Examine the role of the three witches in Macbeth, how do they influence Macbeth and can it be argued Macbeth is a fourth witch?

This shows that the witches in the play can be seen to play the role of narrators because not only are they able to predict the future they know the outcome of each decision that the characters in the play take. They are more than influential because Macbeth bases all of his decisions on what the witches have told him. This idea is shown more clearly when Macbeth has his second meeting with the meeting with the witches. In this scene Macbeth goes to seek the help of the witches and as they know he is coming they prepare a potion for him to drink. This again shows how their role in the play is very important. When Macbeth reaches the cave the witches say,

                                                                                          “ By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes,”        

                                                                     This clearly shows that the witches have noticed the change in Macbeth as they refer to him as being evil and liken hi to being something wicked so it shows they know what has changed. Throughout this scene the witches reveal various pieces of information, which Macbeth acts on swiftly. The three apparitions supply these pieces of information. All the apparitions that are given to Macbeth are very important because he acts on them and takes them into account whilst he is makes decision. This again shows that the rule of Macbeth was highly influenced, in the play, by the witches, which makes their role influential. The first apparition tells him to be aware of Macduff. This is very important because it doesn’t say anything that has to be done all it does is to say beware of him as in to keep a watchful eye on him. However Macbeth perceives this to mean that Macduff is a real threat and due to this he carries out a massacre at Macduff’s castle. This shows that yet again the witches are like narrators as they have caused for Macbeth to be weary of Macduff. This can be said because it maybe that There could have been no need for Macbeth to be weary of Macduff however as he has killed everyone in his castle it means that Macbeth has sealed his fate and made Macduff his mortal enemy.

The text then reads,

                       “ Be bloody, bold, and resolute: laugh to scorn the power of man; for none of woman born shall harm Macbeth.”

                                                            Now to Macbeth it shows that he is invincible and that he has no need top worry about anyone as everyone is born from a woman. Again the witches are the narrators of the play because they say that no man born of woman can harm him because everyone is born from a woman and therefore no one can harm him. However they do speak the truth that Macbeth is invincible but Macduff is not born of woman as he says,

                                                “ Macduff was from his mother’s womb untimely ripped.”

                           This shows that yet again the witches have told the story and Macbeth failed to realise it or more over has mistook the hint and become complacent and this in the end of the play is his down fall.