`Examine the role in the witches in “Macbeth” Essay

In Shakespearian England witches were said to be in league with the devil. Shakespearian audience believed that witches were always up to no good and people thought they were wicked and devious. Old, Single or widowed women (who often kept pets for a companion) were often blamed as being witches and their pets were kept as servants. In those times people blamed any unexplained happenings such as bad weather, gone off food, deadly diseases, deaths of livestock and even murders. Despite this people were still fascinated by witchcraft they went to see horrifying plays just like we in modern days go to the cinema to watch horror films. Shakespeare wrote a play about witches to please King James 1, he was on the throne at the time when the play was written. King James wrote a book about witchcraft called Demonology because he was fascinated about witchcraft. Shakespeare knew he would win the king over by making a play like this. The witches were only in 3 scenes in Macbeth but they influence the atmosphere across the whole play. In the opening scene the audience would be thrilled because the witches created a theatrical atmosphere. The atmosphere was very negative because there was terrible weather â€Å"thunder and lightning† this would make the scene very frightening because of the loud noises of the lightning. The witches speak in riddles this unnerves the audience by their chants and riddles for example†fair is foul and foul is fair hover through the fog and filthy air†. The audience would find Macbeth is daunting because of the eerie atmospheres of the scenes and the spooky witches. At the beginning of act 1 scene 3 the three witches are talking about the things they have done to other people. Shakespeare does this because he shows what the witches are capable of. â€Å"I will drain him dry as hay† the first witch said this because she wanted to show what she could do. The three witches meet Macbeth and Banquo â€Å"upon the heath†. Meanwhile the witches predict that Macbeth and Banquo’ sons will be kings in the future. They say two facts that Macbeth is going to be thane of Cawdor and thane of Glamis. The witches do not tell Banquo or Macbeth what to do. Macbeth thought that it’s because the witches predict he is going to be thane of Cawdor. â€Å"Do you not hope that your children shall be kings, when these that gave the thane of Cawdor to me promised no less to them?† This shows that Macbeth trusts the witches by everything they predicted and he thinks that the witches gave him the role of being the king. Macbeth doesn’t believe he is the thane of Cawdor at first but eventually he learns he is. Banquo was really frightened about what the witches claimed but Macbeth was really excited. â€Å"two truths are told as happy prologues to the swelling act of the imperial theme† this shows Macbeth like what the witches tell him particularly that he is going to be king however, he has mixed feelings. â€Å"Why do I yield to that suggestion whose horrid image doth unfix my hair and make my seated heart knock at my ribs (against the youth of nature)?† this shows Macbeths reaction changes. In act 2 scene 3 Shakespeare makes the atmosphere dark and terrifying. â€Å"There’s husbandry in heaven their candles are all out† the dark represents evil and negativity which could be seen as a warning of trouble to come (foreshadowing). Macbeth’s original fear is demonstrated in his hallucinations after his immoral act of murdering. Macbeth shows signs of possessions â€Å"me thought I heard a voice say sleep no more† He says I thought I heard voices†. Macbeth shows he feels guilty by saying â€Å"amen stuck in my throat† he says this to show how he felt and whether he was regretting of the crime he just commit. The witches powers were demonstrated by strange happenings for example â€Å"tis’ said they eat each other† this was said because horses started eating each other which was very unusual and peculiar. This information was in the play to horrify the audience. Act 4 scene 1 begins with the witches chanting this reminds me of a spell. The witches always use trochaic tetrameter the effect of that makes it sound like a chant. The ingredients have unpleasant things in common for example animal parts and poisons. The most horrible point in the spell was â€Å"finger of a birthstrangled babe, ditch deliver’d by a slab† this means a baby born in a ditch from a prostitute strangled at birth. The Shakespearian audience would be horrified at the contents of the charm. In act 4 scene 1 Shakespeare included the spell in the scene to portray real witches and to show they made wicked spells considered associated with evil. The rhythm used is called trochaic tetrameter the effect of it makes it sound like a chant; trochaic tetrameter is always 4 beats per line. The witches added body parts of a Christian, Shakespeare knew it would affect the scene because people in those times didn’t trust non Christians and thought they were up to no good. Macbeth believes when he goes back to see the witches that they will tell him what to do. The witches make three prophecies, the first one warns†beware Macduff: beware the thane of fife† Macbeth thought to himself when this was shown I don’t believe Macduff anyway. The second one warns â€Å"a bloody chid† â€Å"for none of women born shall harm Macbeth† Macbeth felt he was invincible and decides to get Macduff and his family killed anyway. The third prophecy warns â€Å"Macbeth shall never vanquish’d be until Great Birnam wood to high Dunsinare hill shall come against him† this was meant by Macbeth will never be defeated until great Birnam wood comes and lives in his castle. Macbeth felt very pleased and assertive. The witches realise that Macbeth is now evil through the words they use just before he comes in â€Å"By the pricking of my thumbs something wicked this way comes† Macbeth asks the witches if Banquo’s sons will be kings. The witches reply†seek to know no more† they try to tell the truth and are warning him he doesn’t want to know. Macbeth realises he is evil and under the witches spell we know this because he says â€Å"infect’d be to air where on they rides and damn’d all those that trust them!†. â€Å"Macduff was from his mothers womb untimely ripped† At that point Macbeth realises the witches were deceiving him all along. One of the main reasons that Shakespeare included the witches in the play was because they influence the theme of deception across the whole play. The witches introduce the theme of deception in the opening scene act 1 scene 1 where they say â€Å"fair is foul and foul is fair† this affects not only Macbeth but all the characters this is shown when lady Macbeth says â€Å"look like the innocent flower but be the serpent under it†. Later on Macbeth realises he has to be deceitful in order to succeed he says â€Å"false face must hide what the false heart doth know†. The witches talk in riddles when they say â€Å"Macbeth shall never vanquish’d be until Great Birnam to high dunsinare hill shall come against him† Macbeth misunderstands this he thought this was impossible that the forest will come to his castle but the soldiers cut down the trees and bring the forest to the castle Macbeth is dumbfounded. Shakespeare creates typical witches to scare the audience the type of witches that fly, induce nightmares and stop people from sleeping. The witches predict the future but Macbeth thinks they are telling him what to do he then shows demonic possessions â€Å"I had almost forgot the taste of fear† Macbeth showed lack of fear. Shakespearian audience would go to see Macbeth to get a thrill for entertainment just like we nowadays go to the cinema to watch a horror film. The witches create an atmosphere of evil throughout the whole play.