Who Is The Antagonist In Macbeth

Humans constantly show that the scariest thing is the unknown. From the Salem Witch Trials to the mere fear of the dark, human beings are naturally uncomfortable with what they do not know. Authors can use this fear and uncertainty when writing to evoke emotion in their audience or influence the way their characters or audience react to their writing. In Macbeth, Shakespeare creates three of his antagonists as witches. Due to their mysterious aura to the characters and audience, they are able to interact in different ways and influence others. Shakespeare uses humanity’s fear of the unknown to create a lack of trust between the audience and characters and the witches and uses supernatural elements to influence the characters to make amoral
Without the witches, there would not have been a story to Macbeth, as they are the ones who helped influence Macbeth in the beginning. However, Shakespeare was able to create such influential and dark characters in just one page by writing their characters as mysterious and unnatural. Immediately on the first page, the witches are not only speaking in trochaic tetrameter instead of the usual iambic pentameter, but also are speaking in riddles, both adding to their mysteriousness. By making them talk in trochaic tetrameter, Shakespeare is able to create a forward and almost forceful tone compared to the soft and natural tone of iambic pentameter that other characters use. This tone helps differentiate the witches from the other characters and shows that they are more aggressive. The three witches also say the line “fair is foul, and foul is fair” (Shakespeare 1.1.12). With
While Macbeth is debating whether or not to kill Duncan, he starts hallucinating and sees a dagger. While some readers may question whether this dagger is truly supernatural or just a figment of Macbeth’s imagination, Macbeth calls it a “fatal vision” (Shakespeare 2.1.48). While he was contemplating his decision at first, Macbeth decides to go with Lady Macbeth’s plan because the dagger is covered in blood and is pointed in the Duncan’s direction. Banquo is also changed by their talk with the witches saying “[he] would not sleep” and asking “merciful powers,/ restrain in [him[ the curséd thoughts that nature/ gives way to in repose” (Shakespeare 2.1.9-11). In these quotes, he reveals that he has had trouble sleeping because he has “curséd thoughts”, or thoughts of murder, due to the witches’ prophecy. He does not want to think about killing others, yet it is coming up. It is shown that although the characters might not have trusted these unnatural elements, they are still affected by them and start doing and thinking things that are not natural to them. Shakespeare is using the influence the supernatural have on Banquo and Macbeth to tell the audience the danger of supernatural elements. All the supernatural and unnatural events in this play are negative and are symbols of evil and because