Macbeth's Confidence In The Witches example essay topic

Discuss the role of the witches in the play 'Macbeth' by William Shakespeare The witches play a significant part in the play 'Macbeth. ' At the time when the play was written, there was witch-mania in Britain. King James 1st was also very interested in witches and witchcraft and he even wrote a book about it. These may have influenced Shakespeare into writing a play about the supernatural.

The witches play a vital part in the storyline and plot of the play, enhancing it in many different ways and creating a moral in the story. The witches can also appeal to a modern day audience. The play 'Macbeth' reflects many Elizabethan beliefs about witches and witchcraft. For instance, they believed that witches could raise evil spirits by concocting a brew from disgusting ingredients. This is shown in the first scene of Act 4 where the witches are making a 'hell-broth' to conjure up apparitions for Macbeth. They include repulsive ingredients such as, 'Liver of blaspheming Jew,' 'Nose of Turk,' and 'Tongue of dog.

' The fact that they call it a 'hell-broth' reflects the Elizabethan belief that these potions were linked to the Devil; the witches also represent the Devil. Witches were thought to be able to have an effect on the weather. They could trigger fogs and tempests. In the very first scene of the play the witches enter along with 'Thunder and Lightning. ' The words of the first witch indicate that the witches can create any type of weather they want; 'When shall we three meet again?

In thunder, lightning or in rain?' It was also believed that witches could take demonic possession of any individual by casting a spell over them. This is shown by the trance-like Macbeth, his raptness when the witches first tempt him and seeing Banquo's ghost, indicating he is the victim of demonic possession. He behaves compulsively, as if he is controlled by evil spirits rather than by his own conscious mind. Macbeth goes crazy after seeing Banquo's ghost and cries; 'Avaunt and quit my sight! Let the earth hide thee!

Thy bones are marrow less, thy blood is cold; Thou hast no speculation in those eyes Which thou dost glare with. ' Witches were thought to have allowed the Devil to suck their blood in exchange for an evil servant or a 'familiar's uch as: a bird, beast or reptile. This is displayed in the first scene, where the witches mention their 'beasts'; 'I come, Gray malkin. 'Paddock calls. ' It was supposed that witches could predict the future and this is again reflected in the play. The witches are meeting with Macbeth for the first time and are telling him what has and will happen to him.

The third witch states; 'All hail Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter. ' Another peculiar power witches were thought to possess was the ability to fly. This belief is brought into the play in the very first scene when the witches stand together and all say; 'Hover through the filthy air. ' Witches were understood to be able to kill any animal they wanted. They were often accused of harming livestock such as pigs. In act 1 scene 3, the second witch has been out and the other two witches are questioning her about what she has done.

She answers, 'Killing swine. ' The witches belong to a Sisterhood and speak in rhythm and rhyme throughout the play. This is there to show how close and similar the witches are as well as to make them seem more mysterious. This would have frightened and alarmed an Elizabethan audience. An example of this in act 1 scene 3 when the witches mysteriously chant; 'The weird sisters hand in hand, Posters of the sea and land, Thus do go, about, about, Thrice to thine, and thrice to mine, And thrice again to make up nine.

' Shakespeare may also have included witches to please King James I. When returning from Denmark after his marriage, King James first came in contact with witchcraft. It was thought that a coven of witches in North Berwickshire had tried to practice the black arts against him. They raised a storm which delayed the King's return and wrecked a ship carrying gifts for his new Queen. The Danes on the ship convinced him that the bad weather was caused by witchcraft. James at first doubted this story, but agreed that the winds had been strangely contrary to his own ship, and he was finally convinced. James was extremely fond of literature, and actually became a writer himself - his major works focusing on kingship, the supernatural, and issues of the church.

His fascination in witchcraft lead him to write a book about it called, 'Daemonologie,' explaining how witches can cause death by burning a person's picture, and can raise storms at sea or on land. His personal enthusiasm in writing immediately put William Shakespeare, London's most famous playwright at the time, in James' favour when he began his rule in England. It was not long before he took Shakespeare's company, "The Chamberlain's Men" under his wing, renaming them "The King's Men". The King's Men were sponsored by James, which was a great relief for them. Intellectual himself, Shakespeare recognised the promising position he was in, and began to further this in his writing, by designing his plays to suit the new King. 'Macbeth' was a play like this.

Performed just three years after James had begun his reign in England, its popularity with the King was vital for Shakespeare's reputation, and therefore his career. The play is set in Scotland, homeland of the king, which is clearly referred to in a charming manner. It was also important for him to keep the favour of the royal court. The fact that this play deals with treachery and deceit is due to the constant attempts to assassinate James. The portrayal of witches would have pleased the King because he blamed a lot of things that went wrong on witches. By presenting the witches as evil, King James may have thought that more people would believe what he said about witches and start to think the same way about them, as he did.

The witches have an important role in the storyline or plot of the play 'Macbeth'. The role of the witches is to represent evil and the devil and to show how it can influence people into wrong doings. For example, at the beginning of the play when the three witches are introduced, they describe to Macbeth three prophecies; that Macbeth will be Thane of Candor, Thane of Glam is and King. These prophecies have a major influence on Macbeth's actions. Macbeth seems happy and content with himself until the witches tell him he will be king. He begins immediately to consider murdering Duncan and this is shown in Act 1, Scene 3 when Macbeth says; 'If good, 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 use of nature?' After he is named king, Macbeth's feeling of inferiority to Banquo lead him to arrange for the murder of Banquo and his son, Flea nce.

It is also shown that the witches' prophecy concerning Banquo's sons, and having Banquo around him is a constant reminder of when the witches predict that Banquo's and not Macbeth's children will be kings. When Macbeth is alone in Act 3 Scene 1, he begins to describe the jealousy which he feels towards Banquo when he exclaims; 'Upon my head they placed a fruitless crown, And put a barren sceptre in my gripe, Thence to be wrench'd with an un lineal hand, No son of mine succeeding. ' During his rule as King, Macbeth witnesses a second set of predictions which the witches conjure up when they gather to meet him on the moor. The first apparition, 'an armed head,' is understood as predicting Macbeth's head, cut off and brought to Malcolm by Macduff.

The Witches caution him, 'Beware Macduff!' Macbeth replies that he is grateful for this caution. This apparition spurs him to kill the rest of Macduff's family. The second apparition is 'a bloody child. ' The apparition moves on to declare; 'The pow'r of man, for none of woman born Shall harm Macbeth.

' Macbeth becomes sure that no one can harm him as everyone he knows is of woman born. The third apparition, 'a child crowned, with a tree in his hand,' shows the King's son, Malcolm. The witches tell Macbeth to listen but not speak. The words of the third apparition are; 'Macbeth shall never vanquished be until Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill Shall come against him.

' Macbeth's confidence in the Witches' protecting his power has been strengthened by the predictions of the first and second apparitions. The prediction of the third apparition confirms his confidence; Macbeth is positive that moving Dunsinane Forest is impossible, and he now believes his end shall never come. 'That will never be,' he replies. His confidence is also exposed when he is talking to Macduff. Macbeth says with certainty; 'I bear a charmed life which must not yield To one of woman born. ' This affects the plot because it shows the reader that Macbeth's confidence in the witches has increased so much, he thinks he's invincible.

The witches' predictions have an effect on Lady Macbeth. Lady Macbeth first learns of the witches' words from a letter which Macbeth sends to her. She intends to influence him to kill Duncan as she feels that Macbeth may not be evil enough to go through with the murder. The words which Lady Macbeth say after reading the letter suggest that there is an immediate change in her way of thinking.

She calls on spirits to make her strong; 'Hie thee hither, That I may pour my spirits in thine ear The predictions have made Lady Macbeth confident and more dominant. They have released the evil that may have been stored up inside her and caused her to become stronger so she can achieve what she wants, even it does mean having to murder someone. The witches play an essential part in the moral of the play. The play is made to show that witches are deceitful and not to be trusted and it is important to trust in God and the Christian faith as at the time those who were not Christian were thought of as dangerous.

Macbeth and Lady Macbeth fall into the hands of witchcraft. Witchcraft is what drives people to commit unnatural actions of destruction. Macbeth succumbs to witchcraft through his fatal flaw, greed. When Macbeth willingly murders, he loses his sanity.

When Lady Macbeth hears of what happens to her husband she immediately comes up with the plan of murdering Duncan. This may be because she wants her husband to be powerful, but it also shows her nature to be cold, calculating and manipulative. She adopts evil by summoning spirits to make her stronger in order to perform this sinister act. In the 5th scene of act 1, Lady Macbeth says; 'Come, spirits That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here. ' These words mean that Lady Macbeth wants the spirits to take away everything that might make her change her mind of committing the crime. To 'unsex' means to take everything away from her that makes her a woman, for example, emotion.

If she had emotion like most women do, she would not be able to go ahead with this terrible sin. Another lesson shown in this play is that all things are not as they appear. Early in the play, the three witches say that 'fair is foul, and foul is fair. ' This paradox appears to warn that whatever appears to be 'fair' to Macbeth is really evil and that whatever appears 'foul' is really good.

Murdering Duncan and becoming king appears to be a 'fair' idea to Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. But they soon discover that what they sense as 'fair' is really 'foul,' just as the witches observed. When said at the beginning of the play, this paradox also shows what is to come. Macbeth echoes the witches' words and this may show that his mind may not be what it seems. Underneath his bravery, he may be an unstable man. The repetition of fair and foul gives rise to tension.

Macbeth was influenced by evil. The witches also trick Macbeth. When Macbeth goes to speak with the witches again, three apparitions appear. The first warns; 'Macbeth, Macbeth, Macbeth: beware Macduff. ' However, the second tells Macbeth that no man of women born can harm him. The last explains to Macbeth that he shall never be vanquished until the Great Birnam Wood marches to Dunsinane Hill.

The irony of these three apparitions is that Macbeth thinks he is safe. However, we later find out that the soldiers were told to cover themselves with branches from Birnam Woods so that when invading Dunsinane they could not be seen. Hence, Macbeth will be vanquished because the Great Birnam Woods are marching to Dunsinane Hill. Macbeth comes face to face with Macduff; Macbeth says that no man of women born can hurt him. Macduff explains that he is not a natural product of his mother's womb.

The witch's apparitions tried to trick Macbeth into believing that he was be safe. By believing in what the witches have said, Macbeth has committed an awful sin. Everyone who commits a sin goes to hell. They can't believe in God anymore as they have committed an evil act. Macbeth has returned from killing Duncan and he is in a state as he was not able to pray with King Duncan's son. He tells Lady Macbeth what happened; 'I could not say 'Amen' When they did say 'God bless us'.

Macbeth knows that he cannot go to heaven and he also knows that he cannot go back. He can only go on by embracing evil for life. Since Macbeth could not say Amen, it shows that he has given his soul to the devil. Macbeth feels guilt for a little while after killing Duncan but after achieving his title, he feels no guilt at all. This is because he has been taken under the enchantment of the witches.

Guilt is a form of repenting sins but Macbeth feels no guilt showing he does not repent his sins anymore. He has been more and more influenced by Satan. It is almost as if he and Lady Macbeth have switched roles. At the beginning Lady Macbeth is the one who influences Macbeth to kill Duncan but at the end she is repenting this by sleep walking and in the end she commits suicide. In act 5 scene 1 Lady Macbeth is being examined by a doctor.

She does not know this however as she is sleepwalking and replaying her troubled thoughts out loud; 'Out, damned spot! Out, I say! Hell is murky. ' This shows that by following an act of evil, it can never be erased.

'Hell is murky' means that the sin has obscured her vision, leaving a dark cloud over her life. Towards the end of the play, Macbeth becomes very depressed explains how life is pointless as there is nothing for him to live for; 'Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player That struts and frets his hour upon the stage And then is heard no more. It is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury Signifying nothing. ' Macbeth also loses his loyalties due to his guilt and his hallucinations, showing that following evil and trusting in witchcraft creates enemies and destroys friendships. This play also appeals to a modern day audience and this is partly due to witches.

Today, it is said that more than half of the population of the world still believe in witches and witchcraft. Places such as the Far East and Africa are examples of where witchcraft is still practiced. The continent of Africa contains some 6000 different tribes. The tribes rely on the witch doctor.

The witch doctor is magic maker of their society. Each society's witch doctor has their own ways of telling the future, casting spells and healing patients. Masks are representations of supernatural spirits. In rituals or ceremonies magic is used to represent someone that the statue owner wants to put a spell on, for example, a voodoo doll.

Many books and television programmes are nowadays based on witches and witchcraft. The books about 'Harry Potter' by J. K Rowling are completely based on the supernatural. Harry Potter is a wizard and goes to a school for wizards. Other examples of books about the supernatural are, 'The Chronicles of Narnia,' by C.S. Lewis, 'The Witches,' by Roald Dahl, 'Witch Child,' by Celia Rees and 'Worst Witch,' by Jill Murphy. Television programmes about the supernatural are, 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer,' 'Angel,' 'Charmed,' and 'Sabrina the Teenage Witch. ' Nowadays people are still fascinated by witchcraft and its history.

Television programmes feed to them this fascination. Witchcraft is also very mysterious and unusual which makes a change from everyday life. The different forms of magic shown on the television, from vampire slaying to freezing time would never happen in real life and people might find it interesting to see what could happen if the ability to do any of these existed. There is still a large selection of supernatural things nowadays and so Macbeth would be just as believable in the modern era.