William Shakespeare's Macbeth

William Shakespeare's Macbeth

The main part of the play involves 3 witches, who are important they

deliver dramatic, significance to the play, which creates an

atmosphere, which Shakespeare wanted, from the public. The witches

have this dramatic part in the play because during Elizabethan times

witches were part of life: People were scared of them because they

believed that witches could communicate with the dead. They even

believed some could see into the future. So to see a play about

witches would be alarming. People were frightened but it would still

attract people to come and see it. It would be a once in a lifetime

opportunity, to catch sight of a play about witches. During the play

Macbeth comes across the three witches. They predict that curtain

things will happen to Macbeth. The witches take control of Macbeth and

bring the evil in Macbeth out of him.

In Shakespeare's time there were probably not more than five public

theatres in the whole country, they were all in London. The plays were

performed in courtyards, or inns. This is where playhouses originated.

Stagecraft during Elizabethan times were simple sounds effects for

example: dropping of a cannon- ball for the noises of thunder.

Trapdoors were used for the sudden disappearance of ghosts.

Witchcraft in about 1603 we must remember that England was not the

industrial, urban society it is today. Belief of witchcraft was wide

spread. In 1604 it became punishable by death, this was to try and

attempt to subvert god's natural order. We see clearly the witches

have beards. They substitute death at the point of birth; their major

achievement is leading Macbeth, to destru...

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...here is the

depths to which Macbeth has fallen in murdering, without any

compunction, women and children.

One consequence of his visit is that certainty of "security" which has

troubled Macbeth from the outset. One factor is establishing the trust

worthiness of the prophecies in Macbeth's mind is the speed with which

they a happen "Cawdor" followed immediately upon their pronunciation

of it, now, having been told to watch out for Macduff, Lennox appears

with the same warning. Of course the "irony" is that all the

prophecies are double- edged and turn against him. Banquo comment

accurately reflects the truth: "The instruments of darkness of

darkness tell us truths:/ Win us with honest trifles, to betrayer's /

in deepest consequence". These words are prophetic and an indictment

of all that Macbeth comes to believe.