Witches In Macbeth Essay

Jerry Guo

Mrs Reid

English 9

14 February 2023

Macbeth Essay

From his initial encounter with the three witches in William Shakespeare’s Macbeth onwards, a lurking fear plagues Macbeth‘s unforgivable actions and decisions. Macbeth already had a seed of fear and doubt within him. However, the three supernatural witches caused this seedling to sprout. As the play continues, it continues to grow and grow, its vines latching onto his being, making him more erratic and paranoid, draining him of his sanity and reality. Ultimately, it grows into an invasive organism causing Macbeth to become its puppet, merely controlled by its unrelenting hands. It transforms him from a noble and respected figure into a ruthless tyrant. In the play's first few scenes,

Due to the witches’ prophecy that Banquo’s descendants will come to inherit the throne, Macbeth becomes increasingly paranoid and suspicious of not only Banquo but everyone around him. This fear can is very present in his soliloquy before he orders the murder of Banquo; he states, “He hath a wisdom that doth guide his valour…whose being I do fear; and under him my genius is rebuked, as it is said Mark Antony’s was by Caesar” (III.i.54-58). Shakespeare is trying to tell the audience that Macbeth’s psyche fears Banquo because Macbeth knows his kingdom and title are all hollow. He realises that with time he will become irrelevant, his glory overshadowed by those of Banquo’s descendants. As such, he orders the murder of Banquo and his son, Fleance; even when Banquo has been his loyal friend and ally. Similarly, another of the witches’ prophecies influences Macbeth’s fear of Macduff. His fear and paranoia that Macduff would threaten his throne again drove him to act recklessly. In an aside, Macbeth states, “The castle of Macduff I will surprise; seize upon Fife… that trace him in his line” (IV.i.149-152). His overwhelming fear of Macduff drives him to kill Macduff’s entire family and anyone and everyone who may be associated with him. In the last act of the play, his fear is also prevalent. Macbeth's fear of losing power and his belief that his friends and allies