Show How The Witches Are Used In Macbeth To Develop The Plot And Create Tension For The Audience Essay, Research Paper
In his plays, Shakespeare liked to please his
audience and create as much tension as possible. At the time he composed
Macbeth there was a massive witch-mania around England which was supported
fondly by King James 1st. Therefore, it motivated Shakespeare to
produce a play, which involved witches and the supernatural. The first scene in the play is entirely performed by
the witches. By having the witches at the start of the play it makes the
audience believe that the play will be evil, as the audience dislikes them. When the witches say ?In thunder, lightning or in
rain,? it is imposed upon that the future is sinister and bad. This greatly
affected the audience back then and it would have angered the audience as they
abominated the witches. It would still affect our audience today, but the
audience would like the fact that bad things would happen as it intensifies the
play, rather than the audience being angered by the presence of the witches. The witches mention the names Graymalkin and
Paddocks calls. These ghastly names help put across to the audience what the
witches are like. When the witches say?
?Fair is foul and fair is foul,? it puts across that the witches are
hags and are vile. This develops the plot as it suggests that sinister things
will happen. In act 1 scene 3, Shakespeare uses the witches to
draw the audience into the play further by having supernatural happenings.
These are two quotes which support this; ?I?ll give thee a wind,? spoken by the
second witch. When the first witch threatens ?I?ll drain him dry
as hay,? the witches are displaying that they are casting a spell. This
motivates the audience, as they know the witches are going to punish someone.
Therefore, the audience reflects anger towards the witches because of their
disliking to witches. Later in the scene the witches meet Macbeth and
greet him by saying, ?All hail to Macbeth to thee, Thane of Glamis. All hail to
thee Macbeth, hail to thee Thane of Cawdor. All hail Macbeth that shalt be King
hereafter.? When the witches say this, the audience is led to believe that the
witches can predict the future. By calling Macbeth these titles it also
confuses the audience it also confuses the audience, as they wonder how can
Macbeth possibly be king? Especially if Macbeth is not the aire to the thrown.
Therefore, this part of the play indicates that major events will happen in the
future, which develops the plot of the play. Ross enters the scene later and tells Macbeth and
Banquo that the King has made Macbeth the new thane of Cawdor. This tells the
audience that the witches can predict the future but it leaves the audience
confused. The thought of Macbeth being King is nominal so the audience knows
something catastrophic must happen. In act two scene 1 Macbeth sees a dagger in front of
him but he cannot grasp it. Macbeth feels as though he is going crazy. He says
?Mine eyes are made the fools o?th? other senses.? However the dagger is the influence of the
supernatural and it shows the audience that the witches have a big part in the
play. The supernatural though, scares the audience, as the dagger is the sign
of evil, which represents the vision of the witches. During act three scene four, Macbeth indicates that
to the audience that he now believes the witches. Macbeth quotes ?I will tomorrow and betimes I will
to the weird sisters. More shall they speak. For now I am bent to know, by the
worst means, the worst for mine own good, all causes shall give way.? By saying that, it shows Macbeth has changed because
of the witches, as at the start of the play he did not believe the witches.
Therefore, that indicates that the witches had infiltrated the Kingdom of
Scotland and that it is truly evil like the witches. In act four scene one, Macbeth meets with the
witches again. The witches this time give Macbeth bad news. They say to him ?Macbeth, Macbeth, Macbeth, beware
Macduff, beware the Thane of Fife, dismiss me enough. This tells Macbeth that he should fear Macduff. This
tells the audience that Macbeth isn?t immortal and that something atrocious
could happen to him. The second quote ?The power of many for none of
woman born shall harm Macbeth.? This indicates that a super natural influence will
affect Macbeth and the audience dislikes it because of the supernatural. When the third apparition says ?Macbeth shall never
be vanquish be until Great Birnam wood to High Great Dunsinane Hill. Shall come
against him.? This fascinates the audience the audience as they
wonder; how can Birnam Wood move to Dunsinane Hill? The audience then believes
that Macbeth must be safe from danger and that the witches are lying. This
suggests that the witches are wrong and always will be whatever has happened in
the past, so this pleases the audience. Shakespeare used the witches and supernatural
influences to present evil scenes and events. As witches were hated, so much at
the time, Shakespeare composed the play; it was a perfect opportunity to use
witches, as the audience would be more interested and entertained in the play. By having the witches speak in rhyme it seemed more
real for the audience, as people believed that when witches cast spells they
spoke in rhyme. The rhyme also made the witches sound more evil so that the audience
would dislike them more. Special effects such as thunder and lighting were used
to make it look as though the witches had a strong, dominant presence whilst
also looking increasingly evil as more special effects are used. So as the
further into the play you go the witches help develop the play by adding more
sinister and evil events, whilst keeping the audience entertained.?????????