![]() All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter” (1.3.51-53). All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor. ![]() It is noticeable first in Act One, Scene Three, when they each hail Macbeth: “All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Glamis. This is evident in the way they speak, specifically which lines each has. They are, of course, the ones who initially prophesize Macbeth’s rise to the throne (1.3.51-73), but each of the three, individually, also seems to represent time in a different way, that is, the first witch represents the past, the second represents the present, and the third represents the future. One aspect of the Weïrd Sisters I am especially intrigued by is their relationship to time. In the end of the short scene, the three chant the token line, “Fair is foul and foul is fair,” (1.1.12) setting the tone for the entire play, one of mischief, deceit, and foul deeds. In the first two lines, a storm is brewing, immediately creating a sense of unease about what is to come. They begin the show with an eerie sort of prologue: “When shall we three meet again? / In thunder, lightning, or in rain?” (1.1.1-2). These witches, however, have an exceptionally large role in facilitating the plot of Macbeth. Supernatural happenings and beings are, obviously, not uncommon in Shakespeare’s works. The Weïrd Sisters, in particular, have always been particularly fascinating characters and devices to me. Emboldened by their prophecies and the support of his wife, he embarks on a spree of murders that ultimately earn him the throne, but at the cost of his being haunted by the image of those he betrayed and eventually being killed for his treachery. In his landmark tragedy, Shakespeare tells the tale of Scottish war general, Macbeth, who encounters three witches, dubbed the “weïrd sisters,” that prophesize his becoming king. Shakespeare’s Macbeth is a bloody play dealing with fate, revenge, and prophecy.
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