Jamie’s Macbeth Essay
One of the most famous works of English literature, Shakespeare’s Macbeth is renowned for its dark nature. It has been much debated as to who the true murder(s) in the play are; is it Lady Macbeth? Or perhaps the witches whom conduct the prophecies? Or maybe Macbeth has no one to blame but himself.
The play opens with the Three Sisters, or Weird Sisters as they are also referred to as, waiting for Macbeth’s arrival. These characters have a vital role, especially since all the events which take place after are the results of their prophesies. They are the ultimate reason for the murders that take place, fueling Macbeth’s true desire to have the crown for himself. “All hail Macbeth! Hail to thee Thane of Glamis! All hail Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor! All hail Macbeth that shalt be king hereafter!” (I.iii. 49-54) Initially Macbeth is confused by these salutations; it makes him curious to understand why they chose these titles to greet him with. This among other prophesies are how the Three Witches ensnare Macbeth, using him as a pawn in their mischievous scheme. Although they do not fabricate their prophecies, which is later proven when King Duncan grants Macbeth the nobility titles they spoke of, they are undoubtedly misleading and confusing. It is customary for the Witches to speak in riddles, often contradicting themselves and always leaving questions unanswered. One such example is when they tell Banquo that he will father kings, and yet they also say that Macbeth will take Duncan’s throne. (I.iii.) Because of their vague prophecies, Macbeth feels that he must intervene in order to make the prophecy a reality. This leads to the destruction of Banquo, whom because of yet another of their predictions, is seen as a stepping stone to Macbeth’s ultimate domination of the throne. Each of the murders are seen in this fashion; Macbeth is using each death as a sign that he is closer to gaining the crown. It can be argued that the Witches true intentions for giving Macbeth the prophecies was simply for their entertainment, to make him evil in nature just for the sake of being evil. They were an essential piece of the destruction of Macbeth.
