Act 1
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Though his bark cannot be lost,
25Yet it shall be tempest-tossed.
Look what I have.
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Although I can’t make his ship disappear, I can still
make his journey miserable. Look what I have here.
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SECOND WITCH Show me, show me.
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SECOND WITCH Show me, show me.
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FIRST WITCH Here I have a pilot’s thumb,
Wrecked as homeward he did come.
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FIRST WITCH Here I have the thumb of a pilot who was drowned while trying to
return home.
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Drum within
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A drum sounds offstage.
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THIRD WITCH
30A drum, a drum!
Macbeth doth come.
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THIRD WITCH A drum, a drum! Macbeth has come.
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ALL
(dancing together in a circle) The
weird sisters, hand in
hand,
Posters of the sea and land,
Thus do go about, about,
35Thrice to thine and thrice to mine
And thrice again, to make up nine.
Peace! The charm’s wound up.
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ALL
(dancing together in a circle) We
weird sisters, hand in hand, swift travelers over the sea and land,
dance around and around like so. Three times to yours, and three
times to mine, and three times again, to add up to nine. Enough! The
charm is ready.
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Enter MACBETH and
BANQUO
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MACBETH and BANQUO
enter.
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MACBETH So foul and fair a day I have not seen.
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MACBETH
(to BANQUO) I have never seen a day that was so good and bad at the
same time.
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BANQUO How far is ’t called to Forres?—What are
these
40So withered and so wild in their attire,
That look not like th' 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
45Upon her skinny lips. You should be women,
And yet your beards forbid me to interpret
That you are so.
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BANQUO How far is it supposed to be to Forres? (he
sees the WITCHES) What
are these creatures? They’re so withered-looking and
crazily dressed. They don’t look like they belong on this
planet, but I see them standing here on Earth. (to the WITCHES) Are you alive? Can you answer questions? You seem to
understand me, because each of you has put a gruesome finger to her
skinny lips. You look like women, but your beards keep me from
believing that you really are.
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More Help
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Character List
CHARACTERS -
Macbeth: Character Analysis
CHARACTERS -
Plot Analysis
MAIN IDEAS -
Is Lady Macbeth a Villain or a Victim?
MAIN IDEAS -
Quotes by Theme
QUOTES -
Themes
MAIN IDEAS -
Review Quiz
FURTHER STUDY
