The Role Of The Witches In William Shakespeare's Macbeth

In Macbeth by William Shakespeare, Shakespeare introduces an element of fantasy into his tragedy through the characters of The Witches. The Witches are important figures in the play, as their function is both to predict Macbeth’s fate and to signal what is to come. The Witches help focus on important parts of the play where darkness and sinister aspects play a role more than they usual would throughout the play. Macbeth itself is a dark tragedy however, The Witches seem to be a major role in bringing a dark scary effect to the play. The Witches represent chaos, conflict and darkness, which are features of tragedy. They tell Macbeth predictions that are great and in his favor, but in fact are not and lead Macbeth to his downfall, while manipulate …show more content…
The Witches plan to meet again and as they departure say “Fair is foul, and foul is fair: Hover through the fog and filthy air. (ACT 1 SC 1 10-11).” The Witches have already created the tone for the play when the audience later finds out that The Witches have control over Macbeth. For the rest of the play Shakespeare wants to inform his audience that The Witches are what control the play and the mood of the play. Later Macbeth says to Banquo “So foul and fair a day I have not seen. (ACT 1 SC 3 36).” Shakespeare creates the illusion that The Witches can control someone before they have met. Before the audience is introduced to Macbeth he has already been under the control of The …show more content…
However, it is The Witches ' prophecy that first motivates him to consider murder as a way to the throne. Shakespeare might have wanted the audience to think that The Witches are using their dark powers to influence the proceedings but, it is in fact Macbeths actions that make The Witches prophesies true. Hecate (the goddess of witchcraft) also influences Macbeth. She predicts that Macbeth will come to The Witches to learn his future and says that she will use her magic to create apparitions that will push him toward his destruction.
Having fully fulfilled the prophecy of The Witches, the relationship between Macbeth and these ministers of evil continues to grow evermore leading Macbeth even closer to his demise: “How now, you secret, black and midnight hags? (ACT 4 SC 1 48-49)”. There is a normal demanding tone that Macbeth uses with The Witches which emphasizes how close Macbeth and The Witches are, or so does Macbeth think. The Witches corrupt Macbeth even further by showing him three apparitions: “Come high or low: thyself and office deftly show” (ACT 4 SC 1