The witches are the first characters the audience is first introduced to in the play.

The audience is immediately given the impression that these witches are unlike humans, they all speak in rhyme, rhythm and repetition, crying “When shall we meet again?/ In thunder, lightning, or in rain?”

Their preferred place of meeting are during unpleasant conditions, a lot of what they speak is in the future tense, of events that have yet to occur. All witches speaking in unison, and with the alliteration with the repeated ‘f’ sound, they give prominence to their observations, “Fair is foul and foul is fair. Hover through the fog and filthy air.” Establishing the main theme of the play, that things are not what they seem, that good is confused with evil, and neither can be distinguished from the other.

Their speech is riddled with equivocation, causing Macbeth to misinterpret their meaning. Banquo who sees through the witc

Hecate, whose presence in the story seems out of place, may serve an actual purpose to the story. As a queen of the witches, the impact of the three witches is lessened, whereas it shows that a greater force more powerful is now involved, indicating that there are yet worse events to come in the story.

Hearing the apparition’s warning about Macduff, Macbeth resolves to send murderers to Macduff’s castle. And once again, the witches’ have assisted in advancing the story and provoking Macbeth’s thoughts on murdering Macduff. Again, a series of consequences occur, finally leading to the end of Macbeth’s downfall, his death.

In Act IV, scene one, Macbeth misinterprets the witches’ apparitions gaining false hope and sense of security, just as the witches intended, to prepare him for the upcoming events.

The witches are seen metaphorically as the ugly personifications of human error, the temptation and foolishness humans are prone to, the feelings and desires that at times blinds them, from reason and prudence.

Some topics in this essay:
, Weird Sisters, Cawdor Macbeth’s, Macduff Macbeth, Act IV, Scotland Macbeth’s, Thane Cawdor, “fair foul foul, witches control macbeth’s, foul foul, series consequences occur, series consequences, thane cawdor, “fair foul, consequences occur, witches’ prophesies, witches’ apparitions, control macbeth’s, macbeth’s actions, control macbeth’s actions, witches control,