The three witches in Macbeth remain one of the most iconic character depictions in literature till date. They have inspired countless characters and works in literature and popular media such as Sybil Trelawney in ‘Harry Potter’ series and the Oracle in ‘The Matrix.’ The witches have become a cultural archetype and have fuelled feminist and academic discourse. They have a vital presence in the play. With their prophecies and predictions, they influence the actions of Macbeth which ultimately leads to his downfall.
Shakespeare’s witches, also called the weird sisters or the wayward sisters, challenge the conventional and societal norms. They are not typically feminine and are withered and wild in their attire. They have chappy fingers, skinny lips and beards on their faces. Defying categorization, they seek vengeance and perform amoral acts. When the sailor’s wife refused to give the witch her chestnuts, she plotted to engulf her husband’s ship in a storm. Their potions are made in a cauldron (the most well-known symbols of witchcraft) while they sing and dance around it.
Some literary critics are of the view that these witches are the women who arise out of the social alienation society imposed on them. They reside in dark caves far from civilization and gain access to the immense sources of dark knowledge. In ‘Macbeth,’ the witches symbolise chaos, evil temptation, fate, and the supernatural.
The witches love chaos. They thrive in it. They are a symbol of all the chaotic events that happen in Macbeth. They purposefully provide Macbeth with cryptic prophecies. The more Macbeth is confused, the more chaos will ensue. They break natural laws, defy the hierarchical order and bring chaos into the kingdom. Whether it’s in their nature to be ambiguous or they only do to it play games with Macbeth is still a topic of discussion among readers and critics.
They only appear when there is thunder and lightning. Their alignment with unnatural weather conditions foreshadow the disruption to follow.
The witches do Satan’s work in the play. They tempt Macbeth with murderous thoughts and lead him on an infernal path. Overcome with the sins of pride and greed, he murders anyone he thinks is a barrier in his ambition. He becomes ensnared in their web of deception and destroys himself and those around him.
“Something wicked this way comes.”
The witches symbolise the seductive nature of evil. They tempt him with the fate of becoming king and committing regicide. The ‘poisoned entrails’ they put in their potions which include eye of newt, toe of frog, tongue of dog, wing of owlet etc show that they relish in the suffering of others and want to cause harm to other living beings. They could also be interpreted as the embodiments of Macbeth’s own dark thoughts and capacity of evil. The witches expose his greed and bloodthirsty ambition which becomes the tragic flaw of Macbeth.
“All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Glamis! / All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor! / All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter!”
Macbeth did an unchristian thing when he accepted his fate determined by the witches. Christianity does not favour fatalism and when Macbeth chose to fulfil his ‘fate,’ he fell from God’s favour. Christians believe in the divine providence and that God has ultimate control over the events of life. The element of fate in the play is symbolized by the witches. Although the witches never actually used any form of coercion on Macbeth, their mere prediction compelled Macbeth to follow his destined path that shaped his life.
The witches prove that the idea of fate can be twisted and manipulated. They deliberately provide cryptic prophecies to confuse and corrupt Macbeth. However, his eventual death emphasizes the inescapable force of fate and its unavoidable nature.
In Shakespeare’s plays, the supernatural is not treated as merely a fantastical element, rather it is used to reveal the complexity and profundity of the play. In ‘Macbeth,’ the witches and Banquo’s ghost symbolize the inner conflict of Macbeth. His dark desires and ambitious thoughts are revealed in the form of witches while the ghost unveils his fear and guilt caused by his actions.
The inspiration of the witches comes from the Three Fates of classical mythology called ‘Moirai.’ ‘Clotho’ (the spinner) weaves the thread of life, ‘Lachesis’ (the allotter) measured the thread and ‘Atropos’ (the cutter) symbolizing death or the inevitable, cut the thread of life. These fates existed to ensure that every mortal and divine being lived out the destiny that was assigned to them.
The witches have a dominating presence in the play. They lack conventional feminine characteristics such as forgiveness, modesty and seriousness. Do you think they can be called ‘anti-women?’ They prove to be much more cunning and smarter than Macbeth who so easily gives in their enchantments. They exploit the weaknesses in his character and provide an echo to his dark thoughts.
What is your opinion on the witches? Do you like them or do you fear them? Let us know in the comments down below.
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