“But in a sieve I’ll thither sail,” – this shows that they can fly
“I’ll give thee a wind,” – this shows they can control the weather.
“I come, Greymalkin,
Paddock call,” –this shows that they have familiars.
“When the hurlyburly’s done,
When the battle’s lost and won,” – this shows that they can predict the future.
“For a charm or powerful trouble,
Like a hell-broth boil and bubble,” – this shows that they have the power to create apparitions through spells.
In Act 1 Scene 1 we are introduced to the witches. This sets an evil atmosphere and a scene of awe. They talk in rhyming couplets "When the hurlyburly's done, when the battles lost and won,"
This adds to the bizarre nature. Paradox is also used in this line. This grabs the audiences' attention as it confuses them so they have to listen carefully to understand what is going on. The witches’ chants and riddles fascinate the audience and keep them watching the play. Also, the witches talk about when they should meet again and in what type of weather they should meet,
“When shall we three meet again,
In thunder, lightning or in rain?”
This shows the witches’ powers as they can control the weather, this would frighten the audience but also astound them that they could possess such powers. They finish off each other sentences. This shows how close they are and how they are connected mysteriously.
This scene is set in Scotland on a wild waste land. Shakespeare uses pathetic fallacy as the scene is opened during a storm which illustrates the scary unnatural setting perfect for the witches to enter. Scotland was seen as a wild scary place at this time, this would be an appropriate place for the audience to meet the witches for the first time. It also gives us an inside to the witches' background as it too is unnatural and scary.
The language that Shakespeare uses such as "fair is foul and foul is fair," adds an eeriness surrounding the witches. The witches, although they only feature in a few scenes are the main theme in this play. Lastly the witches exit quickly and this grabs the audience's attention as they want to know more about the witches and their quick disappearance leaves the audience eagerly anticipating their return.
This scene makes the audience want to watch on as they are mesmerised by the witches as they have grabbed their attention right from the start.
We also meet the witches again in act 1 scene 3.
This is the most important scene in the play. It is the point in the play when Macbeth and the witches meet and the prophecies are revealed to Macbeth and Banquo.
We learn in the 1st 37 lines that the witches possess great power over the elements:" I give thee wind" however we learn that witch 1 is more stronger that the others, " I myself have all other" we also learn that witch 1 is spiteful as she plans to hurt the husband of a woman who wouldn't give her chestnuts "a sailors wife.... I'll do I’ll do and I'll do." All these signs show how powerful and scary that the witches are. This would surprise and alarm the audience.
This scene is set on a heath. This would have also frightened the audience because they are not used to these unnatural surroundings and they would have felt that a place like a heath would have been associated with evil linked to the witches. The setting of this scene can also be linked to the themes of witchcraft and the supernatural.
Once again Shakespeare has the witches speaking in rhyming couplets: "but in sieve I'll thither sail,
And like a rat without a tail." To stress the unnatural and strange presence of the witches. Shakespeare also includes alliteration: "tempest - tossed” and the rule of three, "and munched, and munched, and munched". Finally Shakespeare uses repetition "I'll do, I'll do, I'll do" to illustrate witches sinister ways. This scene and the first scene would have built up a strong image of how evil and unnatural the witches are.
Once again the audience would have been frightened but mesmerised by the witches. The witches when chanting referred to the numbers 3, 7 and 9 "nine times nine" which at that time were seen as magical numbers. The audience would have recognised this and therefore, would have known that these women had magical powers. Finally the gruesome ingredients used by the witches "here I have a pilot's thumb", in their brew would have startled the audience and made them realise that they were dealing with true witches and not impostors.
Shakespeare begins with repetition alliteration and rhyme all in a line "a drum, a drum, Macbeth doth come", this shows the witches power as Macbeth has not appeared in the scene yet but they predicted his arrival.
The line that Macbeth uses first links him with the witches "so fair and foul a day" this is also paradox. We also learn a lot about the witches appearances by what Macbeth and Banquo say, "withered and wild” and "not like th'inhabitants o' the earth", which would have not only frightened the audience but frightened the other characters on stage. Banquo describes them as having choppy fingers, skinny lips and beards. This makes them more unhuman. This is a great use of imagery that Shakespeare uses as we can clearly picture what the witches would look like.
Shakespeare also uses dramatic irony as the audience knows something that the characters do not. When the witches say "all hail Macbeth! Hail to thee, thane of cawdor!" rule of three and repetition is used in the prophecy.
When Macbeth hears the prophecy, at first, he is scared and doesn't know whether to believe it or not. Banquo is also confused and asks the witches if they are real or not. He, unlike Macbeth, is not scared by what the witches have to say. "Who neither beg nor fear", when the witches vanish Macbeth is left wanting more, "stay you imperfect speakers! Tell me more", and Macbeth and Banquo are confused by their unnatural disappearance, "the earth hath bubbles...whither they had vanished?" this is also personification.
"Were such things here, as we do speak about?
-or have we eaten on the insane root
That takes the reason prisoner?”
This shows Macbeth and Banquos’ disbelief over what the just witnessed, they are wondering whether the witches really exist. They then begin to think about the witches' prediction,
“Your children shall be Kings.
You shall be King.”
Shakespeare again uses paradox and riddle to cause confusion in the second prediction: "lesser that Macbeth, and greater,"
And in the prophecy he uses repetition:
"So all hail Macbeth and Banquo!
Banquo and Macbeth all hail"
These prediction’s that the witches make would capture the audience’s attention as they can sense that Macbeth is going to become more powerful and they begin to wonder how powerful he will become and what the end result will be.
The witches do not appear in the play until later on but throughout we can see there influences such as in Act 1 Scene 5. In this scene lady Macbeth reads the letter written to her by her husband, Macbeth. While reading the letter lady Macbeth calls on evil spirits to help her persuade Macbeth to do whatever he can to become king, "And fill me from the crown to the toe, top-full of direst cruelty!” This shows that the witches may also have influence over Lady Macbeth as she has evil thoughts.
At the beginning of this scene, Lady Macbeth speaks in a soliloquy after reading her letter from Macbeth. Her soliloquy shows us how evil she really is,
“Yet I do fear thy nature. It is too full o’ the milk of human kindness,”
She wishes to influence Macbeth because she believes he is too weak by himself to become king so he needs her influence,
“He thee hither!-That I may pour my spirits in thine ear, and chastise with the valour of my tongue,” This shows her similarity to the witches, the witches can only influence Macbeth because he already had evil thoughts, and Lady Macbeth like the witches is tempting the evil thoughts out of Macbeth’s head and putting them into action. Lady Macbeth is the perfect example of appearances vs. reality. She is beautiful yet she is full of spite and evil. This scene contrasts with the rest of the scenes featuring the witches. Lady Macbeth is in a Castle compared to the witches who have to meet in a desolate place, this supports that appearance does not reflect what she is inside.
Lady Macbeth calls on evil spirits to possess her,“Come you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here!- And fill me, from the crown to the toe, top-full of direst cruelty!” This reflects how evil she wishes to be, she wants her feminine qualities removed and to become aggressive, this links her to the witches and their powers.
Lady Macbeth is influenced by the witches as she refers to appearances vs. reality, “Look like the innocent flower but be the serpent under ‘t.”
Overall this scene would have the audience fascinated at how far lady Macbeth is willing to go.
Act 3 scene 5 was supposed to have been added due to popular demand for the witches, it was said to have been written by someone other than William Shakespeare as there is eight beats a line compared to the ten beats in every other scene.
Again, this scene opens with thunder, by now the audience has now realized that this is a warning and it increases tension as the audience knows the witches are bout to appear and cause havoc. In this scene Hecate, the goddess of witchcraft, is angry with the witches and vows to lead Macbeth to his destruction
“Shall raise such artificial sprites,
As, by the strength of their illusion,
Shall draw him on to his confusion".
The witches are intending to cause Macbeth to hallucinate, this is one of the powers that the audience in the 17th century believed the witches had, this would make this scene more realistic and shocking to them. This shows how evil and powerful the witches are. Hecate shows her power by predicting that Macbeth will come the next day.
"Meet me I' the morning. Thither he,
Will come to know his destiny,”
Hecate’s speech is in rhyming couplets, it creates the image of a spell or a chant, this would frighten the audience as they believe they are witnessing an actual spell being performed. Before Hecate leaves music is heard in the distance, this would create an eerie effect as she is being called by her familiar spirit,
“Hark! I am called. My little spirit, see,
Sits in a foggy cloud, and stays for me.”
This would frighten the audience further as the music creates an eerie presence and as we learn that the music is Hecate’s familiar spirit, this links to the devil and the audience would be frightened of this.
Act 4 scene 1 opens in a shadowy cavern around a steamy cauldron. This would have alarmed and frightened the audience, as the presence of the cauldron would make the audience assume that they are about to perform magic. Again this scene opens with thunder, warning the audience of the witches’ presence and increasing the tension. This scene is weird and unnatural which links to magic and witchcraft. A huge thunderstorm plays loudly in the background this is a great use of pathetic fallacy it also adds to the tension and scariness of this scene.
"Thrice" The number three was considered to be a magical number and is linked to the witches and witchcraft. This would have created a sense of confusion and awe. The witches are casting a spell and using foul ingredients such as "Wool of bat and tongue of dog" this shows how evil and disgusting that they are.
"Double, double, toil and trouble, Fire burn and caldron bubble"
This phrase is repeated twice and it also rhymes. This is one of the most important lines of the play. The witches speak in rhyming couplets, they speak together to increase their power, then they say a part on their own each adding more and more disgusting ingredients. There is a great use of animal imagery and descriptive language which characterizes the witches.
They also refer to "hemlock" this is a poisonous plant which suggests death.
Hecate is portrayed as the most powerful witch as she speaks in different time that the other witches also in rhyming couplets
"And now about the cauldron sing, like elves and fairies in a ring"
At this point music would be played as the witches sing, this would have fascinated and frightened the audience, as if they are viewing real witchcraft and this astounds them.
Macbeth describes the witches as, "You secret, black and midnight hags”, this shows the power and confusion that the witches have over him, this phrase is recurring and emphasizes the witches’ inhuman and weird qualities.
"A deed without a name", the witches answer altogether this shows that they are playing with his mind. Again we are shown the witches powers, we are exposed to them controlling the weather and making predictions.
“Something wicked this way comes!” - This is an example of the witches’ ability to predict.
This extract is all about Macbeth’s power to call and understand the witches. He feels that he has no other choice but to call on their power even though he knows how powerful they are, "Though you untie the winds and let them fight against the churches." This shows the witches' power as they are able to control the wind to knock down churches. The witches play with Macbeth’s emotions and allow him to feel as if he is in control of the situation, “Speak, Demand, We’ll answer.” They make Macbeth feel as if they are only to eager to obey.
The first apparition appears after a rumble of thunder, again this warns the audience. The first apparition is of an armored head, this represents a battle. The first apparition warns Macbeth of Macduff,
“Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! Beware Macduff!”
Macbeth attempts to make the apparition speak as he believes he possesses power over the witches to make them do his bidding. The apparition’s prediction confirms Macbeth’s superstitions. The apparition repeats his name three times. This grabs his attention and confuses him.
The second apparition appears similarly to the first apparition, with thunder before it. This warns the audience and increases the tension. The second apparition is of a bloodstained child, his represents Macduff who was “untimely ripped” from his mother’s womb. The apparition is juxtaposed with his words. He states that, “For none of woman born, shall harm Macbeth.”
Although this means that Macduff cannot harm Macbeth, it does not mean Macbeth is safe from harm. The witches are playing with his mind and only speak in half truths. The apparition also represents how evil Macbeth is to become as he shall kill a child. This apparition would have a shocking impact on the audience as they are viewing a bloodstained child and some of them would consider it disturbing, yet they are enthralled and tempted to watch on, they are spell bound by the witches’ power. The apparition speaks in rhyming couplets; this shows how it is linked to the witches and is evil. The apparition sinks away, this would link it to the witches because of its sudden disappearance like the witches.
The third apparition appears, again after thunder; this warns the audience and increases the tension. The third apparition is of a child wearing a crown with a small green tree in his hand. It rises out of the cauldron this would surprise and shock the audience and link it to the witches as it is something that they created. The apparition suggests that a revolt is going to occur and the bloody child (MacDuff) will lead this revolt. Macbeth questions the Apparition but the witches silence him, they all speak together making them seem more threatening and powerful, this would frighten the audience as the witches appear to be more menacing. Macbeth wishes to know more from the witches but they deny him of information, “Seek to know no more.” This causes Macbeth to fly into a rage and he attempts to curse them, “I will be satisfied! Deny me this, and an eternal curse fall on you! Let me know-“
This shows how gullible Macbeth is that he thinks he had powers over the witches and attempts to perform a curse on them, this would lead the audience to disbelief, Macbeth has been pushed too far and all the power the witches gave him has now backfired and he is left lacking what he wants to know.
The witches’ cauldron disappears at this point and “eerie” music is played. This sets an eerie atmosphere and would alarm the audience. The witches then produce their last image which is of eight kings. The kings move silently across the stage accompanied by Banquo. Macbeth is distraught, his, “eyeballs burn.” This apparition represents Banquo’s children who are all destined to be kings. This apparition would frighten the audience as they are seeing eight dead kings, this highlights the witches’ power. After the apparition disappears mysteriously the witches also disappear. The witches dance in a wild circle to music before they disappear, this would frighten the audience as they are watching the witches perform their magic.
Most of the scenes with the witches begin with thunder or are set in a desolate place. This is typical for the witches, the thunder is to warn the audience of their supernatural presence and the desolate place is so they can be hidden and can perform their art without being disturbed. The witches speak in rhyming couplets; this reflects how odd they are and their unlikeness to “normal” society. Sometimes the witches speak together and other times they finish each others sentences, this shows their powers, they can read each others minds, this makes them more powerful. I think that William Shakespeare presentation of the witches in Macbeth is very dramatically effective. In the 17th century his audiences would have been under the witches’ spell and would be frightened and shocked by them. However, today his presentation might not be as effective. Changes could be made to it to make it more effective, for example, it could be in Standard English so I would be easier for the audience to understand. Today the special effects would make the play even more interesting as technology would allow for more. Also if the story was changed slightly to incorporate new ideas and views it would make it more effective for today’s audience which has been desensitized by horror movies and television.
