Macbeth Group

Question:

danielghofrani
danielghofrani
Student
High School - 12th Grade

What is the role of the witches in Macbeth's downfall other than the fact that they give Macbeth overconfidence and fool him with double meaning?

I am writing an essay about the facts that caused Macbeth's downfall and I have a paragraph about the role of the witches, I already know 2 points:

1- the witch's make Macbeth feel over confident and they fool him with double meaning

2- ________

3- they dont have the power to bring Macbeth down , all they can do is to lead Macbeth and fool him

the third point sticks to the first point of the next paragraph which is about Macbeth's role in his Downfall but I dont have any other idea about what the witche's did that was important in Macbeth's downfall.

please help me

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Posted by danielghofrani on Wednesday March 12, 2008 at 10:58 AM and tagged with downfall, macbeth, role, witches.

Answers:


  1. amy-lepore Teacher
    High School - 12th Grade

    You could point out that the witches symbolize the dark side of human nature.  They are absolutely evil...we know that from the beginning when they meet and choose Macbeth to be their plaything.  They live to torture and harass.  While they do not physically create the downfall of any human, they do lead the humans to fall by their own demise by way of misleading illusions. 

    The witches represent the evil that is in Macbeth which does not manifest itself until the prophecy is made--Macbeth will be King.  The witches plant the seed, Lady Macbeth waters it with encouragement, and from there it grows wildly on its own within Macbeth's heart as he plans the murders of Banquo, Fleance, and the MacDuff family to secure his throne.

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/macbeth

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    Posted by amy-lepore on Wednesday March 12, 2008 at 12:38 PM

  2. leagye
    leagye Teacher
    High School - 9th Grade

    The weird sisters (as they are referred to in the text of the play - it is only in the stage directions that they are referred to as "witches") represent fate. A simple equation to keep in mind is that fate, combined with a healthy dose of a fatal flaw, equals the demise of a tragic hero. Now, Elizabethan audiences loved the supernatural, especially King Edward, who the play was possibly written for (or with him in mind at least.) The insertion of the weird sisters brings a popular supernatural element into the story, as well as takes care of the tragic hero's need for fate to play a part in his downfall. Research the "three fates" and you will see a parallel to the "weird sisters" of Macbeth. In other words, the three supernatural beings represent fate. They (it) brings about Macbeths downfall partially due to the fact that there is no getting around or toying with fate; Macbeth was never supposed to be king.

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/macbeth

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    Posted by leagye on Wednesday March 12, 2008 at 8:35 PM

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