Act 1:3 starts with a element of significance, once again the witches open a scene, and this time they immediately speak of an evil deed associated with witches, killing swine. This scene is also our first meeting of Macbeth and Banquo. One of the witches starts by saying she will punish a sailor for the reason that his wife would not give her some of the chestnuts she was eating. Although the witches do not have the power to over turn the boat one of them casts a spell which will “Blow winds from every point of the compass” in order to wreck the boat as much as possible. When the witches finish casting the spell, Macbeth conveniently enters to the sound of banging drums, he says to Banquo “So fair and foul a day I have never seen” a contradiction of what the witches had earlier said. We can interpret this in several ways, we could say that perhaps the witches have some control over Macbeth; we could also question Has Macbeth agot a similar streak of evil to that of the witches?
When Macbeth meets the witches, he seems anxious of what they have said, the witches start to speak as Macbeth and Banquo enter, they say
“All hail Macbeth, hail to thee, Thane of Glamis,”
This has no importance to the play as Macbeth is already the Thane of Glamis, on the other hand however, the second witches’ statement is extremely significant, she says: “All hail Macbeth, hail to the, Thane of Cawdor.” This startles Macbeth and in a way, frightens him. The third which then pronounces, “All hail Macbeth, that shall be King hereafter.” Banquo sees that Macbeth is clearly bewildered from what the witches have stated. He says to Macbeth “ Good Sir, why do you start, and seem to fear
Things that sound so fair?” Banquo is displeased when he does not receive any prophecies from the witches and he poses them a question, saying “To me you speak not……………Speak then to me,”
The witches disclose to Banquo that his children will be Kings; at this point Macbeth is exceedingly bemused. We discover why Macbeth is so mystified for the Thane of Cawdor still lives, and Macbeth describes him as a “Prosperous Gentleman” who will be King. He asks the witches why the reveal these prophecies, but at this point, they vanish without trace. Banquo asks where have the witches vanished, and Macbeth is unsure but says “Into the air.” Macbeth says to Banquo that his is Children shall be Kings but Banquo turns this on his head by stating almost the opposite. On the other hand Macbeth then agrees with Banquo saying “ And Thane of Cawdor too; went it not so.”
When Ross and Angus enter, Ross tells him that Duncan has come to the decision of making him the Thane of Cawdor. He tells him that this is the most esteemed rank before becoming King. Macbeth asks the messengers why they dress him in ‘borrowed robes.’ Angus explains that the Thane of Cawdor had committed Treason and was due to be removed from power, eventually being executed. Macbeth says in to himself “Glamis, and Thane of Cawdor. The greatest is behind.” At this point he dismisses the messengers. Macbeth hints to Banquo that he may carry out acts of evil in order to become King, he exclaims “And oftentimes, to win us to our harm, the instruments of darkness (witches) tell us truths.” Macbeths’ speeches are told in 3 ways, as asides or soliloquies, to Banquo only or to all the people who are involved in the scene.
In Act 1:5 Macbeth sends a letter to his wife, Lady Macbeth explaining how events have taken place. She is delighted with his recent fortunes but in spite of this she feels he is lacking callousness while she on the other hand, will take any measures possible in order for her husband to become the King of Scotland and decides to take these, believing her husband is lacking the killer instinct.
Lady Macbeth is thrilled to hear that Duncan will be residing with them that night, seeing it as a perfect time to carry out an act of supernaturalism, the act of killing the King. She tells Macbeth that he must mislead in order to accomplish his desire of becoming King.
In Act 4:1 the witches throw ghastly objects into the cauldron whilst they chant spells in order to prepare for Macbeths’ arrival. The spells they chant are in rhymes to sound like a magic spell. The witches refer to Macbeth as ‘one of them’ when they say, “Something wicked this way comes,” referring to Macbeth.
When Macbeth appears the witches speak of three apparitions. He asks the witches to tell him what they have caked him for.
The first apparition is of a head wearing armour. The head is in a way, almost physic with Macbeths’ thoughts, telling him to beware of Macduff. The head, which Macbeth sees appearing in the cauldron is not Macduffs, as he thinks but his own.
The second apparition is of a young child, covered in blood. It tells Macbeth he shall not be killed by anyone “Born of woman,” and this reduces Macbeths worries as he assumes it is impossible to not be born of woman.
The third and final apparition is of a young child. The child is bearing a crown and is holding a small branch. What we find is that Macbeth will not be defeated unless the Birnham forest moves to Dunsinane, once again this reduces Macbeths worries as he does not find it foreseeable for the woods to move.
Macbeth finds his worst fears realised when he is shown 8 kings in a crystal ball they reveal that not only will he hold the crown for a short period, but he will also lose it to someone related to Banquo.
The witches mock Macbeth with words similar to those Banquo exclaims at the start of the play. They say to him “Stands Macbeth thus amazedly?” The witches know how anxious Macbeth is and so they decide to dance and then vanish forever from the family.
From reading the play we can see that without the witches and other forms of supernaturalism the play would pan out very differently.
The witches decide what happens the whole way through the play, and they are responsible for the storyline in its entirety. The witches, throughout the play, cause characters to have many different reactions, some good, others leading to acts of evil. When Macbeth was written in the 17th Century it was directed at a 17th Century audience. Nowadays the play is still relevant in many people’s lives, showing us that we should value life and not seek material goods. It is important that we know the witches were not the only form of supernaturalism, Banqos’ ghost a prime example.
Obviously, the colour, mood, language and characters (e.g. the witches) all contribute to making this play very effective dramatically.
Conor Burns
S2E
Mr. Morgan
