The witches hold a significant amount of power through their prophecies and manipulation of events. Their ability to foresee the future and influence the decisions of the main characters, especially Macbeth, adds an element of supernatural force to the storyline. By planting seeds of ambition and greed in Macbeth's mind, they effectively set the tragic events of the play in motion. Without their involvement, the course of the story might have been vastly different. Macbeth's murderous actions and downfall might not have occurred if he had not been swayed by the witches' prophecies. Furthermore, the absence of the witches could have resulted in a less dark and dramatic outcome, shifting the focus of the play to other aspects of Macbeth's character