The Significance of the Witches in Shakespeare's Macbeth - Aatif Syed Essay Example
The Significance of the Witches in William Shakespeare’s Macbeth Macbeth is one of Shakespeare’s most famous plays. It was tailored to his contemporary Elizabethan audience, who had firm beliefs in the supernatural - especially witches; ugly old women who possessed evil powers. The three, unnamed witches in Macbeth could be described as key characters throughout, by virtue of their prophecies and socio-historical context. On the other hand, it could equally be argued that the human characteristics of ambition, or even Lady Macbeth herself, are far more significant in the play.
A modern audience may find the play entertaining, but Shakespeare’s own audiences believed that witches played an active role in their very own day-to-day lives, a trait which he had certainly picked up on when he wrote the play. In a way, the prospect of witches was a core element of Elizabethan societal values and social construction; women were not meant to possess power, authority, or superiority. Any woman who did was declared an evil, supernatural force; a witch, and executed, thus upholding, legitimising and regulating societal norms.
This does not only show us how seriously witches were taken, but also hints at the interest this would have brought to the play. Most notable of these was King James’. To a monarch placed there by divine will, as God’s representative, unholy, devil-guided witches constituted a direct threat to the throne. The King had already had his interest in witches sparked by events in Europe, and who better for Shakespeare to appeal to than he, along with the more noble classes who were patrons of the arts? It could be said, therefore, that the royal nature of the play, especially the infiltration of Macbeth, under the witches’ influence, into good King Duncan’s monarchy, is no accident, designed to captivate royal audiences and commoners alike. Shakespeare is careful not to upset his Highness, however, rounding off the play with the
A modern audience may find the play entertaining, but Shakespeare’s own audiences believed that witches played an active role in their very own day-to-day lives, a trait which he had certainly picked up on when he wrote the play. In a way, the prospect of witches was a core element of Elizabethan societal values and social construction; women were not meant to possess power, authority, or superiority. Any woman who did was declared an evil, supernatural force; a witch, and executed, thus upholding, legitimising and regulating societal norms.
This does not only show us how seriously witches were taken, but also hints at the interest this would have brought to the play. Most notable of these was King James’. To a monarch placed there by divine will, as God’s representative, unholy, devil-guided witches constituted a direct threat to the throne. The King had already had his interest in witches sparked by events in Europe, and who better for Shakespeare to appeal to than he, along with the more noble classes who were patrons of the arts? It could be said, therefore, that the royal nature of the play, especially the infiltration of Macbeth, under the witches’ influence, into good King Duncan’s monarchy, is no accident, designed to captivate royal audiences and commoners alike. Shakespeare is careful not to upset his Highness, however, rounding off the play with the