Witches And Their Powercraft In Macbeth And The Witchcraft
879 Words4 Pages
Macbeth: Witches and Their Craft
Oftentimes when a person is given a taste of what it would be like to be all-powerful, he or she does whatever is necessary to acquire and maintain that position of control. During the Renaissance and in Macbeth the government was monarchal; therefore the crown was passed from father to son. During that time, witches were thoroughly believed in and feared by most civilians. Three witches introduce Macbeth to a newfound greed for power by exposing him to a prophecy that he will become king, a position that ultimately leads to his demise. The witches are extremely important in the play, Macbeth, and set the stage foretelling of dark events to come. It is because of their prophecy that Macbeth desires to be…show more content… They are the first characters introduced in the play. In Act 1, Scene 1, the witches plan to meet, “upon the heath. There to meet Macbeth” (Shakespeare 7). As the first characters the audience meets, they appear ominous and reveal a foreshadowing of dark events to come. In those days, witches were perceived as evil and were feared by many. They interact with Macbeth and Banquo in Act 1, when the two men are coming home from battle. The witches prophesize that Macbeth will become the Thane of Cawdor and eventually king. They tell Banquo that his children will be king. When the men return home, Macbeth is made the Thane of Cawdor, as the witches had predicted. Macbeth and Banquo react with wonder upon learning that the prophecy came true, however they approach their futures differently. Macbeth has a passion to become king and will do whatever it takes to acquire that position. On the other hand, Banquo is amazed by the predictions yet he doesn’t do anything to fulfill them. Both men are shocked that the witches’ predictions came true. Despite their fascination with the witches, Banquo and Macbeth interpret the prophecy in their own way and therefore approach their futures