Supernatural in Shakespeare's Macbeth - Role of the Witches

In the play of ‘Macbeth' by William Shakespeare the witches have an important effect on Macbeth, the characters, the plot, the theme and the audience. They help construct the play and without them it would have been a totally different story line. The three weird sisters influence Macbeth in his acts, they effect characters lives, orientate the plot, they are related to most of the themes and appeal the audience's attention.

The Witches go hand- in- hand as an important role in “Macbeth”. Judging from the prologue we can tell that they are up to no good. "Fair is foul, and foul is fair:" (Act 1 scene 1 line 11). You can not tell how evil the witches are until

The three witches bring on prophecies , these put a big role on macbeth . The witches represent evil, darkness, chaos and conflict . The witches set the theme for the whole play, which is : fair is foul , and foul is fair.”

Macbeth’s downward spiral of events was created through his own free will. The witches did foretell his future but they never directly controlled his actions. The sisters did not cast a spell to make Macbeth go crazy. He was engulfed in his lust for power and his battle with his conscience. This led to his insomnia

Firstly, the use of the witches in the play is a key element in the

Have you ever dressed up as a witch or some similar creature for Halloween? Most people have a misconception of what witches really are about. Children believe that witches fly around on brooms casting spells with their wands. Most “witches” today are centered on comedy. The idea of witches, however, was formed long ago. Back in the days of Shakespeare, witches were quite different. Bubbling cauldrons. Hooded faces. Ancient, wrinkled robes. And supernatural occurrences. These things are what some theorize to be equated with witches. However, some may have been more casual. In William Shakespeare’s play Macbeth, three of the main characters are witches: the Weïrd Sisters. One thing that witches all share in common, they possess at least some degree of mystery. Obviously, if three women appeared and began prophesying of things to come, eyebrows would be raised and skepticism would turn its sharp gears. However, as William Shakespeare intended, the three sisters appear to exist solely for that reason: to prophesy about things to come. To better understand the function of the witches, they must be put under the magnifying glass and examined.

Double, Double Candles float gracefully above the tables as children sing in a choir as a prelude to a feast. Three witches dance ominously around a cauldron, conjuring something dark and not of this world. There is, in fact, a common theme between these two images – the presence of the famed witches’ spell “Double, double, toil and trouble, fire burn and cauldron bubble” (Shakespeare 4.1.10-11) from The Tragedy of Macbeth and witchcraft. The singing of the witches’ words in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is a highly ironic statement about perception of witchcraft and provides a contrast in views of magic.

I will now analyse the four scenes in which the witches can be seen to

In the first acts of The Comedy of Errors, Antipholus of Syracuse is inclined to believe that witchcraft is brewing in Ephesus. According to Linda Alchin, in the 16th century, Elizabethans blamed unexplainable events on witches. When there was an outbreak of a terrible disease, an animal died, or a house burnt to the ground, witches were blamed (Alchin). In our modern time, we have the scientific knowledge to explain these events and for the most part, do not believe in the supernatural. There are illusions to witchcraft in The Comedy of Errors that Shakespeare was endeavoring to disprove the belief in witchcraft and the supernatural, which was widely accepted in the Elizabethan time.

The witches all chant and speak in rhyme and riddle , which is a traditional feature of a seventeenth century 'real' witch. There are three witches. The witches as well as being typical of 'real' witches in the seventeenth century are also disorderly and chaotic like dreams , they both do not keep to spatial reality or time, there are both blurry you never seem to see the full picture , they both show some connection to real life because the witches seem to show what Macbeth desires are and how he can get the, just like a fantasy dream might show what we want and desire. What Macbeth wants is more power and more power for him is to become the king and the witches just like our dreams would present us with what it would be like but the witches go further than dreams and tell him how he could obtain his desires. Both dreams and the witches are unrealistic, they do not conform to an ordinary structure.

When Macbeth is shown three apparitions by the witches in response to his questioning of them, the third depicts a long line of kings descended from Banquo “some I see / That two-fold balls and treble sceptres carry” (Shakespeare IV.i. p 55). Suggesting Banquo’s lineage will extend into eternity and rule over multiple nations--” two-fold balls and treble sceptres”--directly flattered James as he descended from Banquo and ruled multiple nations. Yet, this flattery was only successful after Shakespeare made Banquo a foil to Macbeth. Earlier, when Macbeth is plotting the murder of Duncan, Macbeth attempts to persuade Banquo into helping his plot by suggesting the murder will eventually bring Banquo “honour,””, but Banquo responds with: “I lose none / In seeking to augment it, but still keep / My bosom franchised and allegiance clear, / I shall be counsell’d” (Shakespeare II.i. p .20). Banquo remains virtuous, unlike Macbeth, in order to keep James’ lineage proper and rightful for a king from James’

“Look not like the inhabitants of the earth, and yet are on it.” From the beginning of the play Macbeth, readers are able to identify the witches as ugly, creepy, and very unique characters. Although they are presented in a disturbing way, the witches play a prominent role throughout the play and act as a catalyst of the action, propelling Macbeth to commit horrible deeds.

As I read the first scene of the first act, it mainly described the three witch discussing the things that will occur, predictions about Macbeth and returning again to discuss about him.

In Macbeth, the mention of witches might seem like a far-fetched idea today, but it's not considering the timeframe the play takes place in. In history, there was good witches and evil witches. The good witches usually wore white and were "witch doctors. " These witches used their practice to help others by making spells, ointments, and potions to heal. There was also said to be "toad doctors" who were said to be able to undo evil witchcraft.

Another example is strong enough to indicate that the witches have supernatural power. In Act I scene iii, when the first witch mentions she is refused by the sailor's wife, she is so angry that she wants to take revenge.