The Influence of the Witches in Macbeth Essay

With the predictions of the witches, there is an immediate shift of Macbeths character. Macbeth, soon after discovering the second prediction of the witches is correct, he begins contemplating the last prediction, his murder of Duncan. Macbeth while contemplating states, My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical, / Shakes so my single state of man that function / Is smother'd in surmise, and nothing is / But what is not(Shakespeare 1.3.159-162). Macbeths aside begins his downfall, already starting to shift his character from a loyal nobleman to the ambitious tyrant, with this very acceptance of his fate. Additionally, soon after Macbeths return , Lady Macbeth, aware of the witches prediction, begins pressing Macbeth to murder Duncan.. Lady Macbeth in her haste towards power says to Macbeth, Your hand, your tongue: look like the innocent flower, / But be the serpent under't. / He that's coming Must be provided for: and you shall put / This night's great business into my dispatch;(Shakespeare 1.5.69-72). Macbeth, again, is being influenced by the witches, indirectly, to change his character. In Lady Macbeths commands, Macbeth is being molded to his eventual state of ambition, which leads to the murder of King Duncan. Witches, with their prophecies, play a large role in Macbeths path to usurpation, shaping him both directly and indirectly.

Moreover, the witches play a major role in the eventual bloom of murder within Macbeth throughout story, especially using magic. With the tension building, Banquo leave Macbeth alone; Macbeth in his isolation and growing hysteria, he contemplates murder, sees a dagger. With this apparition of a dagger in front of Macbeth, he proclaims, And on thy blade and dudgeon gouts of blood, / Which was not so before. There's no such thing: It is the bloody business which informs / Thus to mine eyes. Now o'er the one halfworld / Nature seems dead, and wicked dreams abuse 50 / The curtain'd sleep; witchcraft celebrates / Pale Hecate's offerings, and wither'd murder(Shakespeare 2.1.41-47). This illusion is one of the witches, sowing the seeds of murder in Macbeth, and ultimately, immediately after he murders Duncan. Further, Macbeth again visits the witches, this time in a plead for further knowledge and is met with additional illusions. Before though, Hecate meets with the witches and states, Shall raise such artificial sprites / As by the strength of their illusion / Shall draw him on to his confusion: / He shall spurn fate, scorn death, and bear(Shakespeare 3.6.26-29). The witches use apparitions to further influence Macbeth this time leading him down a false path. By doing this, Macbeth becomes arrogant and feels invincible. Through the use of magic, the witches help Macbeth grow to the character he is when he is slain.

The struggle for power Macbeth later faces is entirely engineered by the witches. Through the witches prophecies to Banquo, Macbeth soon begins to fear the overthrow of his power by Banquos lineage. Macbeth in his fear plots Banquos demise, planning, So is he mine; and in such bloody distance, / That every minute of his being thrusts / Against my near'st of life: and though I could / With barefaced power sweep him from my sight(Shakespeare 3.1.129-130). Macbeths decision to slay his former companion is fostered from fear wrought from the witches proclamation to Banquo. Finally, Macbeth again acts upon fear, this time in his dealing with Macduff and hiss family. Macbeth announces, The castle of Macduff I will surprise, / Seize upon Fife, give to th' edge o' th' sword / His wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls / That trace him in his line. No boasting like a fool(Shakespeare 4.2.156-159). Macbeth shows again that he keeps the witches prophecies heavily in mind. With the murder of this noblemans family, he seals his heavy reliance on the witches. The murders to secure his power, show a heavy reliance by Macbeth on the witches and their proclamations.

Throughout the story, Macbeth is greatly effected by the witches, displaying the fallacies involved within fate. The shifting of Macbeths character with the influence of the witches, shows their control over Macbeth. With the growing issue of murder in Macbeth, the witches heavy us e of magic spurs thoughts and actions of mrder in Macbeth. Additionally, Macbeths ambitious hunger for power and fear of losing power is wrought from the witches predictions. With the heavy influence of the witches over others, there can be a correlation to various factors in modern life. With media, region, family, religion, etcetera, there can be seen the influence these factors might have over what one is and how one acts.