The Witches

• The Witches symbolise pure evil and darkness
• The Witches


  • Commonly referred to as the "weird sisters" or the "Wayward sisters"
  • Portrayed as supernatural beings who give Macbeth cryptic prophecies
  • Introduced in the first scene of the play with special emphasis on their importance
  • Referred to as the Weird Sisters, bearing connotations of "wired" meaning fate in Old English
  • Could represent the three fates from classical mythology, reflecting the past, present, and future
  • In control of events, deciding on the fates and destinies of men
• Shakespeare's use of parallelism

  Foreshadows the rest of the play
• Supernatural


  • The inclusion of 'magical' creatures is contextually significant as the contemporary audience was interested in, believed in, and was fearful of witches
  • James I wrote 'Daemonologie' explaining how to identify a witch and how to torture them, reflecting the genuine threat perceived by the contemporary audience
• Shakespeare uses the character of the Witches to appeal to James I


  Portraying the Witches as inherently evil and agents of Satan appeals to James I, who had a passion for the history of witchcraft
• James I was involved in many witch trials, e.g., North Berwick Witch Trials
• James I believed witches had tried to kill him on the way to the trials
• James I wrote a book about witches - 'Daemonologie'
• Shakespeare connects witches to regicide


  Demonstrating that witchcraft is infernal and evidencing allegiance to the king
• Shakespeare aims to make the play interesting to James I for financial support and patronage


  Ascending from the Lord Chamberlain's men to The King's Men under James I
• Shakespeare had been reliant on Elizabeth's patronage previously in protection from puritans trying to ban the theatre
• There are many religious references in the play to accompany the messages of the bible and reinforce them
• Theatre is not sinful


  Can actually serve to accompany the messages of the bible and even reinforce them
• Macbeth’s fall from grace


  He succumbs to the temptation of the Witches
• Shakespeare condemns regicide through his portrayal of Macbeth and the mental torment it causes him
• Shakespeare wanted to exhibit the evil nature of regicide in the contemporary context


  By presenting regicide as related to the devil and implying it will have severe religious consequences
• Regicide is directly contradicting the will of God


  As the divine right of kings is subverted through regicide
• Macbeth is aligned with forces of supernatural evil within the play

  Association with the supernatural will always result in suffering and severe consequences
• Association with the supernatural will result in suffering and severe consequences

  Evident through Shakespeare’s portrayal of Lady Macbeth, who is driven insane
• The Witches’ direct influence upon the Macbeths

  Evidenced through the link between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s lack of sleep and the Witches’ proclamation that “sleep shall neither night nor day, hang upon his penthouse lid”
• The lack of sleep caused by the Witches


  Will cause Macbeth to waste away and deteriorate as a result of this curse
• The Witches subvert the holiness of Christianity

  Important to consider why Shakespeare portrays the Witches as symbolising the perceived evil within the Bible
• The Witches are perceived as agents of the devil


  As theorised in King James I’s ‘Daemonologie’
• The Witches are the devil’s influence on earth


  Carrying out the work that is beyond his capability
• The Witches form an anti-trinity


  As they always appear in a three, they form a trinity of evil
• The three Witches comprise the Devil in three infernal persons


  Macbeth turns to them in times of need for advice and comfort instead of to God
• Supernatural


  • The structure of the Witches’ speech emphasises their supernatural characteristics
  • The rhythmic and chant-like nature of the Witches’ rhetoric implies that their words have real extraordinary power
  • Shakespeare uses linguistic techniques to connect other characters to the supernatural
  • Macbeth and Lady Macbeth also speak in rhyming couplets at times when they are expressing evil or when they are controlled by the supernatural
• Trochaic Tetrameter


  • Shakespeare uses trochaic tetrameter when the Witches speak
  • This causes the witches to stand out as different and other-worldly, perceived as supernatural and dangerous
• Witches' speech


  • Shift in meter between characters, importance placed on what is being said, perceived as supernatural and dangerous
• Witches


  Dependent on Macbeth to fulfill their prophecies
• Key Moments


  • SC OCCURRENCE
  • SIGNIFICANCE
• Shakespeare opens the play with a scene revolving around the Witches, setting a major theme as the supernatural
• Witches meet with Macbeth and Banquo, make predictions for Macbeth and Banquo
• Witches meet with Hecate, who wishes to play a direct role in Macbeth's downfall
• Witches have immense power over Macbeth through their prophecies
• Witches


  Unable to directly kill man, must control others to create disorder and chaos
• Witches refer to a story about a sailor, showing their limited power over man
• Witches


  Have the power to influence the men around Duncan, making Macbeth their puppet and vehicle for evil
• Macbeth is a greater force of evil than the Witches as he physically carries out the act of regicide
• Witches


  Act as a catalyst for Macbeth's actions, his desire for power provides momentum within the play