Show How The Witches Are Used In Macbeth To Develop The Plot And Create Tension For The Audience Essay, Research Paper

In his plays, Shakespeare liked to please his

audience and create as much tension as possible. At the time he composed

Macbeth there was a massive witch-mania around England which was supported

fondly by King James 1st. Therefore, it motivated Shakespeare to

produce a play, which involved witches and the supernatural. The first scene in the play is entirely performed by

the witches. By having the witches at the start of the play it makes the

audience believe that the play will be evil, as the audience dislikes them. When the witches say ?In thunder, lightning or in

rain,? it is imposed upon that the future is sinister and bad. This greatly

affected the audience back then and it would have angered the audience as they

abominated the witches. It would still affect our audience today, but the

audience would like the fact that bad things would happen as it intensifies the

play, rather than the audience being angered by the presence of the witches. The witches mention the names Graymalkin and

Paddocks calls. These ghastly names help put across to the audience what the

witches are like. When the witches say?

?Fair is foul and fair is foul,? it puts across that the witches are

hags and are vile. This develops the plot as it suggests that sinister things

will happen. In act 1 scene 3, Shakespeare uses the witches to

draw the audience into the play further by having supernatural happenings.

These are two quotes which support this; ?I?ll give thee a wind,? spoken by the

second witch. When the first witch threatens ?I?ll drain him dry

as hay,? the witches are displaying that they are casting a spell. This

motivates the audience, as they know the witches are going to punish someone.

Therefore, the audience reflects anger towards the witches because of their

disliking to witches. Later in the scene the witches meet Macbeth and

greet him by saying, ?All hail to Macbeth to thee, Thane of Glamis. All hail to

thee Macbeth, hail to thee Thane of Cawdor. All hail Macbeth that shalt be King

hereafter.? When the witches say this, the audience is led to believe that the

witches can predict the future. By calling Macbeth these titles it also

confuses the audience it also confuses the audience, as they wonder how can

Macbeth possibly be king? Especially if Macbeth is not the aire to the thrown.

Therefore, this part of the play indicates that major events will happen in the

future, which develops the plot of the play. Ross enters the scene later and tells Macbeth and

Banquo that the King has made Macbeth the new thane of Cawdor. This tells the

audience that the witches can predict the future but it leaves the audience

confused. The thought of Macbeth being King is nominal so the audience knows

something catastrophic must happen. In act two scene 1 Macbeth sees a dagger in front of

him but he cannot grasp it. Macbeth feels as though he is going crazy. He says

?Mine eyes are made the fools o?th? other senses.? However the dagger is the influence of the

supernatural and it shows the audience that the witches have a big part in the

play. The supernatural though, scares the audience, as the dagger is the sign

of evil, which represents the vision of the witches. During act three scene four, Macbeth indicates that

to the audience that he now believes the witches. Macbeth quotes ?I will tomorrow and betimes I will

to the weird sisters. More shall they speak. For now I am bent to know, by the

worst means, the worst for mine own good, all causes shall give way.? By saying that, it shows Macbeth has changed because

of the witches, as at the start of the play he did not believe the witches.

Therefore, that indicates that the witches had infiltrated the Kingdom of

Scotland and that it is truly evil like the witches. In act four scene one, Macbeth meets with the

witches again. The witches this time give Macbeth bad news. They say to him ?Macbeth, Macbeth, Macbeth, beware

Macduff, beware the Thane of Fife, dismiss me enough. This tells Macbeth that he should fear Macduff. This

tells the audience that Macbeth isn?t immortal and that something atrocious

could happen to him. The second quote ?The power of many for none of

woman born shall harm Macbeth.? This indicates that a super natural influence will

affect Macbeth and the audience dislikes it because of the supernatural. When the third apparition says ?Macbeth shall never

be vanquish be until Great Birnam wood to High Great Dunsinane Hill. Shall come

against him.? This fascinates the audience the audience as they

wonder; how can Birnam Wood move to Dunsinane Hill? The audience then believes

that Macbeth must be safe from danger and that the witches are lying. This

suggests that the witches are wrong and always will be whatever has happened in

the past, so this pleases the audience. Shakespeare used the witches and supernatural

influences to present evil scenes and events. As witches were hated, so much at

the time, Shakespeare composed the play; it was a perfect opportunity to use

witches, as the audience would be more interested and entertained in the play. By having the witches speak in rhyme it seemed more

real for the audience, as people believed that when witches cast spells they

spoke in rhyme. The rhyme also made the witches sound more evil so that the audience

would dislike them more. Special effects such as thunder and lighting were used

to make it look as though the witches had a strong, dominant presence whilst

also looking increasingly evil as more special effects are used. So as the

further into the play you go the witches help develop the play by adding more

sinister and evil events, whilst keeping the audience entertained.?????????