The role of the witches in Macbeth
In the era in which Macbeth was written, people were superstitious. Believing that their lives were influenced by he supernatural i.e. witches, ghosts etc. Shakespeare used supernatural themes in Macbeth by putting in witches that would predict the future for Macbeth and Banquo.The witches influenced Macbeth's decisions throughout the play and his eventual downfall. The witches told Macbeth that he would be king and that Banquo's children would be king. Macbeth told his wife this and she then convinced Macbeth to kill Duncan. After he killed Duncan Macbeth was left in a state of insanity, he proceeded to kill Banquo and attempted to kill Banquo's son Fleance out of fear that he would lose his throne to them, but
If Macbeth didn't feel he was so immortal he probably would have fled and survived. In the final battles he felt like he could conquer anyone who challenges him, but Macduff who was torn from his Mothers stomach hence not of a woman born naturally killed Macbeth. At the beginning of the play it was Macbeth was a bit weary and nervous about killing Duncan and Lady Macbeth was definitely the more dominant in the relationship changed over the play. Macbeth became the one who was ready to do anything to keep his place in the throne where as Lady Macbeth eventually killed herself out of guilt. This left Macbeth in a false sense of immunity. He began to feel tremendous amounts of guilt and sees ghosts of Banquo leading him into a higher level of insanity. The witches' importance in this play is unsurmountable. The fact that the witches told Macbeth that he cannot be killed by a man of woman born leads him into a false sense of immortality even though he was told to beware of Macduff. Macbeth thought that couldn't be thrown down because be believes in these prophesies. The witches also told Macbeth that Banquo's sons would be king, Macbeth would have never tried to kill Banquo and his son if he hadn't received that piece of information, hence never be overwhelmed with guilt and lead to insanity. Essentially the idea that he was immortal is what lead to his downfall. Without their predictions Macbeth probably would have lived out his life normally. He is then again visited by the witches who tell him he cannot be killed by a man of woman born, to beware of Macduff, is shown a series of images of Fleance and Fleance's offspring as kings and that Macbeth is in no danger until Birnam Wood comes to Dunsinane Hill.
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