why was macbeth so surprised when he was greeted by the witchesas thane of cawdor?

Answer 1

He wasn't expecting the title. He did not know that the current thane had become a traitor & was executed.

Answer 2

Hello Christine, these links will help you.

Macbeth by William Shakespeare

http://www.elook.org/literature/shakespeare/macbeth/

An Introduction to Macbeth

The Symbolic Pattern

http://www.eastdonsc.vic.edu.au/home/pgardner/teaching/Macbeth_notes.html

I have found 14 summaries for you to look at, click the link below. I have included a short extract to give you a taste of what the reviews have to offer and they’re FREE..!!!

http://www.absoluteshakespeare.com/guides/macbeth/macbeth.htm

http://litsum.com/macbeth/

http://www.gradesaver.com/classicnotes/titles/macbeth/

http://www.freebooknotes.com/book.php3?id=251

http://www.antistudy.com/search.php?title=Macbeth

http://www.cummingsstudyguides.net/xMacbeth.html

http://www.clicknotes.com/macbeth/index.html

http://www.schoolbytes.com/summary.php?id=422

An analysis of the play by Shakespeare

http://www.shakespeare-online.com/playanalysis/macbeth.html

http://www.theatrehistory.com/british/macbeth001.html

Protagonist

Macbeth as the personification of greed and resulting evil. He kills the king to seize the throne for himself and continues to murder to protect himself from discovery.
Antagonist

His conscience and guilt, which are his undoing (and the forces of good at work)

http://www.pinkmonkey.com/booknotes/monkeynotes/pmMacbeth04.asp

Macbeth Literary Analysis

http://www.freeessays.cc/db/42/sra201.shtml

Enjoying "Macbeth", by William Shakespeare

http://www.lynchmultimedia.com/macbeth_parallel.html

http://www.pathguy.com/macbeth.htm

Macbeth Symbolism, take inspiration from this essay and beware of plagiarism.

http://www.freeessays.cc/db/42/sra216.shtml

Good luck.

Kevin, Liverpool, England.

Answer 3

His initial response to seeing them is, 'So foul and fair a day I have not seen.' This would suggest he's quite shocked, probably pretty repulsed actually, as he's never seen anything quite so ugly in his life before. He then says, 'Speak, if you can: what are you?' This rhetoric suggests he is curious about them. It's also an impertive so he's regained his composure and taken command of the situation.