Shakespeare has them speak in rhyming couplets throughout "double
double, toil and trouble, fire burn and couldran bubble" this shows how
different they are to every other character. Every other character speaks in
blank verse. Also no other charcaters act in the dancing chanting ways the
witches do, symbolises difference. The chanting also give clues about on
stage movement, such as the charms they are making.
The Prophesies .= "Thane of Glamis" "Thane of Cawdor" and "King
hereafter". All of these prophesies will confuse Macbeth because there
is a "Thane of Cawdor" already and King Duncan is still alive. As these
three prophesies were first, this shows an understanding of what will
come. The next three Phrophesies are "beware Macduff", "for no one
born a woman shall harm Macbeth" and "Macbeth shall never vanquish,
be great until Birnam wood to high Dunsinane shall come against him"
as the first 3 prophesies came true, these three show a pattern of what's
going to happen. As the witches sat "until Birnham wood to high
Dunsinane" this shows their supernatural power to predict the future.
Also as Macbeth became "thane of Cawdor" previously, this seals how
this will become truthful
Hecate is the goddess in Greek mythology, considered to be the goddess of magic
and witchcraft, This significance in the name shows the power she has over the
other witches and everyone else. She remind the audience in ACT 3 scene 5 that
the witches are the cause of all evil. "To trade and traffic with Macbeth" she wants
macbeth to be a partner. "fatal end" we know she can predict the future so she has
predicted how Macbeth will die.
Shakespeare tries to appeal greatly to King James as he was
obsessed with the supernatural. He includes Witches and
Ghosts and hellhounds "turn hell-hound, turn" As the king
was obsessed with the supernatural and Macbeth was
connected with the supernatural, this could be a gesture
towards King James and what could become of him
The black humour throughout the play shows how inhumane the
witches are. "eye of newt, toe of frog" As they are chanting, this shows
that they are enjoying what they are doing. Also the chanting shows a
rehearsed performance, suggesting they have done this before. The
witches represent the evil within Macbeth. What the witches do shows
what Macbeth is capable of doing.
The Monarch James liked the supernatural so Shakespeare would
have liked to appeal to what he liked. Also all the play wrights of
Shakespeare's time were hired by the kind. Shakespeare
included: Witches, ghosts, Hellhounds "turn hellhound turn" The
king was overly obsessed with the supernatural just as Macbeth
was connected with the supernatural. Shakespeare could be
suggesting to James that if you start to become connected with
the supernatural what happened to Macbeth could happen to you.
Showing how its bad to trust witches and you shouldn't be a
tyrannical ruler
They were the cause of all Macbeths tyrannical ruling. This is
because they influenced all his ideas "king hearafter" and the lead
his astray. They did this by prophesising things and showing some
have come true. Therefore showing Macbeth that all the other
things will come true. However they did not control Macbeth "more
in them than mortal knowledge" this is showing the mortal
knowledge in Macbeths head is influenced by what the witches
think and say.
The opening of Act 1
Scene 3 recalls the
supernatural, but also
shadows the fate of
Macbeths life. When the
witches curse the sailor,
this shows that the
witches may be capable
of curing Macbeth and
what will happen to him
In Act 3 Scene 5, Hecate put "Destiny" and "Fatal end" at the
end of 2 of the lines. This structure shows that Macbeth's life
as being a tyrannical ruler will come to a horrible stop at the
end of the play. The placement of the two words for being at
the end of the lines shows it will be the end of the play and the
end of Macbeth