Macbeth Act I - 9.9.15

Prompt #2

     The three witches, or “weird sisters” in Shakespeare’s Macbeth play an important role throughout the play. Without the witches, the story would not have developed and Macbeth would have never known of the witches’ prophecy. The witches prophecy was about how Macbeth would move through the ranks from “Thane of Glamis!… [to] Thane of Cawdor!… [to] king hereafter!” (1.3.51-53) As far as I know the witches are setting up the rest of the play. Not much later after Macbeth is told of the prophecy he will be named the Thane of Cawdor. With him being named the Thane of Cawdor he must absolutely believe that the prophecy is true, and that he is certain to become King of Scotland. Late in act four King Duncan names his son, Malcolm, the heir to his throne. After Macbeth hears of this he then believes he must assassinate Duncan in order to advance as king. So, it is almost impossible to say that the witches have not played an important role in this play as they develop the plot and help contribute to the roles of every other character in the book. 

     To be perfectly honest, I do believe that the witches portrayed in this book do fit the criteria of my view on stereotypical witches. However, the only faulty description of a witch in Macbeth  is how Banquo describes the witches as having “beards” and I have not once imagined that a witch should have facial hair. So yes, these witches do fit their own stereotypical view as they are filthy, almost supernatural, and at the beginning of scene three the second witch says that she was “Killing swine” (1.3.2) therefore giving information that the witch was most likely making a potion of sorts. The supernatural aspect of the witches goes with the idea that they can “predict the future” and how the “Witches vanish.” (1.3.81-82) Lastly, I have believed that witches are manipulative, and in this play they prove to be also. The three witches are manipulating Macbeth into doing things that are out of his nature, like assassinating King Duncan. However, the witches did not say directly that in order to become king he would need to kill Duncan, they just said that he would go from Thane of Cawdor to king hereafter. 

     In conclusion, it is certain that the three witches play an important role in Macbeth as they contribute to the development of the play and characters. The witches also do fit the stereotypical ideal of witches as they are manipulative, almost supernatural, and filthy.