Macbeth Essay, Research Paper

The play is about a man called Macbeth who on his journey home meets three witches who for tell his future as first becoming thane of Cawdor and, later king. Macbeth instantly sercomes to the witches and believes what the witches say. When Duncan announces is successor as his son Malcolm is dream of becoming king through honesty are dashed. Lady Macbeth quickly comes up with a plan to make Macbeth king, by killing king Duncan and making his son Malcolm flee in hope to save his own life. The plan is followed through Duncan dies and Malcolm flees for his life leaving Macbeth as king. But the guilt is too much and he soon starts to see the goast of King Duncan, meanwhile his wife goes insane with guilt and kills herself. Malcolm army soon attacks on Macbeth and Macduff kills Macbeth. Malcolm was made king.

Shakespeare use of witches in act 1 scene 3 and act 4 scene 1 is highly significant, I also believe that they say a lot about Shakespeare and how he would of thought. The main reasons though that I feel the witches roles were so significant is because Shakespeare wanted to please the king who was interested in demonology, to expose Macbeths mind the witches sort of showed his conscious escaping. Also to show human weakness or temptation, which gives the audience, a lot to listen for.

The witches appearing in Act 1 had a huge affect on the story line. Even before we meet the witches we know the next few minuets will be very important, because of the significant weather change. You notice it has become very dark and tense this instantly makes the audience aware of their surroundings. When you do meet the witches you notice a good use of pathetic fallacy because the sky is dark and gray and so is the mood of the characters.

When he meets the witches they tell him of his future as King Macbeths response is the expected yer right its more of a great! He doesn?t seem to need to know how? Or why? Or even how do you know? Which suggests that he may already have had these ambitions he doesn?t seem to question the witches as if he already thought it out minuet by minuet and he doesn?t need any more answers.

I also believe that Lady Macbeth shared the same ambitions as her husband because when Macbeth tells her of the witches prophesies she also doesn?t questions whatthe witches say which can suggest she is a witch or that she also has an ambitions of her husband becoming king.

When Banquo and Macbeth first sees the witches there are seen as the lowest form of human kind, and the look of disgust seems to maintain throughout the meeting with the witches but what the witches say affect both men.

The witches? powers give the audience a clue about Macbeths future because the witches say they will create an illusion that will say macbeths future as king will be one that is long which then makes macbeth over confident and causing his ruin.

We later meet Hecate the most powerful witch in act 4 she is very angry with the three witches for telling Macbeth about his future as king I believe she is angry because Macbeth doesn?t really believe in witch craft only what he can get out of it.

In act 4 scene 1 Macbeth went to see the witches I believe he went to see the witches because he felt guilty about everything that he had done and if the witches told him that it was alright then it would ease his guilty conscience. In my opinion Macbeth didn?t really believe what the witches said because it all sounded to good to be true, but he wanted all that the witches said he would have so he convinced himself that it was true

Throughout this play strong images are used to connect it with the super natural world things like animals, which during the time the play was written were only used for work purposes. The very commonly used darkness and disorder of nature, which are, used a lot in plays and films today for example darkness often represent evil.

When I first saw the witches I noticed how they seemed to separate themselves from the socially correct ways, it seemed as if they were trying to be different form others. I came to that conclusion because they talk different, and they were different clothes from what people see as normal. They are how ever very cleaver but evil they can be good but only when it please them and they see fit to do so.

When the witches talk the tend to talk in rhyme and towards the end so does Macbeth I believe he does this because for the last couple of months his life has revolved around what the witches will say next and he begins to think of nothing else.

The witches bring a dramatic air to the play because you never know when the witches will come along again with more insight into Macbeth?s future. In my opinion the witches provide the story line they brought in the mystery the make the audience or reader look for more in the play.

I really don?t think the play would of worked without the witches because they create an atmosphere throughout the play it makes you look for things and wonder is magic behind this?

So in conclusion the role of the witches in Macbeth is of great importance they bring mystery and magic to the play and make the plot all the more interesting. I think it brings diversity to the play it expresses a lot about Shakespeare and what times were like it is as if he was leaving a window open for his audience to discover. I think in some way Shakespeare could relate to the witches.