In Act 1 scene 1 this scene sets an atmosphere, it gives more detail about the characters. Its very important dramatically as Shakespeare set the atmosphere for the whole play: at the beginning the atmosphere is full of weirdness, horror, superstition and evil. The witches almost always speak in a four beat rhythm. This is what makes their chanting of the spells so strange and so effective. In the middle of a storm the three witches assemble. Their chanting spells indicate that shortly they intend to meet Macbeth.
The witches are ambiguous creatures perhaps not even human. They create a sense of mystery when they meet “when the battle id lost and won” which seems a contradion. The fact that they are evil is shown in the final moments. According to them “fair is foul and foul is fair” The witches are changing God’s natural order.
Act1 scene 3 open very dramatically when the three witches are talking about what they have been doing one of the witches say how she saw a sailor’s wife with chestnuts in her lap and she was munching away at them so the witch asked if she could have some but the sailor’s wife say’s “Arioint three”. So the witch casts a spell on the woman’s husband. As he’s sailor she makes him sail into a storm for 81 weeks and he cant leave and where ever he goes the storm will go too.
The witches meet Macbeth and Banquo. The storm arrives, just like the witches predicted, they gather to boast about their exploits. They cast a spell as they prepare to meet Macbeth. When arrives with Banquo and both are shocks by the appearance of the witches. The greet Macbeth and inform him that he will become Thane of Cawdor and also king of Scotland. Whilst Macbeth is stunned by these prophecies. Banquo demands they inform him of this future. He is told that although he will not be king his children will be #. Macbeth insists that the witches explain how they know these things. But the witches vanish as abruptly as they came. What they do to him however is reminiscent of Macbeth’s future condition “dry as hay”.
Macbeth and Banquo briefly discuss the “insane” revelations they have just heard. When Macbeth gets told that he will be Thane of Cawdor. Macbeth and Banquo are both amazed and we begin to see Macbeth ambition unfolding through the scenes that he delivers to the audience. Banquo warns of the danger of trusting such supernatural messages, but Macbeth is lost in these own thoughts, thinking through all the implications. Eventually, he is stirred and agrees to ride towards the king. In private to Banquo he suggests they speak about the revelations at some future point, which Banquo agrees to.
Banquo warning to Macbeth concerning the “instruments of darkness” might also be construed. Macbeth is betrayed as a result of believing these “truths”, and he comes to realise this in his final confrontation with Macduff.
The beginning shows that Macbeth all too quickly, following his accession as Thane of Cawdor, and begins that process of imagining the steps he will need to take that is murdering King Duncan to become King. At this point the real horror of doing the deed seems to be balanced by a morbid fascination at its prospect.
During the production clothing was a significant because clothing is a powerful image suggesting concealment and disguise. Macbeth hides behind his clothes of kingship. During Act1 scene 3 the actors would have used trapdoors for the witches to appear and disappear. They would probably position themselves so that they would impress the audience with their disappearing act.
In act 3 scene 5 the three witches and their leader Hecate, are preparing a strong spell for deluding Macbeth, is “son”, albeit “wayward” suggests that Macbeth is no longer, a victim of the witches evil but more a partner of them in their evil art. However, there can be no doubt by the end of the play he has so fully embraced evil, he has destroyed himself. The need for “strength” is reflected in the witches offering to let Macbeth see their “masters”. Many people believe that Shakespeare did not write this scene in the play. Compared to the other scenes the speeches are not spoken like the other scenes. The witches don’t, speak in a four-beat rhythm in, this scene. Rhyme is very obvious, like a pantomime. It is almost laughable. This scene doesn’t seem, as powerful because the three witches are being told off. There is music in this scene and it seems out of place, compared to the other scenes.
I Act 4 scene1 the witches prophecy three things to Macbeth. The three witches cast a spell and prepare to meet Macbeth. Hecate and three other witches appear and Hecate approves the work of the three witches and then disappears with the thing she has bought with her. The supernatural nauseating in the level of detail hey depict-here, if any further proof were needed, is evidence of precisely how unnatural these hags are.
Prior to his arrival. Macbeth is described, as “something wicked” not even someone. Macbeth is one of their people now. This is in line with the overall effect of evil. So is the fact that they do a “deed without a name”.
Macbeth then enters and commands them to answer his questions. They call up powerful spirits to respond to him. He is told three thing that he should fear Macduff, that he cannot be harmed by one born of a woman and that he is secure until Birnan woods comes to Duninane. He then presses them for more information about Banquo’s children and is mortified to see a vision of eight kings all descended from Banquo, who also appears. The witches suddenly vanish and Macbeth curses them. Lennox appears and informs Macbeth that Macduff has fled to England. Macbeth determined to kill Macduff’s wife and children as a reprisal.
Earlier uncertainties have been stripped way away. Before, the witches informed him of the prophecies: now he demands of them what he wants to know. He even threatens the powerful master spirits with a curse if they do not answer him. And when he leaves, there is no more agonising about what he needs to do- or discussing the situation with his wife- Macduff castle is to be attacked. An incidental point here is the depths to which Macbeth has fallen in murdering, without any compunction, women and children.
One consequence of his visit is that certainty of “security” which has troubled Macbeth from the outset. One factor is establishing the trust worthiness of the prophecies in Macbeth’s mind is the speed with which they a happen “Cawdor” followed immediately upon their pronunciation of it, now, having been told to watch out for Macduff, Lennox appears with the same warning. Of course the “irony” is that all the prophecies are double- edged and turn against him. Banquo comment accurately reflects the truth: “The instruments of darkness of darkness tell us truths:/ Win us with honest trifles, to betrayer’s / in deepest consequence”. These words are prophetic and an indictment of all that Macbeth comes to believe.
