Question

which statement best expresses the dramatic irony of the witches’ predictions?
the audience knows that the witches are giving macbeth a false sense of security, but macbeth is unaware.
macbeth suspects that the witches are not to be trusted, but the audience knows they are telling the truth.
the witches know that their predictions are complicated riddles, but macbeth is taking the riddles literally.
the witches know that macbeth will not live to become king, but macbeth believes that the throne will be his.

Explanation:

Dramatic irony occurs when the audience knows more than the characters. In "Macbeth", the witches' predictions (like "none of woman born shall harm Macbeth") give Macbeth a false sense of security. The audience understands the witches' prophecies are misleading, but Macbeth doesn't realize this. The first option matches this: the audience knows the witches mislead Macbeth, but he is unaware. The second option is wrong because the witches' predictions aren't straightforward truth (they're deceptive). The third option is about Macbeth misinterpreting riddles, not dramatic irony (which relies on audience vs. character knowledge). The fourth option is incorrect as Macbeth does become king (briefly) and the witches' knowledge here isn't the core of the dramatic irony about their predictions' deception.

Answer:

A. The audience knows that the witches are giving Macbeth a false sense of security, but Macbeth is unaware.