Understanding The Witches Role In Macbeth's Downfall

The witches are partly to blame for Macbeth's downfall by equivocation and misleading information. Near the beginning of the play, the witches say that Macbeth "shalt be king hereafter", foretelling what happens in the play. In this scene,

If Macbeth didn’t know about this prophecy he would have happily took his position as Thane of Cawdor, but knowing he will be King drove him to commit murder. Macbeth was rapidly changed from an honorable general to an evil tyrant. “The witches did not tell him to commit murder; all that was necessary was for them to suggest the fact of the crown, and they could trust Macbeth to overcome the obstacles in his way just as they would have him” (Wiley, 45). This emphasizes the fact that the play is shaped by the supernatural. This lead to the murder of Duncan, then to get rid of his obstacles he kills the guards. The Witches also reveal “Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none” (1.3.67) to Banquo. This knowledge leads Macbeth to send Murderers to kill Banquo and his son. This is more evidence to show that the words of the witches construct the plays events.

The third apparition says, ?Macbeth shall never vanquished be until Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill Shall come against him?. (4.1.105) To Macbeth, this seems silly. Again, logically thinking, a forest is not going to come to Macbeth?s castle. Little does he know that that is just how it is going to play out, but not in that way. The army cuts branches off the trees in Birnam Wood

Before Macbeth made his move on Macduff he had to return to the witches for more advice. To Macbeth’s surprise the witches had an unknown power that he had never experienced before. Right before Macbeth’s eyes an apparition appeared and said, “Macbeth, Macbeth, Macbeth, Beware Macduff. / Beware the Thane of Fife” (4.1.81-2). This quickly exacerbated Macbeth’s thoughts about Macduff. Though things were not looking to good the second apparition appeared. This apparition in the form of a bloody child said, “Be bloody, bold, and resolute. Laugh to scorn/ The power of man, for none of a woman born/ Shall harm Macbeth” (4.1.90-2). At this point Macbeth is feeling as though he has a shot at becoming King. With his confidence boosted he wants to know more, thus the third apparition appears. The crowned child with a tree in hand said, “Macbeth shall never vanquished be until/ Great Birnham Wood to high Dunsinane Hill/ Shall come against him” (4.1.105-7). Shortly after the

Macduff suspects Macbeth of his crimes and wishes to battle him. Macbeth gets another prophecy that tells him three things. The first thing is that he should be extra cautious of Macduff. The second is that nobody born of a woman can bring harm to him, and thirdly a crowned boy holding a plant tells him that he will remain King and need not worry “...until Great Birnam wood to high Dunsinane Hill /Shall come against him [Macbeth]." Meanwhile, Macduff brings an army to Macbeth. Macbeth believes that Macduff can not harm him because he was born of a woman, but he had an unnatural birth so Macduff beheads Macbeth so that they are free of another tyrant.

When the three witches delivered the prophecies in the first act they hailed Macbeth is “Thane of Cawdor”, “Thane of Glamis”, and also claimed that shall soon become king. While Macbeth is bewildered and

Macbeth's actions, thereby, should be traced back to the witches. The witches also did not try to stop Macbeth from imprudently assassinating the king even though they know his future actions. Adjacent to bullying, the witches are bystanders who are as much at fault as the bully, but in this case, even more at fault as they also spread the disease to Macbeth. Macbeth then contaminates his wife with evil increasing the level of wickedness the witches pass on to

What this apparition is saying is that no one born from a woman can harm Macbeth so he can be at ease. This gives Macbeth a sense of security because everyone is born from a woman, so he knows that Macduff will not hurt him since he is human and therefore born from a woman. Lastly, in the scene 4.1, the third apparition, a child crowned, with a tree in his hands, says, “Be lion-mettled, proud, and take no care who chafes, who frets, or where conspirers are. Macbeth shall never vanquished be until Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill shall come against him” (4.1.90-94). The child with the crown holding the tree is telling Macbeth that he won’t be in danger until the forest attacks him.

When Macbeth meets the Witches for the second time, they show him apparitions which tell Macbeth to fear Macduff, no man born from a woman could kill him, and that he will live until Birnam Wood marches to Dunsinane Hill. Soon after the Witches leave, Macbeth learns that Macduff departed for England. Because of what had happened, Macbeth becomes extremely irritated. He decides that “from this moment/ the very firstlings of [his] heart shall be/ the firstlings of [his] hand” (Shakespeare 131). The apparitions cause Macbeth to become much more arrogant with his choices.

“That will never be; who can impress the forest, bid the tree unfix his earth-bound root? Sweet bodements! Good. Rebellious dead, rise never, till the wood of Birnam rise, our high-placed Macbeth shall live the lease of nature, pay his breath to time and mortal custom. Yet my heartthrobs know one thing; tell me, if your art can tell so much; shall Banquo’s issue ever reign in this Kingdom?”(IV.i.

However, The Witches failed to tell Macbeth that Macduff was born from a caesarean section which is highly uncommon. Unknowingly, Macbeth challenges Macduff. He is killed because the Witches’ apparition was a half truth. Another equivocation guaranteeing Macbeth’s safety is, “Macbeth shall never vanquish’d be until / Great Birnam wood to high Dunisane hill / shall come against him”(4.1.54). Until the trees uproot themselves from the woods and walk to high Dunisane hill, Macbeth shall never leave the throne.

Macbeth doesn't think that Great Birnam wood will go over Dunsinane hill. “That will never be Who can impress the forest, bid the

He still saw no reason to be afraid that he would lose his power or his life, so the witches sent their third apparition. This last apparition appeared as a crowned child and spoke the words “Macbeth shall never vanquished be until Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill shall come against him” (IV.i.92-94). This child was claiming that until the woods near Macbeth’s castle moved up the hill, he would not be harmed, and since woods cannot move, Macbeth was convinced that he had nothing to worry about. He was now sure that he would reign for as long as he lived because the witches themselves said that nothing could harm him until impossible things

The witches told them that Macbeth is going to be thane of Glamis, thane of Cawdor and the king. They also said that Banquo’s son will become king. Macbeth is already the thane of Glamis, but because what the witches were saying is nonsense, he didn’t really believe it. After a short time, the king’s messenger came to them and confirmed part of the witches’ prophecy. He told Macbeth that because his great performance in the war, the king promoted him to be the thane of Cawdor.

Macbeth was restless and begins to hallucinate and sees the ghost of Banquo. Therefore, he sought the witches in their cavern and told him these: he must beware of Macduff; he can’t be harmed by any man born of woman; and he will be safe until Birnam Wood comes to Dunsinane Castle. Relieved, knowing that all men are born of women and that forests cannot move, Macbeth dismissed the prophecy and felt secure. He ordered to seize Macduff’s castle and murder Lady Macduff and their