Discuss the Part Played By the Witches In Macbeth. What influence do they have on events and what do they contribute to the atmosphere and the dramatic impact on the play?
Discuss the part played by the witches in MACBETH. What influence do they have on events and what do they contribute to the atmosphere and the dramatic impact on the play?
In the story of Macbeth, the witches have a significant role in the unfolding story and the atmosphere that constantly surrounds them sets a very significant and idiosyncratic setting and feeling within the play. I also believe that the witches play an immense part in how Macbeth regards his life.
At the very beginning the witches are gathered together and introduce the play. In this first scene, we see is three old witches, beneath a sky heavy with:
"Thunder, rain and lightning"
Weather in which ordinary people would not usually want to associate themselves with. This could suggest that the play is a very dark, dangerous and disturbing one where witches prophesise and distribute evil. We do not know if the witches are human and therefore a feeling of uncertainty would be felt about the good/evil nature of them. They are also speaking in rhyming couplets, which tends to be almost hypnotic in nature and suggests that they are speaking as one. There are also complete contradictions in the opening scene, which gives the play an uncertain ambiance and makes the reader feel that only the witches themselves know what they talking about. One example of a contradiction is when they will meet when:
"The battle's is lost and won"
This creates a sense of mystery because it is such a complete contradiction. It is impossible for a side to lose and win a war. They also signify their evil by their last 'rhyming couplet', because according to them:
"Fair is foul and foul is fair"
In other words, this means that 'good is bad and bad is good'. Which seems to go directly against God's natural order. These words introduce the idea of illusion and reality into the play and that maybe not everything is as it seems. Contradictions like this, natural order/chaos and disorder give a feeling of a very uncertain world they are living in.
In the second scene we hear of Macbeth's bravery, his outstanding courage and his extraordinary technique of combating. We think that maybe this is why the witches seem to have an interest in Macbeth, who they have not even seen yet, but whom they feel, has a weakness, his obsession for power and all things thus related. The captain describes Macbeth's fighting as:
"Memorizing another Golgotha"
This line is extraordinarily real; it goes against religion, "Golgotha" is a term that is used to describe the slaughtering of Christ. This would have please the witches as an example of ultimate evil. So already we are beginning to see the similarities between Macbeth and the witches, and a common bond developing. Surprisingly though, this is a compliment by the 'captain' and therefore is yet another contradiction. The contradictions that surround Macbeth make him mysterious as if you aren't quite sure if he is good or evil. His killings are described as brutal; ...
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"Memorizing another Golgotha"
This line is extraordinarily real; it goes against religion, "Golgotha" is a term that is used to describe the slaughtering of Christ. This would have please the witches as an example of ultimate evil. So already we are beginning to see the similarities between Macbeth and the witches, and a common bond developing. Surprisingly though, this is a compliment by the 'captain' and therefore is yet another contradiction. The contradictions that surround Macbeth make him mysterious as if you aren't quite sure if he is good or evil. His killings are described as brutal; he has no feelings for enemies or possibly anyone? This is a characteristic, which could be associated with evil and therefore, the witches.
In act 1, scene 3, the witches are discussing what to do with a particular sailor that has a wife who insulted the witches, and want to punish him. The witches' boasting invokes evil but also reveals some limitations on their powers. They may have the power to change shape, but:
"The rat has no tail"
In other words, is unnaturally and imperfectly formed. Furthermore, in their attack upon the 'mater o' the Tiger', (the sailors' ship) they admit:
"His bark cannot be lost"
This gives the reader the idea that the witches want to keep the man alive just so the witches can torment him and make him suffer for the doings of his foolish wife:
"Dry as hay... sleeplessness...and he will not dwindle, peak and pine"
What they do to him, however, is reminiscent of Macbeth's future conditions of sleeplessness and 'dry as hay', and he will 'dwindle, peak and pine'. In other words, he will suffer from lack of sleep, and therefore giving his body and mind no rest in which to recover and consequently be tormented by troubles and plight.
Macbeth's first words in this scene are:
"So foul and fair a day I have not seen"
This is echoing the witches' very words at the start, signifying that Macbeth is already in tune with the witches and their way of thinking. Is Macbeth in control of his own fate? We begin to wonder if they are now in some way influencing Macbeth or are were they just mocking him? We do not know this yet but when the witches appear to Macbeth later on it is important to notice how he perceives them when he sees them. When he and Banquo do see them for the first time the reactions are very different and maybe give us a little more detail into how Macbeth and the witches are connected in some way. Banquo's description of the witches is important in seeing how unnatural they are: they seem to be women but are not. It is Banquo who thinks they are evil:
"What! Can the devil speak true?"
Macbeth on the other hand does not. So when the witches predict to Macbeth and Banquo their futures, there are two very different reactions. Note how keen Macbeth is to hear more of this "strange intelligence".
"Would they have stayed!"
This is exactly what he wants to hear and this can only be because they have touched a nerve already present in Macbeth. Banquo's warning to Macbeth concerning the witches ("instruments of darkness") might also be seen as prophetic- Macbeth is betrayed as a result of believing these 'truths', and he comes to realise this in his final confrontation with Macduff.
Soon after this we see the witches' impeccable sense of timing as just after they leave, Macbeth receives word that he is to become the 'Thane of Cowdor'! This automatically makes Macbeth think of the witches, that they know the future and what he is to do to become king which the witches also prophesised. However, the witches did not say when or how Macbeth is to become king but Macbeth automatically assumes that he is to kill the king to receive the throne. This shows that the witches do not have to tell Macbeth verbally what they want but maybe their hypnotic powers put these ideas of killing the king into his head there for him. Macbeth speaks of ("horrible imaginings"), could these be about killing King Duncan? The witches could only have so much power over Macbeth if these thoughts are already in his head. As soon as the witches' first prophecy comes true, the witches have Macbeth under their spell. From now on their words will always be in his thoughts. At this point, the horror of killing king Duncan is now being balanced out by the morbid fascination at its prospects.
The imagery of clothing also begins to develop:
"Borrowed robes" and "strange garments"
This is significant because clothing is a powerful image suggesting concealment and disguise: Macbeth, as it were, hides behind his clothes of kingship.
When the consequences of the murders of King Duncan and Banquo are too much for Macbeth to handle, his instinct is to go back to the witches (Act 4 Scene 1). They are now his only hope of salvation. It is an admission that he cannot control things any longer and from this point onwards in the play, we know Macbeth is certain to die.
Lady Macbeth's role is vital but also supplementary to the work of the witches: Macbeth is tempted to do evil and Lady Macbeth is the key human agent-the one Macbeth trusts and loves-who ensures his temptation is thorough and complete. Despite her initial and overpowering presence, she is not, of course, a heroine herself. This is clearly shown by the way in which she collapses once Macbeth redraws his confidence from her: she wants to support her husband, but she has no further role to play in his life. Thus, she withers on the sidelines and breaks down.
Lady Macbeth, when we first encounter her, is dominant, determined, powerful, and even perhaps frightening in the intensity of her uncompromising desire for her husband to ascend the throne. We understand that Macbeth has "deep desires", but this seems tame compared with Lady Macbeth's unquenchable aspirations: within 40 lines of meeting her she is not encountering supernatural on a journey home, rather she is summoning them into her body and soul! (Remember: she has not met the witches but already seems more in tune with them, more so then Macbeth). There is, then, a peculiarly imperious quality about her character. Further more, we see in her actions- until her illness- a cool, self-possession. When Macbeth falters, she is there-and has the courage- to return the daggers, to faint at the news (and so distract attention from her husband), to dismiss the banquet scene.
We have already raised the question of weather the witches are human at all, and if so whether they can be considered, therefore, to have characters. There can be no definitive answer. Suffice to say, they embody a malign and demonic intelligence. This, of necessity, is fixed and elemental. Their information does tempt Macbeth but it must be remembered: they do not invite him to murder Duncan or even suggest such a thing. Information is morally neutral until human beings begin to interpret it. Thus, they symbolise evil, but man is free to resist them. Macbeth is tragic, partly because he comes to depend upon their information.
In conclusion, I think that the witches do have some power over him but only in triggering of the emotions and ambitions deep inside Macbeth and that it is Macbeth himself who then interprets these feelings into the course of action in the play. Therefore they do play a part in sending Macbeth to his doom. I think that the witches always knew Macbeth was going to die and wanted to torment and 'play' 3with him before it happened. I think that the witches make the play a mysterious and hard to spot reality and fantasy, I also think that this is used to good effect by showing us that power doesn't necessarily leads to happiness as Macbeth proved. A great warrior, fearless, unmerciful and brutal can suddenly be afraid of killing someone for fear of the aftershocks in the future. The witches teach Macbeth not to take anything for granted and that ambition is a dangerous emotion to enclose.
G.C.S.E. ENGLISH COURSEWORK HENRY FRANCE 11AW
