How Did The Witches Influence Macbeth

Topic: How important are the witches to Macbeth? Discuss the effects of the witches on character, plot, themes and audience.

Discuss the ideas in Macbeth that author William Shakespeare portrays about the forces that inhibit or encourage an individual’s actions.

The witches have a profound effect on Macbeth's actions and his character development throughout the play. They gave Macbeth a false belief with seemingly true statements about his destiny. Instead they prove to cause him to do harmful actions because of his over confidence in the witches prophecy. THe witches are the ones who actually implant the thought of killing Duncan into the realms of Macbeth's mind. However, if the cause was merely the

At the beginning of the play, Macbeth’s character starts off as a loyal and brave soldier, who is admired by many people. Throughout the play, however, it is evident that his character and the personality of his character change a lot. There are many aspects that changed his character. What the witches said to him I think changed him the most. Before the witches spoke to him, he didn’t think of what it would be like to be king, or any of the other things, but because the first prediction came true, it led him to believe all the others would as well. The witches are what started him off thinking of how powerful he could become. Obviously his wife talked him into it, but without what the

At this point in the novel Macbeth is using the witches as a guideline to his life. The apparition that he cannot be harmed by anyone born of woman creates a false sense of security within himself. Even at this point, Macbeth still has a choice of whether or not to believe the witches. The weird sisters have not put any spell on him; they have just filled his greedy mind with a sense of security and power for kingship.

laugh to scorn / The power of man, for none born of woman / Shall harm Macbeth."

Macbeth, despite influences of the witches and Lady Macbeth, is responsible for his downfall. The witches are not fully to blame but do play a part in Macbeth's tragedy. In William Shakespeare’s play "Macbeth", Macbeth is a hero who soon destroys himself by his own wicked and selfish ambitions. To a certain degree, the witches can be blamed for the tragedy, although the blame can easily fall amongst Macbeth’s ambitious nature, and Lady Macbeth’s manipulation. Overall, the witches play an important role in the tragedy, but the blame cannot be purely placed on the witches as there are the other factors involved in the play, causing the tragic ending.

The trouble with Macbeth believing the witches so much is that he absolutely believed that he would have to become King, so he did everything he could to make it happen. If Macbeth had decided that what the witches were telling him was not the complete truth then none of the other events would have been set into motion. The choices that Macbeth made resulted in the death of many characters, including himself. And while Macbeth’s ambitions were unquestionably big and a major part of the reason that he set out to become King in the first place, it is most likely that the witches were the catalyst that set off the ensuing events in the rest of the play

After Macbeth died, I, Malcom, became king and had to deal with the collateral damage that was caused by Macbeth's greed and want for power. The losses of Duncan and Banquo were devastating. We shall find these three witches and punish them for what they have caused to happen to all. I, Malcom, vow to be a trust worthy king and have no foul play towards my people and friends. I shall make an effort to comfort and console the families of the ones whose lives were stolen from the world. I also move to outlaw all witches that do ill fate and foul play towards people. These events will be strongly fought against in my rule.

Shakespeare’s bloody and tragic play Macbeth, written in the seventeenth century, portrays blind ambition, appearances can be deceiving and corruption of power. It follows the reasons behind Macbeth’s downfall. The play analyzes how other outside forces can easily change the path of ones desires and decisions. The witches’ intrusion, Lady Macbeth’s manipulation and Macbeth’s dark desires all interfere and manipulate Macbeth’s decisions. He goes from being praised as a noble soldier to a traitor and corrupt king. In the play, Macbeth commits many terrible crimes; however he is solely not responsible for all of them. The outside factors manipulate his decisions and are responsible for his downfall at the end.

Ambition plays a large role in this tragedy. Both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth have a very srtong ambition that drives them. Lady Macbeth's ambition drives her to manipulate Macbeth into committing murder. Macbeth's aggressive ambition is present before the witch's

Any sensible person would like to think that not just anyone can become a murderer. However, debates about how human nature and nurture influence people continue today as they did in the past. In the play Macbeth, Shakespeare plays with this idea using the influences and characterization of Macbeth. At the start of the play, Macbeth and Banquo win a battle for Scotland and Macbeth is rewarded with the title of Thane of Cawdor right after 3 witches predict that he will become the Thane of Cawdor and the new King. Macbeth is now convinced he has to be the king, his wife, Lady Macbeth helps him with his plan. Although he succeeded in becoming king, he really just started his own downfall where in order to stay in power, he has to betray many old friends. Macbeth is influenced by society and others. The desires inside him become overruling. In the end, the negative influences win. Although he has many influences in his life, in the end, Macbeth gives in the forces that end up destroying him.

Macbeth understands that the witches "have more in them than mortal knowledge," and his trust in the witches is made stronger because out of the three prophecies, "two truths are told" (1.5.3) (1.3.140). If it hadn’t been for the prophecy that the witches gives to Banquo and Macbeth, Lady Macbeth would never persuade Macbeth into killing Duncan to become King; and Macbeth never would plot to kill Banquo as a result of jealousy because of Banquo’s prophecy, and mistrust of Banquo after Macbeth kills Duncan. Macbeth relies on the witches throughout the play. Knowing that his sins are so large and he is "in blood / Stepp'd in so far that, should I wade no more," he knows that he must consult the witches again because he knows they will give him advice, and confidence for him to continue making poor decisions. (3.4.169) Again the witches manipulate Macbeth even more, by showing him three apparitions, that make him feel over confident about his bright future as king. These apparitions give Macbeth false confidence, and will result in him making a decision that leads him to failure. So when he finds out these predictions he damns "all those that trust them", ironically damning him, because he has trust in the witches up until this point. (4.1.158) The only reason why Macbeth ever trusts and wants the witches’ prophecies is so he can gain more confidence and feel more powerful.

People say that “ the people who influence you are the people who believe in you”. Macbeth influenced with a lot of people, but Lady Macbeth was the one who drove him the most to do the stupidest things. Lady Macbeth influenced Macbeth to do evil the most. First of all, Lady Macbeth influenced Macbeth to do evil by convincing him to do it.

Macbeth’s next source of influence are the three witches. They basically control him with their prophecies which make his mind dead set on his task. The main source of Macbeth’s problems though is himself. Lady Macbeth manipulates Macbeth surpassing all of his morals and righteousness; when he questions murder, she questions his manhood until he thinks that he must murder to prove her wrong and himself