Function of the Witches in Macbeth

Created by: mimidollins
Created on: 19-05-20 09:59

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Function of the Witches
- Supernatural
  - "Thrice to thine, and thrice to mine" A1S3
    - Parallelism
      - Easier to process and remember; chanting
        Hypnotic tone
      - Technique used in proverbs and persuasion
        Persuades audience and M that they are speaking the truth
      - Emphasise divide bw SN and humans and truth and lies
    - Rhyming couplet
      - Easier to process and remember; chanting
        Hypnotic tone
      - Emphasis divide bw SN and nobility
  - In thunder, lightning or in rain? A1S1
    - Pathetic fallacy
      - Control over macrocosm; must have control over microcosm
        Doomed from start; bad weather as result of regicide?
      - Foreshadows large influence over Macbeth
        Doomed from start; bad weather as result of regicide?
    - Trochaic tetrameter
      - Emphasise divide between nobility and SN as they speak in iambic pentameter
        Two sides of M's conscience
    - Reference to 3; tripod
- Plot
  - "A drum, a drum;/ Macbeth doth come" A1,S3
    - First time Macbeth is on stage is with the Witches.
      - Foreshadows link bw M and SN
- Foreshadow LM
  - Come, you spirits, that tend on mortal thoughts A1S5
    - Devalues worth of woman; power comes from SN; impossible to come from within
    - Ambiguous link to SN
      - If she was connected it would reinforce SN power
      - If not, it would prove human and SN power are equal as she influenced him as much as the witches.
        Only power of witches is equivocation and manipulation.
        
        Witchess are in the first scene= more influence
        Catalyst for M's actions as LM's presence hadn't convinced him to become King whereas the entrance of the witches did
      - Facilitates question of was it fate, the SN or manipulation that led to M killing Duncan.
- Foils
  - Two truths are told/ As happy prologues to the swelling act/ Of the imperial theme. A1S3
    - Semantic field of plays.
      - Dramatic irony
      - Metathearte
        Boundary bw thearte and life mirrors that bw the human world and the SN
        Audience questions to what extent we play a part in our lives.
        S wanted us to ask ourselves "who am i pretending to be?"
        Selfhood develops from who we are not.
        Why M was driven by what he didn't have; kingship.
        
        Audience become aware they're watching a play.
        They realise the immensity of M's thoughts
  - The instruments of darkness tell us truths;/ Win us with honest trifles, to betray's/ In deepest consequence.A1S3
    - Honest and opposing evil
      - S didn't want to portray B as the murderer like in Holinshed's chronicles. James 1 traced lineage back to B.
  - What, can the devil speak true?A1S3
    - Devil= "father of lies" in bible.
      - Ironic
      - Paradox
        Links to AvR
    - Rhetorical Question
      - Mocking tone; undervaluing the supernatural.
        James 1 mirrored by Banquo; audience in awe of them both.
  - Can't blame W on M's mind because of B's presence.
    - B=voice of caution and reliable (related to King and dislike of SN)
      - Trustworthiness of B emphasises M's insanity.
- Effect on Macbeth
  - "I'll drain him dry as hay" A1S3
    - Foreshadow M's physical mental and spiritual draining
    - Links to effect on macrocosm
    - Simile
      - Links to A vs R
        Manipulate M to be like a king-never be a true king because he wasn't chosen by God
  - Link to evil before meeting
    - Foreshadow close link bw M and SN
  - M behaves differently with Witches
    - Foreshadow personality change when he becomes King
      - Lots of asides after meeting with SN; appear unstable
- Engage audience

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Function of the Witches in Macbeth

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