Macbeth Essay

Weather: Unrecognized Representation of the Theme of Evil Shakespeare over the course of his plays has depicted weather as an important piece of element that strengthens his plays depth and understanding. Pathetic fallacy is used to portray some form of emotions or themes to the reader and it also serves as a symbol in some cases. The characters in the plays are supported by weather to an extent that gives the reader a sense of the current environment and setting of the play. In Macbeth, the weather symbolizes the evil within the witches, the evil in the character of Macbeth and the disturbance in the natural order of the play. This essay further debates how weather plays an important part in symbolizing evil throughout the play in various characters and in nature. From the starting of the play to the ending, it is to be noted that the witches possessed the most evil within than any character in the play symbolizing evil. Harsh weather conditions usually portray evil in most cases as seen with the witches throughout the play. Every time the witches entered any scene, the atmosphere around them was evil; which also goes to show how their rituals and evil deeds were all performed in these conditions. . “When shall we three meet again / in thunder, lightning or rain” (I. i. 1-2). This quote by the witches makes it clear how they favor to meet in unwelcoming conditions that seem evil to be around. It symbolizes the theme of evil and the evil possessed in character of the witches which is to reunite in the most unwelcoming conditions. Apart from this, the witches control weather for their own pleasure and to perform evil deeds. It once so happened that a wife of a sailor had refused to give chestnuts to the first witch who had asked her for them. Evil in nature, the witch controlled the weather to create a tempest and attack the sailor’s ship. And munched, and munched, and munched: ‘Give me’ quoth I. / ‘Arount thee, witch!’ the rump-fed ronyon cries. Her husband’s

Cited: Shakespeare, William. Macbeth. Hauppauge: Barron 's Educational Series, Inc., 1985. Print.