Power And Evil In Macbeth

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Recommended: The role of witches in Macbeth

For centuries both royalty and peasants have believed in the idea of witches. Witches were thought of being evil, mischievous and cold blooded. This idea of witches is not different from the witches in the play made by Shakespeare, Macbeth. The witches in Macbeth are the stereotypical witches that cause misfortune and problems and is also based on the greek myth of the fate sisters. The witches are significant to the play as they help highlight the theme of power and evil. The witches have predicted events such as Macbeth becoming king and Banquo’s seeds becoming kings. Not only that, the witches told and showed Macbeth things he should not have seen or heard like showing Macbeth the line of descendants of Banquo as kings and telling Macbeth …show more content…

The 3 witches should not have shown Banquo’s line of Kings to Macbeth. This grieved his heart and was unnecessary because Macbeth was already stressed beforehand. This was said before the Witches showed Macbeth the line of Kings of Banquo. “Show his eyes, and grieve his heart;Come like shadows, so depart!” Macbeth 4.1.110. Macbeth insisted on showing him if Banquo’s line will ever rule in the kingdom. The witches knew that showing this to Macbeth will grieve his heart and make him more stressed but they showed him anyways. The witches said that he will not like what he’ll see but said “Show his eyes..” which means they don’t care if he gets more stressed out or about the grief in his heart. Not only that, the 3 witches told Macbeth that he cannot be killed by a man born of a woman. This is told by the 2nd apparition. “...for none of woman born/Shall harm Macbeth” Macbeth 4.1.80. Knowing that no man born of woman can kill Macbeth, he takes it easy and underestimates everyone and kills them without hesitation. This made Macbeth a more bloodthirsty tyrant. Macbeth later fought Macduff and thought Macduff can not kill him, but he later found out that Macduff was born from a C-Section and not born of a woman. Macbeth was cocky because of what the witches said which lead him to his death. The witches are evil enough and powerful enough to show Macbeth and tell Macbeth things she should not

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