The Role Of Witches In Macbeth

The view of witches throughout the English culture was both a forbidden interest as well as a deadly serious matter that was held accountable for various conundrums that at the time that seemed to be either considered very rare or unexplainable. Witches were viewed as evil due to the very religious views presumed by the English. Most of the Englishes religious beliefs were based out of the Bible. It was also illegal to be a witch during this time. It first became illegal to be a witch in 1542 a law was passed by British parliament, which made it a crime that was punishable by death. It then was repealed five years later in 1547 until 1563 when the witchcraft act was restored. In 1603 the trials for this crime were moved from the church courts

The most famous piece of literature that included witches during this time period was written by Shakespeare. In the play Macbeth three witches are included, and during this play they are shown doing extraordinary things. The witches are not only shown casting spells, but are also shown to predict the future. The witches in the play also conformed to many stereotypes that were known to be related to witches. These witches were described as being withered and their attire being wild. The background that surrounds them is that of thunder and lighting and a filthy atmosphere of fog

During this time period the English were very much a religious country. King James even publishes his own interpretation of the Bible known as the King James version. This version of the Bible was published in 1611 which is positioned near the center of the popularity of witches (What 1). In the Bible witches are mentioned or the verse is related to witchcraft seventeen times (King 1). Exodus 22:18 which states “ thou shalt not suffer a witch to live” is one of the more key verses to help portray the society 's view (Bible 71). Exodus 22:18 is their explanation to have a law which states that witchcraft is a crime punishable by death. It was also largely accepted because of the religious background of the people. It being proclaimed as a sin in the Bible reinstalls that fact that witchcraft is wrong and not to be accepted. In Galatians witchcraft is also identified as an act of the flesh. As believers the people of England and its sub colonies would have been taught to resist that of the flesh and instead live in the spirit further justifying the view of witches (Bible