1. sc. 1, lines 1–21: describe the mood that is established in the scene description and stage direction at the beginning of scene 1. what elements to create that mood? what tone might readers expect in the dialogue that follows? how does the stage direction further readers’ understanding of the witches?

The mood is fearful and frightening.

The words of witches creates this mood.

The that can be expected is of terror.

The stage direction helps to understand how much creepy and weird these witches are.

Explanation:

In Scene 1 of Act 4, the mood of the play is established with the entry of three witches. The mood that Shakespeare has chosen to establish in this scene is eerie one.

The setting established is creepy. The scene is described taking place in a cavern with the boiling cauldron in the middle. There's thundering outside describing the frightfulness weather. And the three witches enters the scene. This description of the scene creates an eerie mood, making the setting very creepy.

The elements that the writer has used to further the mood of the scene are the words and phrases said by three witches. The dialogues between these witches creates the mood of creepiness and tells of the things taking place in the setting in the background. The cat meowed three times, a cat was considered a symbol of bad luck, it creates chilling sensation to the readers. Then there's a mention of another creepy creature that is Harpy. Harpy is a foul malign creature in Greek mythology whose appearance is of half-woman and half-bird.

With the dialogues that follows this description of setting and scene, the reader can expect nothing but terror, something very frightful that's going to take place. The repeated phrase of witches 'double, double toil and trouble; fire burn and cauldron bubble' furthers the mood. This phrase looks like witches are chanting for more trouble in the play. The ingredients that they add to the cauldron is petrifying.

The stage direction that Shakespeare has created reveals that the witches are weird and creepy. Even as the name of three witches "three weird sisters" also reveals their character. This stage directions helps the viewers and readers know of these three witch sisters sinisterness also.

a low four-wheeled open carriage of a kind formerly used in russia.