'What do you learn about the Witches' aims in showing him the things they do? What kind of effect do various Apparitions have on Macbeth's state of mind?

ENGLISH. Anna Warner, 9CMG.
TASK 2

In the beginning of act 4 scene 1 Macbeth has already decided that he needs the advice of the weird sisters. Before he arrives, the three witches prepare a suitably grotesque mixture in their cauldrons. Many of the ingredients in the cauldron are associated with danger, evil or poison. Animal imagery has also been used.

Some examples would be a' fillet of a fenny snake,' and 'an Adder's fork '. Snakes and serpents have been often thought of and used to symbolise evil for thousands of years. The serpent was also the evil creature who tempted Eve with the forbidden fruit; therefore these characters were deliberately used to help create an evil mood. Some other ingredients were used to create the same affect : Scale of dragon. Dragons are believed to be harmful mythical creatures. Tooth of wolf is significant as the wolf uses its teeth to tear apart flesh. In the third witch's speech, parts of human beings join the horrifying brew. One of those ugly ingredients was the liver of a blaspheming Jew. This ingredient carries with it evil towards sacred things . Most unpleasant of all the ingredients was perhaps the 'finger of a birth strangled babe, ditch delivered by drab '. Prostitutes, in the time of Macbeth, were considered , to be sinful. The baby was a result of the mother's sinful behaviour. So therefore its finger carries sinfulness into the bubbling cauldron.

Another element that adds to the strangeness of the witches , is also brought out by the difference in the verse that they use. Most of the verse in the play is blank verse , but the witches speak in rhyming couplets.

I think Shakespeare deliberately did this to create eerieness when they speak.

On line 44 the second witch says 'By the pricking of my thumbs,/ Something wicked this way comes.' This is particularly significant as Macbeth then enters after the witch has spoken; this is implying that Macbeth is evil. , The verse then goes on to ...

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I think Shakespeare deliberately did this to create eerieness when they speak.

When Macbeth enters he is desperate for the witches to answer his every question. He is selfishly willing to let the world endure the consequences that would face,in order to get the answers he wants, he says 'I conjure you, by what you profess- How'er you come to know it-answer me: though you untie the winds and let them fight/ Against the churches…Of nature's germens tumble all together, /Even till destruction sicken-answer me /To what I ask you.' These words show you that Macbeth is obviously desperate if he is willing to let the world be destructed; for the winds to fight against the churches, let waves stop navigation at sea, let un-ripened corn be blown flat and trees be blown down. To let castles topple onto their warders' heads, and pyramids and palaces collapse, and let all natures seeds of creation be destroyed. At this point in the play Macbeth's state of mind is already obviously deteriorating.

When the first apparition appears it brings a warning 'Macbeth, Macbeth, Macbeth: beware Macduff.' The apparition is an armed head, Macbeth is alarmed by this warning, and realises the necessity to be aware of Macduff.

The second apparition appears as a bloody child and says 'be bloody, bold and resolute; laughter scorn/ The power of man for none of woman born/ Shall harm Macbeth.' Hearing this some of Macbeth's confidence is restored he says 'Then live, Macduff; what I fear of thee?…'. But little does he know about the significance, or the truth behind these words (Macduff was born by Ceasarian section).

The third apparition is that of a child crowned with the tree in his hand and says '...Macbeth shall never vanquished be…' Macbeth is relieved by this as he interprets this to mean that he cannot be conquered. Before both the second and third apparitions appear a clap of thunder is heard, this is significant as it is thought to be the voice of God, reminding the evil doer of his crimes and warning him to repent. Macbeth naively chose to ignore these signs, but his relief does not last long;

After the third apparition appears and speaks, a parade of eight kings stretch out into the future. The last king with a glass in his hand (this could be a mirror held in such a way that it reflected several more kings behind the eighth, or else some kind of magic crystal ball that could forsee the future), all pointed out by Banquo's ghost, as his descendants. As the eight Kings pass Macbeth comments on them. Macbeth obviously is becoming more frightened as each king passes and becomes more and more disturbed. As he sees the fourth king he calls out 'a fourth! Start, eyes' which means let my eyeballs fall from their sockets. Macbeth clearly does not want to see any more kings, and when he sees Banquo with hair clotted with blood he exclaims 'horrible sight!' Banquo smiles at Macbeth and points towards the kings as if to say these decendants of mine are to follow.

The Witches disappear and Macbeth returns to reality. He is angry and annoyed at himself for trusting them 'infected be the air where on they ride;/And damn'd all those that trust them'

The effect of the series of apparitions upon Macbeth, as discussed above cause him, at the end of this scene, to take Evil one step further; he will slaughter the Thane of Fife's family; he is now a treacherous and disturbed character determined to murder his way to keep the throne; Macbeth exclaims:

'The castle of Macduff I will surprise;

Seize upon Fife; give to the edge of the sword

His wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls

That trace him in his line. No boasting like a fool;

This deed I'll do before this purpose cool.'

By Anna Warner.