During Shakespeare's time people were curious about superstitious things, also some of their decisions and opinions were based on different superstitions that they believed in, that is why Shakespeare included witches in the play MacBeth. Also Shakespeare wanted to show how people can be foolishly influenced and tricked into things by superstitions. In the play MacBeth Shakespeare describes how one of his main characters is influenced by witches, which represent superstition in the play. In Act 4 of the play witches show MacBeth the three visions that influenced his decisions in the end of the play, which were: Bloody Child, Armed Head and Crowned Child.
When Macbeth went to meet the witches for the second time, they showed him three visions to predict his future. One of the visions was a Bloody Child which appeared with a thunder, "Be bloody, bold, and resolute. Laugh to scorn / the power of man, for none of women born / Shall harm MacBeth" (Mac 4.1.90-93). That vision told MacBeth that no man that was born out of woman can kill him. Witches tricked MacBeth into feeling secure. Witches chose security because they considered it to be the biggest human's enemy. "And you all know, security / Is mortals chiefest enemy" (Mac 3.6.32-33). This vision influenced MacBeth that no man can kill him, because naturally every man was born out of women. The witches tricked MacBeth by showing him this vision. Although the witches told him the truth, they did not mention that the vision that they showed did not apply to men who were born unnaturally. That man was MacDuff, in the beginning of the fight scene between MacBeth and MacDuff, MacDuff reveals that he was born unnaturally, his mother had a cesarean section while giving birth. "Tell thee MacDuff was from his mother's womb / Untimely ripped" (Mac 5.8.19-20). .
Another vision that the witches showed MacBeth also increased his self confidence. It was an Armed Head which informed MacBeth to beware of MacDuff.
