Macbeth: Subject for a Witches

Macbeth: Subject for a Witches Brew

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William Shakespeare wrote Macbeth in around 1603 and with its publication, he demonstrates his ability to sturdy people and create realistic and compelling characters. The structure of the play revolves around Macbeth's psychotic break and what it took him to get there. His is a moral plunge; it is a fall from grace into a pit of despair from which he cannot escape. Shakespeare introduces us to a somewhat sane, rational man with some sense of morality. Macbeth becomes a man easily manipulated by others, demonstrating how weak humanity can be and how quickly change can occur. He is like Othello in that he allows himself to be controlled by outside forces. He also allows himself to be controlled by forces that so not have his best interest in mind. The witches are some of the most powerful forces Macbeth must deal with in the play. While he is unable to figure them out completely, he becomes somehow dependent upon them. Shakespeare keeps them lurking just outside the earthly realm, giving them mysterious and dark qualities. They are proof of ow man can be duped with hardly any effort at all.

The tone of Macbeth is an ominous one. The play, much like Macbeth's state of mind, seems entrenched in a thick fog. There is mystery here and the witches certainly add to this effect. Shakespeare wants us to feel the confusions Macbeths confronts. He also wants us to feel the tension between two different worlds: one evil and one good; one dark and one clear. The tragedy that is Macbeth comes from this pull. The witches, along with Lady Macbeth, can persuade Macbeth to slip into evil and madness so quickly it is unbelievable. However, the sad part about this man's life is that it is believable -- it could happen to anyone Macbeth is a warning for those who might think they have everything in control. Macbeth was greedy and he allowed his ambition to control him. Furthermore, he listened to those around him instead of following his gut feelings about what he was doing. The entire mood of this play is somber and confusing from the beginning, warning us of the inherent dangers of being human.

Shakespeare's first words in the play are important because he uses them to reflect the mood and tone of the play - what the witches have already made known. The "foul and fair" (I.iii.1) day Macbeth sees is very confusing but it is meant to reinforce the influence of the witches as well as demonstrate Macbeth's impending state of mind. Nothing is to be clear when dealing with these witches and establishing a connection with them early in the play reveals how important they become to him as the play progresses. Their influence is nothing short of interesting and confusing since they speak in riddles most of the time and they do not make clear sense. They do not mean to make sense. In fact, it is clear they do not men to make sense. They want to create a state of confusion for Macbeth and they know they can do it when they see his thirst for the crown. They do, however, appeal to his desire and feed his ego and this will be the thing that causes him to latch onto them. Interestingly, Macbeth chooses to believe these weird sisters. The women are clever creations that work against the traditional evil female characters in their day. Shakespeare gives them masculine attributes, moving away from ideas that these women are conventional in any sense. This adds to their mystique.

Shakespeare never intends to fully disclose everything there is to know about these women. Instead, he leaves them with us to make up our own minds as we watch Macbeth descend. We know they are responsible for part of Macbeth's tragedy. He becomes more dependent on them, illustrating how they slowly replace his moral center. It is also important to realize they are completely aware of what they are doing. They set out to destroy him and he falls into their trap instantly. Their ability to affect Macbeth is compelling and Shakespeare deliberately establishes them as supernatural and powerful creatures to reinforce the humanity of Macbeth. To enhance this affect, the witches' apparitions drive Macbeth close to and eventually off the mental edge. After killing Lady Macduff, Macbeth moves beyond any reason. They are source of struggle for him. While their prodding seems to upset him, he asks for it. They keep him in a state of confusion that works to their advantage. In their mystery, symbolize the darkness and chaos that will soon become Macbeth's life. Their intent is clear from the beginning of the play. Their declaration of all things being "foul is fair and fair id foul" (I.e.) sets the mood for the play. They are all about confusion. We know not for whom these sisters work, except for the chaos that rules the world. They mean nothing but trouble for Macbeth. They are not from this world so they cannot be held within its realm. Similarly, they are in this world so they are not completey otherworldly. They resemble the Fates in that they seem to have control in Macbeth's life and future but Shakespeare never clearly divulges their meaning.