In this scene it also clear that the witches like to rhyme certain words such as ‘won’ and ‘sun’ on lines 4 and 5. This can be associated or linked to chanting which can sometimes be hypnotic and associated with dark or black magic.
Towards the end of the scene all three witches contradict themselves by saying, “Fair is foul, and foul is fair” This seems confused but the witches understand which links back to the idea of them being unnatural and opposite from us in the way they think and act, the witches seem comfortable with confusion.
Another part of the last quote is, “Hover through the fog and filthy air.” Hover is an unnatural occurrence usually associated with the supernatural for example U.F.O.’S hover as do ghosts often considered evil and eerie and this is the tone and mood these descriptive words create.
The fact that the witches appear first in this scene and in Macbeth itself shows they are of great importance. This also shows they are powerful as witches and evil creatures often are.
In the second scene I looked at; Act 1 Scene 3 (A Heath) In this scene the witches seem offended for the first time due to the fact a sailor’s wife has refused to share some chestnuts with one of the witches, “Aroint thee, witch.” This means clear off and therefore offended the witch who decides to punish the wife by getting at her family.
The witches do this by targeting her husband whilst at sail, the first witch says, “But in a sieve I’ll thither sail, and like a rat without a tail, I’ll do, I’ll do, and I’ll do.”
The whole statement from the witch seems to make no sense like the witches themselves but what’s important is that the witches are comfortable with it meaning the theme of the witches understanding confusion and being unnatural is carried through the scene.
The witches use rhythm and rhyme again in this scene and it is clear to see there is rhythm by the words in the scene, “A drum, a drum; Macbeth doth come.”
Later in the scene Macbeth and Banquo come across the witches and have no idea what the witches are, Macbeth says, “Speak if you can: what are you?” This seems straight to the point from Macbeth and shows he doesn’t fear the witches and this has an effect on the mood a slight sense of awkwardness as the witches will probably not like this.
Banquo acts differently and asks more questions than Macbeth he appears to be more honest and open therefore the witches have a slight effect on Macbeth.
There is a description of the witches in the scene by Banquo and it says, “You should be women and yet your beards forbid me to interpret that you are so.” This gives us an impression that the witches look unnatural and unattractive.
The witches tend to talk in riddles or are prone to leaving out key factors of what they predict making themselves appear good and not evil for example the first witch says, “Lesser than Macbeth, and greater.” This leaves a lot to the imagination and therefore is not fully honest but yet still truthful.
