witches in macbeth

Double, double, toil, and trouble
In many pieces of literature, there is always something or someone that makes the story interesting, and plays some significant part. In the case of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, this role is played by the witches. Without them, Macbeth would have been quite a boring play. Although they are fun characters, the witches do fill in the plot line, and help the story to progress. As mentioned above, the witches help to move the plot along, for without them, macbeth would never have become the monster he did. Before Macbeth even met the wierd sisters, they planned to meet him. Beginning the play, “when shall we three meet again. In thunder, lightning, or in rain? When the hurlyburly’s done, when the battles lost and won. That will be ere the set of the sun. where the place? Upon the heath. There to meet macbeth” (shakespeare I.i.1-6). The witches add an air of mystery to the play, for they knew while the war was waging, that Macbeth would survive. When the wierd sisters meet Macbeth for the first time he is traveling, and they give him three titles. Claiming, “All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, thane of Glamis! All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, thane of Cawdor. All hail Macbeth! Hail to thee, thou shalt be king hereafter!”(I.iii.48-50). With this information, Macbeth is pursuaded by Lady Macbeth to kill the king and make the witches prophecy come true sooner. Giving Macbeth his future however, got the witches into trouble with Hecate who is the head witch. Hecate does not like Macbeth, so she changes his future. Hecate tells the witches that “he will spurn fate, scorn death, and bear his hopes ‘bove wisdom, grace and fear: and you all know, security is mortals’ chiefest enemy”(III.v.30-33) and is away. While Hecate tells the witches to not speak to Macbeth, they follow her instructions and change his fate. As one of the most memorable lines in the play, the witches dance, singing “double, double, toil and trouble. Fire burn and cauldron bubble” (IV.i.10-11) and tell macbeth his new future. This is the last time we see the witches, and they become unforgettable. The witches in a round a bout way, cause King Duncan to die, and countless others, adding the tragic element to this shakespearean play. Without the witches, the play would have spanned a broader time period, and been less exciting.