The Three Witches In Shakespeare's Macbeth

Back in the 1600s women, sadly, did not have power. They were not to be seen or heard, the only time they did have a little bit of power is when there husband was gone. They would not stand out or stand up for themselves, and normally if a women did this, their opinion would usually get ignored. In the famous tragedy Macbeth, women show determination and great power unlike back in the day. First, the author uses the three witches to show power when they talk to Macbeth about the prophecies, misleading him into thinking that he can not be defeated. Next, Lady Macbeth shows she is a strong woman when she sets up the scene for the murder of Duncan, and challenges Macbeth's manhood in an argument. Lastly, Lady Macduff shows she is an authoritative

One way they show this characteristic is when they explain the prophecies to Macbeth knowing that they are misleading him. The three witches said to 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!” (1.3 59-62). In the prophecies the witches are telling Macbeth that he will be the Thane of Glamis and the Thane of Cawdor. This makes the witches powerful because they are telling Macbeth these prophecies, while they know he is not going to make the proper decisions to get what the prophecies had said. A second example on how they take charge is when they bring him the apparitions. When Macbeth goes to the witches for the second time, they bring to him three apparitions. One was an armed head, the second was a bloody child, and the last was a child drowned with a tree in his hand. When the apparitions appear the first and second tell Macbeth to beware the Thane of Fire, and that the power of man for none of woman born shall harm Macbeth (4.1 75-89). When the third apparition appears it told Macbeth,“Be lion-mettled, proud, and take no care whos chafes, who frets, or where conspirers are: Macbeth shall never vanquish’d be until Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill shall come against him” (4.1 100-104). The witches mislead Macbeth by bringing him these apparitions, making him think that he could not be harmed by a man not born from women not knowing that Macduff was exactly that. Also, by saying that he shall never be vanquish’d until the Great Birnam Woods comes to his front doorstep, when in fact it did. In conclusion, the witches are powerful because they mislead Macbeth by bringing him the apparitions and making him think that he can not be harmed and by making him think that it is going to work out for him in the