The witches again

We started off reviewing gothic themes in Macbeth - and the witches / supernatural / evil were central to these.

Then we read through A1s4 and discussed the four apparitions.

We then reviewed iambic pentameter and introduced trochaic tetrameter, which the witches' verse mostly appears as. This distinction between iambic pentameter and trochaic tetrameter can be used for AO2 in essays, because it highlights the othernesss of the weird sisters.

STRESS
Banana is not pronounced BAR-NAR-NAR, it is b'NAR-na. So the stress is on the second syllable. Compare Canada. Native speakers have an ear for these natural rhythms, but people who are not native English speakers can fluff up the stress and pronounce things like BAR-NAR-NAR.

IAMBIC PENTAMETER
An iamb is a unit of meter (or foot) made of two syllables – unstressed then stressed. EG:
He said - goodbye - instead.
We speak using iambs in day to day English.
The pentameter bit means there are five iambs per line (ie 10 syllables).

TROCHAIC TETRAMETER
A trochee is a “foot” consisting of two syllables, one stressed and one unstressed (the opposite of an iamb). Eg ENGland.
Tetrameter means there are four feet (ie 8 syllables).

MAIN TASK
Writing a spell with “ingredients” of gothic genre in Macbeth.
In pairs... Write it in trochaic tetrameter. Include all of your gothic elements from your starter and anymore you can think of.

HOMEWORK
Mini Essay on Macbeth’s relationship with the supernatural.