Witches and witchcraft in Shakespeare's England

1. Witches and witchcraft in Shakespeare's England During the reign of Elizabeth I and James I there was a fascination with witches which developed into a witch mania. It was mostly women who were accused of being witches. Witch trials were very popular.

2. Is this a fair trial? Ducking was a popular method of trying witches. The witch would be tied to a ducking stool and lowered into a river or lake to see if they floated. If they floated, then they were accused of witchcraft.

3. Many people were suspected of being witches and they were cruelly persecuted. Those who were convicted faced thethreat of being burnt to death

4. How to recognise a witch! • The “Devil’s mark” - unusual marks on the skin/body. • They lived alone and owned a pet known as a familiar e.g. a cat. • They had knowledge of plants and medicines. Could heal the sick. • Powers of divination – seeing into the future.

5. If things started going wrong, it was easy to put the blame onto it being linked with witchcraft.

6. King James was fascinated by witchcraft. In 1590 a group of witches tried to kill him but their plot was discovered. He personally interrogated one of the accused witches, Dr Fian. “His nails upon all his fingers were riven and pulled off…his legs were crushed and beaten together… his bones and flesh so bruised that the blood and marrow spouted forth in abundance.”

7. King James was a patron to Shakespeare. Shakespeare may have included the witches in “Macbeth” to flatter and interest the king. “ Double, double toil and trouble, Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.”

8. LET’S RECAP! “Here I have a pilot’s thumb, Wrecked as homeward he did come. 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.” • What are the witches creating a spell for? • What would you create a spell for?

9. Brainstorm words for your spell. Remember –what is your spell going to do?

10. “eye of newt and toe of frog, Wool of bat, and tongue of dog. Adder’s fork, and blind-worm’s sting, Lizard’s leg, and howlet’s wing,” Think about the rhythm of the witches’ words. Underline the stressed syllables. How many stressed syllables are there?

11. A forever young spell. Round the_______ here we go, Through the swirling mists so low. We are making a _______ spell, With a ________ and a _______ yell. A phantom’s scream, a dragon’s ______, A howl of windy ________ weather. A snail’s _______ and lizard’s________, And one very_______egg.

12. Stir and stir and stir the________, Some for _______ and some for_______. Add a drop of morning________, Then the spell will come________. Words Magic, you, true, cauldron, goblin’s, tempest, shell, toad, feather, legs, brew, dew, her, rotten.

13. The witching hour has arrived! Create your own spell around the cauldron.

14. Decide what your spell is for e.g. a good luck potion Your spell must be at least 3 verses long (12 lines in total) Use the 4 beat rhythm Each witch to have equal number of lines to say