The time of the Elizabethan era was filled with the belief in witchcraft and the supernatural, a sensitive yet widely discussed topic. Many immersed themselves in studying the spirits and powers of the so-called forces beyond human nature. On the other hand, some were deeply petrified of the consequences if they were to interact with them and avoided any interference at all costs. With the publication of Macbeth, Shakespeare demonstrates the chokehold the supernatural had in literature and daily life during this era. His inclusion of the three witches and the three apparitions largely influence the turning point and resolution of the play. The witches function as the instigator of chaos, compelling Macbeth to follow his desires. His mindset …show more content…
That is a step
On which I must fall down, or else o'erleap,
For in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires;
Let not light see my black and deep desires.
The eye wink at the hand, yet let that be
Which the eye fears, when it is done, to see. (1.4.50-55)
Macbeth becomes consumed by what the witches tell him. It leads to the point where his unconscious mind resorts to murder. He begins to exert desperate measures, unaware of the repercussions to come. The longer he lingers on the prophecies, the uglier his actions and thoughts become. Furthermore, the apparitions depicted by the witches intervene with Macbeth’s actions. These appear to be told in a way that appeals to Macbeth, feeding into his delusion that he will forever be the king. The witches knowingly entrap Macbeth when they boost his ego with these apparitions, leading him to his self-destruction as he lets his guard down by being too full of himself. Macbeth remarks smugly to his servants that he has already won the battle: Bring me no more reports. Let them fly all.
Till Birnam Wood remove to Dunsinane
I cannot taint with fear. What’s the boy Malcolm?
Was he not born of woman? The spirits that know
All mortal consequences have pronounced me
…show more content…
They encourage him to follow his fate and retain the title of king by leaving him dissatisfied as he demands for more answers. The website, underthefallenleaves, further develops the idea that the witches persistently influenced him as they were “puppeteers responsible for the tragic events…and Macbeth’s descent into insanity…prey[ing] upon his weak and impressionable mind…every action he takes and person he kills stems from the witches’ words fed to him” (underthefallenleaves). The witches kindled the evil in Macbeth, which was enough to corrupt him so much that he couldn’t turn back. Thus, Macbeth’s only solution was to keep going. The witches manipulate him into believing that he can only attain his fate through murder. Plus, the impression that he will always get more causes him to become greedy for power. Macbeth intensifies these attributes as a result of the witches who bring these feelings to the