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Revision Notes on the role of the Witches in Macbeth and the reactions of Macbeth and Banquo
Revision Notes GCSE ENGLISH LITERATURE MACBETH
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THE THREE WITCHES IN MACBETH – An analysisAct 1 , Scene 1
First Witch
When shall we three meet again
Second Witch
When the hurlyburly’s done,
When the battle’s lost and won.
Third Witch
That will be ere the set of sun.
First Witch
Where the place?
Second Witch
Upon the heath.
Third Witch
There to meet with Macbeth.
First Witch
I come, Graymalkin!
Second Witch
Paddock calls.
Third Witch
Anon.
ALL
Fair is foul, and foul is fair:
Hover through the fog and filthy air.
, In order to fully appreciate the significance of The Witches in ‘Macbeth’ it is necessary to have
an understanding of the beliefs surrounding witches and witchcraft during Shakespeare’s era.
There existed an inherent belief in witchcraft.
A belief in God and the existence of Heaven and Hell was almost universally accepted. The Devil
was believed to be an actual entity, an evil presence in the world of men. Witches were his
corrupted human servants. It was believed that they had the capacity to place a curse upon an
enemy, make predictions of future events, affect the weather and summon demonic spirits.
Act 1, Scene 1
The Witches meet around one of the most well-known symbols of witchcraft - a cauldron. Into
this they throw all manner of foul and evil objects ('poisoned entrails') and cast a spell.
Although it is not clear what the spell is for, it is evident that they are malign and ill-willed.
The desolate setting, the unnerving remoteness, all serve to place this opening scene beyond
the realms of all that is normal, into a realm of the supernatural that would have been believed
and understood by a Shakespearean audience. This opening sets the tone for the whole play. It
tells the audience that evil forces and supernatural interferences are imminent. This tone is
reinforced by the unnerving atmosphere created by the ominous chanting of the Witches.
The Three Witches' speech is written in short rhyming verse that imitates the casting of a spell.
Their language is full of the imagery of witchcraft and of tempestuous weather: thunder,
lightning, rain, fog, and "filthy air." The chanting tone of their speech sets them apart from the
other characters of the play and subtly indicates to us that something is amiss.
The lines "When the battle's lost and won" and "Fair is foul and foul is fair" are the most
significant in the scene. On the one hand, these contradictory statements are the kind of riddles
we would expect from witches; on the other, the lines pre-empt a paradox that permeates the
play: the play of ‘Macbeth’ presents a confused portrayal of events in which discerning truth
from falsehood is often difficult.
In Act 1, Scene 3, we see the Witches preparing for their first encounter with Macbeth.
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