Banquo describes the witches as, "The instruments of darkness tell us truths” (line123), “Win us with honest trifles, to betray 's” “In deepest consequence." He thinks and says bad things of the witches. He calls them “instruments of darkness” and the “devil”. He might believe that these prophecies will only bring harm even before anything begins to happen. So Macbeth is warned by his best friend before he makes any decisions that the witches are evil, and what they suggest is evil.
When the witches greet Macbeth and Banquo they do not know of the news to come. The audience know that the king has sent out a message via Ross to rewarded Macbeth for his bravery in battle by making him Thane of Cawdor. To Macbeth and Banquo this means that the prophecy of the second witch has come true. Macbeth tells himself “the greatest is behind”, it brings to the surface his “vaulting ambition”. He writes to his dearest lady Macbeth, who immediately takes complete control of the situation and plots regicide against Macbeth’s cousin, King Duncan. Macbeth refuses to have any part in this crime, he says that Duncan is his “kinsman and subject” both of these against the deed. Macbeth continues by saying that he is Duncan’s “host” also against the deed. Lady Macbeth insults her husband’s love for her and manhood, finally they both set out ensuring that the prophecy of the third witch also comes true.
Macbeth remains insecure throughout the play and comes to rely on the witches’ second sight completely. He returns to see them, alone this time, to find out his fate in order to see what actions he should take. This shows that the witches did have a great influence on his actions. The three haggard witches along with Hecate show Macbeth three apparitions. The first apparition says, “beware Macduff”, the second apparition tells Macbeth “The power of man, for none born of woman shall harm Macbeth”. The final apparition says “ that Macbeth will not be defeated … until Great Burnam wood to high Dunsinane hill” comes against him. These apparitions reassure Macbeth on one hand but make him fearful on the other. Macbeth reassures himself how can a man not be born of woman, it sounds ludicrous to him. But he feels compelled to act, and resolves to kill not only Macduff but also every member of his family and castle, “ his wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls that trace in his line”. This is a horrific scene, which shows Macbeth’s loyal murders wipe out the whole castle. They even rape the women servents.
The witches have a major impact on the decisions that Macbeth makes in the play. Macbeth creates his own misery when he is driven by his own sense of guilt. This causes him to become insecure as to the reasons for his actions, which in turn causes him to commit more murders. The witches offer great enticement, but it is in the end, each individual’s decision to fall for the temptation, or to be strong enough to resist their temptation. The three Witches are responsible for the introduction of these ideas and for giving Macbeth the need for the ultimate power; therefore I think that the witches are responsible for Macbeth’s actions throughout the play. Once Macbeth kills for the first time, he has no choice but to continue to cover up his wrong doings, or risk losing everything he has worked so hard for.
The witches are referred to in a number of ways in the play, “wild”, “withered” as “weird sisters”, “look not like th` inhabitants o` th` earth…” as “secret, black and midnight hags.” In the modern BBC`s version of Macbeth they are all children, two boys and a girl. In the more original version by Roman Polanski the witches are three women, possibly sisters as depicted in the play. They wear traditional clothes common in the time decade. Shakespeare has the witches speak in language of contradiction, "Fair is foul, and foul is fair" is an example, but there are many other examples,, as they describe to Banquo that he is "lesser than Macbeth, and greater". The play leaves the witches' true identity unclear—aside from the fact that they are servants of . The witches' beards, bizarre potions, and rhymed speech make them seem slightly ridiculous. Shakespeare has them speak in rhyming couplets throughout (their most famous line is probably "Double, double, toil and trouble”, ” Fire burn and cauldron bubble", which separates them from the other characters. They are clearly the most dangerous characters in the play, being both tremendously powerful and wicked.
As I read the play I visualise the witches on stage as three weird sisters who look quite alien and inhuman compared to the rest of the characters, it raises a question of whether the three witches are from this planet.
The audience is left to ask whether the witches are responsible for the string of tragic events that happen in the play. I think that the three sisters’ predictions are significant to the play because they spur Macbeth’s “vaulting ambition”. Some of their prophecies seem self-fulfilling. For example, it is doubtful that Macbeth would have murdered his king without the push given by the witches' predictions. In other cases, though, their prophecies are just accurate readings of the future—it is hard to see Birnam Wood coming to Dunsinane as being self-fulfilling. The play offers no easy answers. Instead, Shakespeare keeps the witches well outside the limits of human reality. The witches play the central part of the story. Also witchcraft and the supernatural were considered to be potent, powerful forces at the time in which the play is set. I think that the witches are an important element in the tragedy that unfolds.
By Shayon McClements Page:
