Witches Role in Macbeth - 2482 Words

Most people in Shakespeare time believed in the powers of witches, and witchcraft became the object of morbid and fevered fascination. Between 1560 and 1605 hundreds of people (mainly women) were convicted as witches and executed. Witches were credited with diabolical powers. They could predict the future, bring on night in daytime, cause fogs and tempests and kill animals. They cursed animals with fatal wasting disease and could raise evil spirits by concocting a horrible brew with nauseating ingredients. It was believed witches allowed the devil to suck their blood in return for a familiar (an animal used as an evil servant). Accused witches were examined for the devils mark, a red mark on their body from where Satan had sucked their†¦show more content†¦Following the murder of Duncan, Macbeth realises that the murder has put him into the control of demon forces which are the enemy of mankind. At the beginning of the play we are shown that the Elizabethans strongly believe in God. After Macbeth has killed Duncan he makes several holy references. Elizabethan audiences believed in the divine right of kings. This is the belief that the kings is a special person and has been appointed by God. As did James I and Shakespeare, most people believed in the divine right of kings, so killing a king would be worse than a normal murder. People thought that if God had been upset then he would cause other tragic events to take place. This is why the audience would have been expecting the dreadful events following the death of King Duncan. Shakespeare mentions how the town had become panic stricken, and how there had been weird goings on. ha, good father, thou seest the heavens, as troubled with mans act, threatens his bloody stage. In Act 2 scene 4, Ross and an old man exchange views on the darkness and unnaturalness of the events that mirror Duncans murder. Duncans horses, beauteous and swift, turned wild in nature, contending gainst obedience. The two men discuss how they have seen with their own eyes, the sun being obscured, owls killin g falcons and Duncans horses eating each other. These misconducts would not have surprise the audience, but confirmed their beliefs. The way theShow MoreRelatedThe Role Of The Witches In Macbeth735 Words   |  3 Pages In the play Macbeth the three witches managed to change the future to what they had predicted. Other types of fantasy also played a role in making the tragic ending. These sorts of witchcraft or in other words magic made the play what it is and conveyed character such as Macbeth to do and think of certain things. The witches played a huge role in the story of Macbeth and made him become who he ends up as. Macbeth was a very honorable knight that served king Duncan till his last breath. He didRead MoreThe Role Of The Witches In Macbeth1395 Words   |  6 Pages In the novel Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, Macbeth is told his prophecy by the three witches, mysterious, secretive creatures, who we are left to develop our own vision of. Witches are known to represent evil, envy, and are always the villains of the story. In this novel, they are illustrated very similarly. In the beginning of the story, we learn that the witches are somehow associated with the weather, can cast spells, and like to take revenge. Macbeth pays the witches a visit to ask for hisRead MoreRole of the Witches in Macbeth1040 Words   |  5 PagesMacbeth is a play about morals and how people can be easily influenced. The audience at the time when the play was written were more superstitious than we are. They believed in witches and thought that they were the devils disciples. They were believed to be able to control the weather, blamed many things, such as outbreaks of disease on them. The first people to meet the Witches are Banquo and Macbeth. They find the witches appearance is vile. We can see this as Banquo says that â€Å"(they) look notRead More Roles of the Witches in Macbeth Essay787 Words   |  4 PagesThe Roles of the Witches in the Play Macbeth In this essay I will look at the role of the three witches and the influence they have on many of the central characters within Shakespeare’s play Macbeth. I will begin by outlining how the audience would have viewed the appearance of the witches on stage, and move on to show how Shakespeare used language to make them into a mystical yet strong presence. In Jacobean England, when Macbeth was first staged, the audience would have had a veryRead MoreThe Role of the Witches in Macbeth Essay996 Words   |  4 PagesThe Role of the Witches in Macbeth In the play, Shakespeare used the witches to represent the supernatural, evil, a destructive force and an inversion of natural order. 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In William Shakespeare’s Macbeth there are such beings, more specifically witches, who have many paranormal capabilitiesRead More Supernatural in Shakespeares Macbeth - Role of the Witches1288 Words   |  6 PagesThe Role of the Witches in Macbeth  Ã‚   When Shakespeare wrote his play, Macbeth in 1606 a large majority of people were interested in witchcraft. This is why Shakespeare made the witches and the witches’ prophecies play a major part in the storyline of the play. In the time of Macbeth witches were not thought to be supernatural beings themselves, but supposedly gained their powers by selling their souls to Satan. There can be little doubt that most of Shakespeare’s audience would have believedRead More The Role of the Witches in the Downfall of Shakespeares MacBeth688 Words   |  3 PagesThe Role of the Witches in the Downfall of Shakespeares MacBeth MacBeth by William Shakespeare is a play which shows the uprise of MacBeth, the treachery and his eventual downfall. Witchcraft plays a major part in MacBeths actions and his weak character is easily manipulated. Although being an honest and brave man earlier, his ambition clouds his judgement. His life is tragic and through some terrible deeds ends in catastrophe. MacBeth is Thane of Glamis and a highly honorable and respectedRead MoreThe Roles of Witches in William Shakespeares Macbeth Essay1067 Words   |  5 PagesThe Roles of Witches in William Shakespeares Macbeth In the Elizabethan times, the people believed in witches and witchcraft. They were described as ugly and evil. Nowadays the people would not believe in them. The people in the Elizabethan times would be very scared of witches. This was equivalent to the people of nowadays being frightened about terrorists. The people thought that they were powerful beings. They thought that they would cast spells on them; they thoughtRead 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 create