What do you consider to be the importance of witches in Macbeth - Essay Example

?What do You Consider to be the Importance of Witches in Macbeth? The witches play a significant role in Macbeth. Their role-play is highly important, as they represent the all-pervasive Gothic element in the play. The witches are the propelling agents to Macbeth's deep and secret desires. Their very presence offers a comparison between good and evil, natural & the supernatural, contrasting morality with Macbeth's ambition. It empowers Shakespeare to not only single out Macbeth's weak trait, but also stresses on these human flaws, which at certain times becomes a thin layer of difference between humanity and supernatural powers (Aimee par. 1). Time element plays a dubious role because the "weird sisters" do not tell Macbeth what time he would become king; they predict such a happening in future but without specifying the time of his becoming the king. Therefore, their foretelling negates time. The impact of this negation of time element might indicate that the witches’ foretelling is a puzzle to be solved, and that the impact it has on Macbeth, leads him rather from listening to taking action. It derives then that the notion of the witches and their extra-ordinary abilities, are conspiring Macbeth's mind; he is instigated to fulfil his desires. It offers an evaluation of his psychological state and feeling of humanity, knocking at Macbeth's human instinct (Aimee par. 2). The presence of witches creates an element of uncertainty in the character of Macbeth. His state of mind remains unstable to the extent of further deterioration throughout the play. Audience reacts by studying Macbeth’s state of mind. Audience further analyses Macbeth's intentions, pondering over whether he is completely aware of his thoughts or actions, or whether he has been genuinely taken over by the witches and supernatural powers in some sort. Audience is always on the roller-coaster ride to keep or not to keep trust in his character. It necessarily describes different traits of his character; he is respectable and brave soldier, but the push of his desires and the malicious methods he adopts to achieve his desires, makes him a complex character (Aimee par. 4). Talking about Shakespeare’s audience, certainly people at those times were relatively more superstitious, having firm belief in the existence of supernatural elements like witches. That’s the reason behind Shakespeare making extensive use of the “weird sisters”, bringing about a transformation in the character of Macbeth, as he murders King Duncan and his so-called best friend, Banquo. The clear purpose of Shakespeare's inclusion of the witches and their wicked ways was to create element of horror for his 17th century spectators (Aimee par. 5). Comparing present-day spectators of Shakespeare’s Macbeth with Shakespeare’s audience, one does not feel that emotional reactions to the appearance of ghostly figures would be the same. Modern spectators have gone through different and varied experiences and do not relate themselves with fearful expressions; rather they may take such appearances funny way. Portrayal of witches in Shakespeare’s times was inhuman. “You should be women; and yet your beards forbid me to interpret that you are so” indicates that the witches are neither masculine nor feminine. Shakespeare has given a totally distinct image of the witches. Perhaps, he wanted to give a message that human beings blamed for being witches were falsely implicated, as witches looked abnormal and inhuman in appearances (Aimee par. 6). Shakespeare has given a different colouring to his presentation of witches, alluding them to human desires, suggesting them to be the inside presence of evil in Macbeth and human beings. It is the personal decision of each human being to bend before the evil inside or not. It also indicates that witches are just representations of one’s own mind’s evil, as it is weaved in Macbeth’s mind; actually, these are the spiritual framings of his inner desires (Aimee par. 7). Witches succeed in instigating Macbeth to the extent that he uses their words by firmly believing that he is invincible “None of woman born shall harm Macbeth”. This sense of invincibility is also exhibited at the close of the play when Macbeth states “put mine armour on, give me my staff”, which finally indicates that Macbeth thinks that he is very strong and has the assets of all elements within him (Aimee par. 8). Shakespeare’s witches in Macbeth are different from other characters. Not only different, they are important part of the story. Difference is visible when they speak, as they always speak in couplets. For instance, the line “Double, double, toil and trouble, Fire burn and cauldron bubble” in 4.1.10–11 is a couplet. Besides, Shakespeare creates connect of the 3 witches’ traits to the 3 sisters in Greek mythology, the ones who impact humans' fate by cutting their string. Both kinds of witches play with the lives of human beings by deciding their fate (Baugier par. 1). The role of the witches is to instigate Macbeth and they succeed in instigating him. Other than that, the three witches provide Macbeth with a feeling of security. Witches’ role is limited in instigating him because ultimately it is Macbeth himself who becomes over-ambitious and heralds his own downfall, not that of the witches. Overconfidence of Macbeth forces him to underestimate the prediction of witches that no man born of woman could hurt him, and that he cannot be defeated until Birnum Woods attacks on his castle. Due to his overconfidence, Macbeth began to accomplish terrible things, irrespective of the outcomes whatever they might be. In one such instance, he ordered his men to kill all members of Macduff’s family and servants at his castle while Macduff was untraceable. The story furthers on as Macbeth after being revealed what was going to happen in future, starts committing murder of King Duncan and other ghastly murders by his men although the role of the witches is passive in the killings (Baugier par. 2-3). Settings of scenes, especially when the three witches arrive, has been dramatised with special effects of weather, which has been used as a motif. Whenever something supernatural takes place, it starts with thunder and lightning to create the horror effect. The thunder and lightning weather details create a very creepy feeling, hinting that something evil is about to take place. Such scenes happen when witches are there. For example, exactly before the first scene in the whole play, it says “Thunder and lightning. Enter three witches”. The three witches generally do unnatural activities, as in Act 4. Sc. 1 Ln. 30, they mix strange potions together with parts like “Finger of birth-strangled babe”. These are hints to the audiences that beside thunder and lightning, evil and unnatural things are happening (Power par 2-3). The witches form an essential design in the play, as they not only contribute in creating a genuine Gothic environment but also provide the spectators a higher insight into the characters and permit Shakespeare to create an atmosphere of fear among his spectators. The witches directly attack the human sublime emotions of morality and desire, elements that are all-pervasive in human beings. Works Cited Aimee. “The Significance of the Witches in Macbeth.” English Literature A2. English Literature A2, 23 November 2010. Web. 6 November 2010. . Baugier, Ed. The Witches Three. Web. 6 November 2013. . Power, Jamie. The Motif of Weather. Macbeth. Web. 6 November 2013. . Read More