the witches

• The witches symbolises the pure evil and darkness. The witches are commonly referred to as "weird sisters", shakespeare portrays these witches as supernatural beings who give Macbeth cryptic prophecies. 1. "thane of cawdor" 2. "get kings" 3. "great birnam wood to high dunsiane hill shall come against him"
• 1:1 the witches are first introduced

  by opening the entire play with a scene revolving around the witches in "thunder and lightning", Shakespeare is being explicit in the setting one of major themes of the play as the supernatural. This intrigues the reader which suggests that the tension in the play will be caused by the presence of the witches
• witches are catalyst for Macbeth's actions


  it is Macbeth's desire to fulfil his ambition for power which provides the momentum within the play
• the witches in macbeth are important as

  they provide Macbeth's primary call to action
• "fair is foul and foul is fair"


  oxymoronic language used by Shakespeare reflects Macbeth's confusion in the audience. This highlights that things that are accepted as foul seem to appear fair to macbeth such as regicide. Macbeth who was once fair is now foul
• "they look not like th'inhibitants o'th earth"


  juxtaposing comment highlights that the witches are the symbol of neglect and how they belong in the shadow and darkness
• "what, can the devil speak true"


  Banquo doesnt trust the witches as he is aware that supernatural things are evil
• "you should be women, and yet your beard forbid me"


  witches look deformed which could be a link to Lady Macbeth's soliloquy when she demands the dark powers to "unsex" her.
• "stay you imperfect speakers, tell me more."


  Macbeth demands the witches to enlighten him even more which shows the control the witches have over Macbeth and how he's easily influenced
• "instruments of darkness"


  said by Banquo which shows that Banquo is a wise man and he is suspicious of the witches.
• "lost and won" "lesser than Macbeth and greater"


  source of chaos and disorder. The witches speak in paradox to leave Macbeth ambiguous to their true meanings behind their speech