.
The greatest is behind. [_To Ross and Angus._] Thanks for your pains.
the greatest is behind. [_to ross and angus._] thanks for your pains.
the greatest is behind. [_to ross and angus._] thanks for yo
The Witches in Macbeth are not folktale figures — they are drawn from the specific theology and testimony of contemporary witch trials, including the North Berwick trials (1590-91) that fascinated James VI of Scotland, who became James I of England in 1603. James had personally interrogated suspected witches, written a treatise on demonology (Daemonologie, 1597), and remained deeply interested in the subject.
The details Shakespeare uses are drawn from this world. Familiar spirits (Graymalkin, the cat; Paddock, the toad) appear in English witch trial testimony as the demonic companions assigned to witches. The ability to sail in a sieve, to travel in animal form but imperfectly (rat without a tail), to control winds — all of these were standard accusations in actual prosecutions. The nine times nine and the charm-winding rituals echo the formal procedures of recorded witchcraft.
This context is important because it means Shakespeare's audience understood the Witches not as supernatural atmosphere but as genuine theological danger. Witchcraft was real to them, legally codified (the Witchcraft Act of 1604 had just been passed), and associated with specific practices and powers. When Banquo says 'the instruments of darkness,' he's using theological vocabulary that carried weight.
It also means the question of the Witches' agency — do they cause events or merely predict them — was a live theological debate. Could the devil compel human actions, or only suggest them? Majority Protestant opinion held the latter: the devil could tempt but not force. Macbeth's free will is therefore intact throughout the play, which makes his choices fully his own.
That, trusted home,
Might yet enkindle you unto the crown,
Besides the Thane of Cawdor. But ’tis strange:
And oftentimes to win us to our harm,
The instruments of darkness tell us truths;
Win us with honest trifles, to betray’s
In deepest consequence.—
Cousins, a word, I pray you.
That, trusted home, Might yet enkindle you unto the crown, Besides the Thane of Cawdor. But ’tis strange: And oftentimes to win us to our harm, The instruments of darkness tell us truths; Win us with honest trifles, to betray’s In deepest consequence.— Cousins, a word, I pray you.
that, trusted home, might yet enkindle you unto the crown, besides the thane of cawdor. but ’tis strange: and oftentimes to win us to our harm, the instruments of darkness tell us truths; win us with honest trifles, to betray’s in deepest consequence.— cousins, a word, i pray you.
that, trusted home, might yet enkindle you unto the crown, b
As happy prologues to the swelling act
Of the imperial theme.—I thank you, gentlemen.—
As happy prologues to the swelling act Of the imperial theme.—I thank you, gentlemen.—
as happy prologues to the swelling act of the imperial theme.—i thank you, gentlemen.—
as happy prologues to the swelling act of the imperial theme
Look, how our partner’s rapt.
Look, how our partner’s rapt.
look, how our partner’s rapt.
look, how our partner’s rapt.
Without my stir.
Without my stir.
without my stir.
without my stir.
New honours come upon him,
Like our strange garments, cleave not to their mould
But with the aid of use.
New honours come upon him, Like our strange garments, cleave not to their mould But with the aid of use.
new honours come upon him, like our strange garments, cleave not to their mould but with the aid of use.
new honours come upon him, like our strange garments, cleave
Time and the hour runs through the roughest day.
Time and the hour runs through the roughest day.
time and the hour runs through the roughest day.
time and the hour runs through the roughest day.
Worthy Macbeth, we stay upon your leisure.
Worthy Macbeth, we stay upon your leisure.
worthy macbeth, we stay upon your leisure.
worthy macbeth, we stay upon your leisure.
Give me your favour. My dull brain was wrought
With things forgotten. Kind gentlemen, your pains
Are register’d where every day I turn
The leaf to read them.—Let us toward the King.—
Think upon what hath chanc’d; and at more time,
The interim having weigh’d it, let us speak
Our free hearts each to other.
Give me your favour. My dull brain was wrought With things forgotten. Kind gentlemen, your pains Are register’d where every day I turn The leaf to read them.—Let us toward the King.— Think upon what hath chanc’d; and at more time, The interim having weigh’d it, let us speak Our free hearts each to other.
give me your favour. my dull brain was wrought with things forgotten. kind gentlemen, your pains are register’d where every day i turn the leaf to read them.—let us toward the king.— think upon what hath chanc’d; and at more time, the interim having weigh’d it, let us speak our free hearts each to other.
give me your favour. my dull brain was wrought with things f
Very gladly.
Very gladly.
very gladly.
very gladly.
Till then, enough.—Come, friends.
Till then, enough.—Come, friends.
till then, enough.—come, friends.
till then, enough.—come, friends.
The Reckoning
This is the scene where the play's engine ignites. The Witches' three-part prophecy — Glamis, Cawdor, King — is delivered with ceremonial precision, and then the first part is immediately confirmed by Ross. That instant verification does something to Macbeth that we can watch happen in real time: it converts the Witches from curiosities to authorities. Banquo's prophecy — lesser than Macbeth, and greater; not happy, yet much happier; thou shalt get kings, though thou be none — is a perfect specimen of equivocation: paradoxical, technically accurate, and entirely useless as a guide to action. Banquo hears it, is puzzled, and does not start planning. Macbeth hears three words — 'that shalt be king' — and his entire nervous system changes. The most important moment in the scene is one Macbeth doesn't want the audience to see. He goes quiet, then aside: 'This supernatural soliciting / Cannot be ill, cannot be good.' He is already inside his own skull, working through the problem, and what he discovers there frightens him: why does the mere image of murder make his hair stand up when he hasn't decided anything yet? Because he has decided. His body knows before his mind admits it.
If this happened today…
Imagine someone telling you that you're going to be promoted twice — and then watching the first promotion come through before the day is out. The person who told you isn't credible, exactly, but they were right. What do you do with the second prediction? Most people: nothing, they'll see. Some people: the idea of what you'd have to do to make it happen is already there, and you're already trying not to think about it, which means you're already thinking about it.