MacbethMacbeth

The Wyrd SistersThe Wyrd Sisters

Act I, Scene iAct I, Scene i

Directly linked to Greek Fates

• ClothoClotho-spinner; spins each life-spinner; spins each life

• LachesisLachesis-alloter; determines -alloter; determines lengthlength

• AtroposAtropos-unturner; cutter; -unturner; cutter; choose the manner & choose the manner & time to dietime to die

• Also present in Roman Also present in Roman & Germanic mythology& Germanic mythology

Shakespeare’s Witches

• The Wyrd sisters in The Wyrd sisters in MacbethMacbeth represent: represent:– DarknessDarkness– ChaosChaos– ConflictConflict

• They are agents & They are agents & witnesses.witnesses.

• Their presence Their presence forbodes doom & forbodes doom & treasontreason

• Based on Holinshed’s Based on Holinshed’s ChroniclesChronicles

"Macbeth and Banquo encountering the witches," a woodcut from the Holinshed Chronicles.

Holinshed’s Chronicles

• History of Britain, History of Britain, Scotland and IrelandScotland and Ireland

• Three Witches are Three Witches are dressed, "in strange dressed, "in strange and wild apparell, and wild apparell, resembling creatures resembling creatures of elder world.”of elder world.”

– Tolman, Albert H. Tolman, Albert H. "Notes on Macbeth." "Notes on Macbeth." PMLA.PMLA. (1896) 11.2 pp. (1896) 11.2 pp. 200-219200-219

Representations

• In Holinshed’s In Holinshed’s ChroniclesChronicles, the , the witches are upper-witches are upper-class noblewomen.class noblewomen.

• Shakespeare moves Shakespeare moves away from this away from this image, making image, making them other-worldly, them other-worldly, withered, and oddly withered, and oddly attired.attired.

During Shakespeare's day, witches were seen as worse than rebels, "the most notorious traytor

and rebell that can be." They were not only political traitors, but spiritual traitors as well.

(Karin S. Coddon)

Macbeth & the witches. The witches & Hecate.

"Fair is foul, and foul is fair: Hover through the fog and filthy

air"• The witches set The witches set

the tone for the the tone for the play by creating play by creating a FOG over the a FOG over the whole play. whole play.

• This obscures, This obscures, confuses, allows confuses, allows for doubt, etc. for doubt, etc.

From: Geoffrey Wright’s Macbeth 2007.

The Witches Confuse

• They straddle the They straddle the borders between borders between reality and the reality and the supernatural. supernatural.

• It is unclear whether It is unclear whether they control fate or they control fate or are merely its agents. are merely its agents.

• They defy logic, not They defy logic, not being subject to the being subject to the rules of the real rules of the real world.world.

Temptation • In Shakespeare’s time it was believed that the Devil In Shakespeare’s time it was believed that the Devil

could tempt you in thought.could tempt you in thought.• Than you could indulge in that thought or reject it.Than you could indulge in that thought or reject it.• The witches follow this pattern.The witches follow this pattern.• Macbeth indulges in temptation, while Banquo Macbeth indulges in temptation, while Banquo

rejects.rejects.

The Voodoo Witches

• Orson Welles’1948 film Orson Welles’1948 film altered the witches' roles. altered the witches' roles.

• They create a voodoo doll They create a voodoo doll of Macbeth in scene one.of Macbeth in scene one.

• This is seen as a sign that This is seen as a sign that they control his actions they control his actions completely.completely.

• Faceless, they carry Faceless, they carry forked staves as dark forked staves as dark parallels to the Celtic parallels to the Celtic cross. cross.

• In the end they cut off In the end they cut off the head of his voodoo the head of his voodoo dolldoll

Modern Depictions

• Magical power Magical power has been has been sensualized.sensualized.

• The witches have The witches have been strung-out been strung-out waifs, sylphid waifs, sylphid spirits, and teen spirits, and teen goth temptresses.goth temptresses.

Continued Influence

• Beguiling, Beguiling, otherworldly, or otherworldly, or repugnant, the wyrd repugnant, the wyrd sisters continue to sisters continue to influence.influence.

• J.K. Rowling noted J.K. Rowling noted that their prophecy that their prophecy inspired her to inspired her to create the prophecy create the prophecy that guides Lord that guides Lord Voldemort.Voldemort.

The Questions for Tonight’s Reading

• Do the witches Do the witches actually tell Macbeth actually tell Macbeth to kill Duncan?to kill Duncan?

• If Macbeth hadn't If Macbeth hadn't met the witches, met the witches, would he have killed would he have killed Duncan? Duncan?

• Would any of it have Would any of it have happened? happened?

• Is he fated or did he Is he fated or did he make it happen? make it happen?

• How does the A-S How does the A-S word word WyrdWyrd relate to relate to the sisters?the sisters?