莎士比亞心得報告
The three witches have appearance through the whole play, and they play a major role in the show. The purpose of the sisters is to lead people on to a dark path and eventually ruining them. They saw a spark in Macbeth and they lit it up to something much bigger without truly interfering with free will.
In the beginning the witches gave a prophecy that Macbeth will be promoted to thane of Glamis and then the king, and when the first prediction happened, the witches had already had control over his thoughts. They know that Macbeth and Lady Macbeth could not resist the power, and with a little push from the words of the weird sisters and Lady Macbeth, he did some very evil things. Killing to him had become an option because he believed that the prophecy would come true. If it were not for the prophecy, he most likely would not have done it. They both had moments where guilt had completely took over them, but every time Macbeth had doubts, the witches show up to give more prophecies for him to follow and for the play to carry on.
There are four main prophecies in the play: Macbeth will be the king, Banquo’s decedents will be king, look out for Macduff, Macbeth could not be hurt by men of women born and cannot be defeated unless Great Birnam Wood moves. The four above all happen to be the climate and major twist and turns of the entire plot
Bring me no more reports. Let them fly all.
Til Birnam Wood remove to Dunsinane
I cannot taint with fear. What’s the boy Malcolm?
Was he not born of woman? The spirits that know
All mortal consequences have pronounced me thus:
“Fear not, Macbeth. No man that’s born of woman
Shall e’er have power upon thee.” Then fly, false thanes,
And mingle with the English epicures.
The mind I sway by and the heart I bear
Shall never sag with doubt nor shake with fear. (Act 5, Scene 3)
Til Birnam Wood remove to Dunsinane
I cannot taint with fear. What’s the boy Malcolm?
Was he not born of woman? The spirits that know
All mortal consequences have pronounced me thus:
“Fear not, Macbeth. No man that’s born of woman
Shall e’er have power upon thee.” Then fly, false thanes,
And mingle with the English epicures.
The mind I sway by and the heart I bear
Shall never sag with doubt nor shake with fear. (Act 5, Scene 3)
Because of this prediction, Macbeth believes that no one will fit the seemingly impossible criteria because every man is birthed by women and that Great Birnam Wood would not move. However, his boast will soon prove Great Birnam Wood will move, and he will be killed by Macduff, who was not born naturally. The Witches had completely brainwash him to believe that he is invincible when he is not, causing him to make each step wrong.
She should have died hereafter.
There would have been time for such a word.
Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day
To the last syllable of recorded time.
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle.
Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing .(Act 5, Scene 5)
There would have been time for such a word.
Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day
To the last syllable of recorded time.
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle.
Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing .(Act 5, Scene 5)
When Macbeth finally realized all the evils he had done, it had been too late. Not only he had lose Lady Macbeth, but also the king position that they have been fighting for. The prophecy came true that the son of Banquo will be crowned, which means that the witches had set him up for failure since the beginning, and Macbeth fell right in with his temptation.
The witches never actually force Macbeth to fulfill any of the prophecy, but all of it came true without any error which means Macbeth should be blamed for all the sins he had sinned. But because the witches are supernatural creatures, it makes the audience wonder whether free will exists, or fate had already had plans for us, hence complicating the plot. Whether or not there is greater strength out there controlling our destiny or if we have a hand of what happens in our life continue to be a mystery until today.
