What Role Do The Three Witches Play In Macbeth Act 1

This time, the Witches not only confirm that the sons of Banquo will rule in Scotland, but they also add a new prophecy: Macbeth will be invincible in battle until the time when the forest of Birnam moves towards his stronghold at Dunsinane and until he meets an enemy "not born of woman. " Dismissing both of these predictions as nonsense, Macbeth prepares for invasion. When he is told that Macduff has deserted him, Macbeth begins the final stage of his tragic descent. His first move is the destruction of Macduff's wife and children.

“If good, why do I yield to that suggestion[killing Duncan]/Whose horrid image doth unify my hair” (I, III, 144-145). This quote indicates that the force of ambition is so strong within Macbeth that even he himself cannot understand why it is making him think of killing Duncan. Likewise, Macbeth’s ambition to become king is further emphasized after Duncan names his son Malcolm as his successor. Here, Macbeth says that he will have to “oerleap,/For in my way it [Malcolm] it lies” (I, III, 55-57).

Banquo suspects Macbeth of cheating to become king and reminds Macbeth that his own son’s will become king someday when he says, “Thou hast it now: king, Cawdor, Glamis, all, as the weird women promised, and I fear thou played’st most foully for ’t. Yet it was said it should not stand in thy posterity, But that myself should be the root and father of many kings” (Mac.3.1.1-6). Directly after that conversation, Macbeth hires murderers to kill Banquo. This is another murder that Macbeth never would have done if the witches were not to give Macbeth his

This play captures the rise and fall of King Macbeth. Shakespeare shows the reader that one persons greed can get him killed and other people around to turn on him, By showing the reader what decisions Macbeth made to elevate his status in power. The kind of people who changed around them and how they changed. Furthermore in Act 1, Macbeth is given a prophecy that he would become king by three witches. This leads to him into thinking greedy and commiting murder.

Throughout the story of Macbeth, Macbeth’s ambition for power, provoked by his significant other, Lady Macbeth, and the witches’ prophecies consumed his life. At first he committed murder against King Duncan so he could become king himself, but the one murder had a domino affect. Although ambition can be a positive attribute for someone to acquire, Macbeth’s ambition began in Act One and proved dangerous as his death approached in Act Five. In Act One of Macbeth, Macbeth and Banquo meet three witches that tell them three prophecies.

Therefore, Macbeths desire to become King grew deep in his heart. He desperately wanted the Crown and also the power to rule over the people of Scotland. Macbeth however suppressed his feelings; unfortunately Lady Macbeth’s greediness and the three Witches’ prophecies contribute lot to Macbeth’s downfall. Since Witches predicted that no man born from a woman could kill him, he would not be defeated until the forest of move to his castle.

King Duncan’s sons Malcom and Donalbain foresee the danger that Macbeth poses on their lives and they flee to England where they train an army to attack Macbeth at Dunsinane. When Macduff receives news that Macbeth has ordered for his family to be killed he is enraged with

And the third witch stats, “all hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter”. When Ross and Angus said to Macbeth you will be the king of the Crowder. Then, Macbeth believed the three witches after the second prophecy was proven. In addition, Macbeth’s weakness is seen when his wife influences over him to kill Duncan.

In Macbeth, the three witches give Macbeth prophecies in which he takes action on. This leads him to killing King Duncan just so he fulfills the prophecy. “All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, thane of Glamis! All hail, Macbeth!

Once he did, he became King of Scotland. He was never satisfied and comfortable in his role as a murderer and king. He knows from right and wrong but chooses the dark path without being able to prove it

Macbeth’s rough journey towards taking over the throne cuts through many hard objectives. The first objective, which is a sign for further objectives, is the murder of the former king, Duncan. The beginning of the plan to kill Duncan starts with the old witches prophesying that Macbeth will take over the throne. Macbeth wants to follow this prophecy due to his true ambitions. However, the prophecy is followed only because his wife, Lady Macbeth leads Macbeth through this decision.

Firstly, the witches’ revelations prompted Macbeth to murder his loyal companions. When the three witches spoke of Macbeth becoming king, it sparked the idea that this could be a realistic goal. On page 13, Act I, scene iii, Third Witch created insight, "All hail, Macbeth, who will soon be King." After sharing

Macbeth needed power, he craved it, so after the prediction by the witches to become Thane of Cawdor, he was pronounced just that. ”By the pricking of my thumbs, Something wicked this way comes.” The desire to be king overtook him. Killing king Duncan and his wife with their servants daggers; who Macbeth then killed after, Macbeth received the kingly title.

After winning a difficult battle against the traitors of Scotland, Macbeth and Banquo became highly respected by the people of the country. During the trek back from the battle, they are stopped by the witches who foretold two prophecies to Macbeth, stating that he will be crowned thane of Cawdor and King of Scotland (As for Banquo, they stated he would father kings but would never be king himself). After becoming thane of Cawdor, Macbeth wrote to his wife explaining the prophecies and its untimely coincidence. Soon after, Lady Macbeth devised a plan to kill the current king and convinced Macbeth to commit the heinous act. Once the plan was executed, Macbeth became King, beginning his downfall.

Macbeth had become everything that he had ever wanted to be which was the king of Scotland and when the witches told him that someone else was going to take his crown he went to extremes to try to keep them from doing that which was eventually what lead to him dying. The witches had told Macbeth that the sons of Banquo would take his crown so he decided to have Banquo and his son killed Macbeth said, “Our fears in Banquo stick deep/ And in his royalty of nature reigns that which would be feared”(3.1.49-51). Macbeth did everything he could to protect his crown, but that is eventually what lead to his downfall and his death. He killed his best friend Banquo which was when his ambition had gone to far and was the beginning of his decline.