The Witches Three
The 3 witches (also referred as the weird sisters) play a vital role in Macbeth, without them the story would have never happened. They all have supernatural powers in which they use to feed the easy manipulated Macbeth with ambition. In the play, Shakespeare distinguishes them from the other characters when they speak because all the sisters speak in couplets. For example the line “Double, double, toil and trouble, Fire burn and cauldron bubble” in 4.1.10–11 is a couplet. In addition, I notice how Shakespeare relates the 3 witches’ characteristics to the 3 sisters in Greek mythology, the ones who decide a human's fate by cutting their string. Both group of witches’ toy with the human's lives deciding their fate.
The 3 witches also give Macbeth a sense of security more than urging or tricking him in committing murders. After giving Macbeth a sense of security it is his tragic flaw of blind ambition that brings down upon his own downfall and not the witches. Macbeth became too confident and underestimated what the witches said that no man born of woman could hurt him, and that he cannot be conquered until Birnum Woods marches on his castle. Macbeth then automatically started to do terrible things and was not worried by the consequences. For example, he viciously sent out men to slaughter Macduff’s whole family and servants at his castle while Macduff was hiding.
Nevertheless, the 3 witches merely let Macbeth what is to come and it is Macbeth’s decision to make it happen or not. The weird sisters bring this story to life by creating a conflict in the play. They do not trick Macbeth into killing King Duncan nor do they urge him to; they just let him know and it goes on from there.
Ed Baugier
The 3 witches also give Macbeth a sense of security more than urging or tricking him in committing murders. After giving Macbeth a sense of security it is his tragic flaw of blind ambition that brings down upon his own downfall and not the witches. Macbeth became too confident and underestimated what the witches said that no man born of woman could hurt him, and that he cannot be conquered until Birnum Woods marches on his castle. Macbeth then automatically started to do terrible things and was not worried by the consequences. For example, he viciously sent out men to slaughter Macduff’s whole family and servants at his castle while Macduff was hiding.
Nevertheless, the 3 witches merely let Macbeth what is to come and it is Macbeth’s decision to make it happen or not. The weird sisters bring this story to life by creating a conflict in the play. They do not trick Macbeth into killing King Duncan nor do they urge him to; they just let him know and it goes on from there.
Ed Baugier
