Macbeth (Witches Effect) Essays - 1124 Words

Topic: How important are the witches to Macbeth? Discuss the effects of the witches on character, plot, themes and audience. In the play of ‘Macbeth by William Shakespeare the witches have an important effect on Macbeth, the characters, the plot, the theme and the audience. They help construct the play and without them it would have been a totally different story line. The three weird sisters influence Macbeth in his acts, they effect characters lives, orientate the plot, they are related to most of the themes and appeal the audiences attention. The witches have a strong effect on Macbeths character; they highly influence him in his accomplishments and awake his ambitions. They give Macbeth a†¦show more content†¦The witches can predict the future, they can add temptation, and influence Macbeth, but they cannot control his destiny. Macbeth creates his own misery when he is driven by the guilt of his actions. Although the witches did have the power to accurately predict significant events in Macbeths life, the actual ‘carrying out of those prophecies was undertaken by Macbeth. In this play, the three equivocators have a resilient effect, not only on Macbeth but on the other characters too. ‘Lesser than Macbeth, and greater. Not so happy yet much happier. Thou shalt get kings though thou be none. (Act 1 Scene 3) Banquo is directly involved with the three witches; he talks to them face to face. Being at first strongly contrasted with Macbeth, as an innocent man with a guilty one, it seems like this contrast must be continued to his death; while, in reality, though it is never removed, it is gradually diminished. Banquo in fact may be described much more truly than Macbeth as the victim of the Witches. Some other characters are indirectly affected by their prophecies. If Macbeth had not been influenced by the witches, he would not have killed Duncan. Because they are the ones who start the play and orientate it, the witches have an effect on every ones life. The three weird sisters prophesies orientate the plot in a certain direction, some events might not have occurred without their sayings. Macbeth hears these words and then tries to makeShow MoreRelatedEffect Of The Witches In Macbeth739 Words   |  3 PagesHow do the witches affect the actions of Macbeth? Macduff enters Holding Macbeths Lifeless head. â€Å"Hail King of Scotland!†, Cheer the people. How did it get to this? How did a soft-hearted and honest noble like Macbeth get into this position? The quick and easy answer is that it was the work of the three witches. At the beginning of the play, the three witches gave Macbeth and Banquo prophecies; Macbeth will be king, thane of Cawdor, and be thane of Glamis. They also said that Banquo’s sons willRead MoreEssay about The Effects of the Witches in Shakespeares Macbeth597 Words   |  3 PagesIn Macbeth the witches have an evil effect on Macbeth, other characters, the plot, the theme, and the audience. They contribute to the play, and without them the plot would be greatly altered. The three witches have an evil effect on Macbeth and how he makes his actions throughout the play. The witches have a profound effect on Macbeths actions and his character development throughout the play. They gave Macbeth a false belief with seemingly true statements about his destiny. Instead they proveRead MoreHow Does Shakespeare Use the Witches in Macbeth to Create Mood and Effect on an Audience?844 Words   |  4 PagesHow does Shakespeare use the witches to create mood and effect on an audience? Macbeth was set around 1040s, during this era, Elizabethan and Jacobean times, the traditional theory of witches was widely accepted; and anyone who questioned it was believed to be a witch themselves; if there was suspicion of a person being a witch, prosecution was most likely made.   The play â€Å"Macbeth† is a tragedy, because of Macbeth; the hero aspect in the play is brought to ruin. Although he is not an idealisticRead MoreThe Classification Of Water Imagery Present Throughout Shakespeare s Macbeth Essay1134 Words   |  5 PagesShakespeare is renowned for his vividly descriptive, original, and pioneering use of imagery in many of his plays, but their effect on the audience’s understanding of his plays is most obvious in the tragedies, particularly in Macbeth. Images in Shakespeare’s works are used, according to Shakespeare critic G. Wilson Knight, to craft a play’s â€Å"atmosphere† or the permeating tone or mood of a play (3). However, this attitude between images and atmosphere creates an environment where different definitionsRead MoreOccult and Supernatural Elements in Macbeth1402 Words   |  6 PagesAlthough Macbeth is not classed as being a supernatural play or a play of the occult, there are some elements in the play that Shakespeare uses to effect. It is necessary however, to define what is meant by the terms ‘occult’ and ‘supernatural’: the term ‘occult’ is defined as being ‘supernatural beliefs, practises or phenomenon’ and the term ‘supernatural’ is defined as being ‘attributed to some force beyond scientific understanding or the laws of nature’; both these terms can be associated withRead MoreThe Role of the Witches in Macbeth by William Shakespeare Essay1108 Words   |  5 PagesThe Role of the Witches in Macbeth by William Shakespeare Macbeth is a play written by William Shakespeare some time between 1603 and 1606 and is set in Scotland around 1040. The time it was written coincides with the reign of King James the First of England. King James showed a great interest in witches and powers of the supernatural and Macbeth was arguably written to impress the king in what were violent times. Shakespeare used witches as pivotal characters to createRead More Religious Themes in Macbeth Essay1416 Words   |  6 PagesWilliam Shakespeare wrote the play Macbeth in approximately 1606. The play is a tragedy and this can be often identified before we have even read the play. The title â€Å"Macbeth† alone suggests the genre of the play is a tragedy as it is the name of a character. Life in Shakespeare’s time was very religious and the play was written in order to please King James I who was on the throne at this point. The idea of the theme of religion and witchcraft fitting into the play was also to please King JamesRead MoreMacbeth by William Shakespeare770 Words   |  3 PagesThe play Macbeth is written by William Shakespeare. It is believed to be written between 1603 and 1607 and set in eleventh century Scotland. It is also believed to be first performed in 1606. It is considered to be one of the darkest and most powerful tragedies. Macbeth, set in Scotland, dramatizes the psychological and political effects produced when evil is chosen to fulfill the ambition of power. The Tragedy of Macbeth is Shakespeare’s shortest tragedy and tells the story of Macbeth, a ScottishRead MoreThe Dramatic Impact and Importance of Witches in William Shakespeares Macbeth654 Words   |  3 PagesDramatic Impact and Importance of Witches in William Shakespeares Macbeth The witches in Macbeth have a large dramatic impact and play a key role in Macbeth, so they are also important. This play was written roughly 400 years ago and so the majority of the population then would have been very superstitious. This means that there would have been a much larger impact on the audience. The witches are also important, as with out them Macbeth would not have had the idea to killRead MoreMacbeth - a Study of the Criminal Mind1045 Words   |  5 PagesMacbeth Analysis – English Honours: Shakespeare delves straight into the theme of murder and the study of the criminal mind. The trio of witches subtly expose themselves to be concocting a devious plan in the first scene itself. â€Å"When the hurly-burly’s done. When the battle’s lost and won. That will be ere the set of sun. Where the place? Upon the heath. There to meet with Macbeth†. (I.i.3-7) As the play progresses, Shakespeare reveals the underlying causes for the murders but stalls the unsettling