Witches

• The three witches in Macbeth only appear on stage four times
• Shakespeare's structural decision to open the play with the witches suggests their significant role
• The witches introduce the theme of the supernatural, which was a big draw for Jacobean audiences
• Ideas about witchcraft changed rapidly in England after Macbeth was first performed in 1606
• The witches speak in trochaic meter, setting them apart from other characters and emphasizing their wickedness
• Debate surrounds the extent of the witches' power, such as whether they influenced Macbeth to kill King Duncan
• Shakespeare uses dramatic irony to suggest that the witches may not be as powerful as they seem
• In Act 4, Scene 1, the witches show Macbeth deceptive apparitions that lead to his downfall
• The witches' absence in the last third of the play questions their true significance