We also see that the witches are evil when they cast a spell on a sailor just because his wife wouldn’t share her chestnuts with them:
“Second witch: I’ll give thee wind.
First witch: Thou art kind
Third witch: And I another.”
(Act I, Scene 3, Lines 12-14)
We also see the witches make two predictions to Macbeth:
“First witch: All hail Macbeth, hail to the, thane of Glamis!
Second witch: All hail Macbeth, hail to the, thane of Cawdor!
Third witch: All hail Macbeth, that shalt be King herefter!”
(Act 1, Scene 3, Lines 49-54)
He was already the Thane of Glamis and unknown to him, he was soon to be the Thane of Cawdor, and as we later find out in the play, he is soon to become King.
The witches also make a prophesy to Banquo:
“Third witch: Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none, so all hail Macbeth and Banquo”
(Act 1, Scene 3, Lines 71-72)
Banquo simply dismisses these predictions as nonsense, but Macbeth, however, seems to believe the prophesies made by the witches, as did a lot of people in Macbeth’s era, especially King James I, who was totally against witches and would even go so far as to go out “witch hunting”.
The witches were important to the Elizabethan and Stuart people. They thought that witches did exist and even went to the extreme of hanging thousands of innocent people that they suspected to be withes.
Although the witches put the idea about being king into his mind, Macbeth did not want to pursue the murder of King Duncan:
“Macbeth: [aside.] If chance may have me king why,
chance may crown me.”
(Act 1, Scene 3, Lines 156-157)
This proved that the witches had a major part in the cold-blooded murder of King Duncan.
But there were other influences that persuaded Macbeth to pursue the murder of King Duncan.
The other major influence was Lady Macbeth, who tried to trick Macbeth by using reverse psychology and making him feel guilty.
First of all we see Lady Macbeth with a letter from her husband detailing his encounter with the witches, after reading the letter, she immediately resolves to fulfil the prophesy and insinuates that Duncan will be disposed of, and Macbeth will become what he has been promised:
“Lady Macbeth: Glamis thou art, and Cawdor, and shalt be what thou art promised ”
(Act 1, Scene 5, Lines 13-14)
She then hears, by a messenger, that king Duncan will be a guest at their house for the night. When she hears this, she instantly decides that Duncan will not leave the castle alive:
Lady Macbeth:” O, never shall sun that morrow see ”
(Act 1, Scene 5, Lines 67-68)
She then makes it clear that at first she fully intends to pursue the cold-blooded murder of King Duncan by herself:
Lady Macbeth: “That my keen see not the wound it makes”
(Act 1, Scene 5, Line 55)
But then she starts trying to persuade Macbeth by calling him a coward and insinuating that he doesn’t have the guts to kill the King.
In conclusions I have decided that Macbeth had other influences (Lady Macbeth and the three witches) acting as catalysts in the murder of King Duncan, but it was Macbeth himself who actually perpetrated the murder. So it could be said that all three contributed to the actual murder:
- If it wasn’t for the witches, Macbeth would never, in his wildest dreams contemplated murdering King Duncan.
- If lady Macbeth would of simply said “OK” when Macbeth decided against murdering the King it wouldn’t of happened.
- It was Macbeth who finally carried out the act of murdering King Duncan so he also has to hold some responsibility.
By Jack Kirwin
