Notice that the Weird Sisters are referred to as "witches" only in the stage directions. No one sitting in the audience seeing the play will hear the word witch even once. Rather, in the text Banquo and Macbeth call them "Weird Sisters." They, in fact, even refer to themselves by such a title. The word "weird" is derived from the Old English "wyrd," meaning fate or destiny. Thus far in the play, how have the predictions of the Weird Sisters influenced or controlled Macbeth's fate/destiny? Do you believe that their influence is the greatest influence upon him? If so, why? If not, what or who influences Macbeth most? (This post closes at midnight on Saturday, April 3, 2010.)
7 comments:
In his play Macbeth, Shakespeare uses the characters of the Weird Sisters as one of the major influences upon his title character. The Weird Sisters are the characters that first put the idea of being king into Macbeth's head. Their predictions also tempt Macbeth into murdering his truest friend in fear that his friend's sons will take his crown. It is neither the Sisters alone nor Macbeth's own actions that will lead to the ultimate outcome of Macbeth's story. The life he is fated to lead will unfold itself no matter who attempts to interfere. The Sisters were not taking fate into their own hands when they inspired Macbeth to be king; he was meant to stumble upon them in the woods. That fateful meeting was destined to happen, and everything thereafter is also all part of the greater plan.
-LSt. 0
Shakespeare uses the term "weird sisters" in his play Macbeth not only because the king was superstitious but because the weird sisters play a major role in the play. They are the characters that instill first the idea of being king to Macbeth. Macbeth becomes king because of the weird sisters, but they only told him that he would become king. He felt the desire to become king because he had already became the Thane of Cawdor, he had the desire to become king. The weird sisters tempt him into killing Banquo because he knows his sons will become king one day. Yes they were destined to meet in the woods, but Macbeths desire to become king and have power shows his weakness or flaw. Macbeths future is based on what he desires and the weird sisters nor destiny will decide his future.
- BA. 0
The weird sisters have control of Macbeth's destiny. They told Macbeth that he would become a king someday; therefore, Macbeth found a desire to become the king. He even killed his own king, which was thought to be one of the worst crimes. The weird sisters have the greatest influence on Macbeth. It is evident when he has his best friend killed because he remembers the fortune that was given to him by the weird sisters. Macbeth orders Banquo's son to be killed too, but the murderers do not catch him. Thus, the weird sisters do have the most influence on Macbeth and his journey through life.
GG-0
The Weird Sisters plant the seed of Macbeth's destiny. Their predictions partly create his destiny in that the prophecies nudge his thoughts and desires in certain directions, so eventually their words become truths. However, while the "witches" seem to have unnatural power over Macbeth, they truly are only teasing him; his own actions are what cause his fate. Macbeth's own resolve has the greatest influence over his character. While Lady Macbeth has power to sway her husband, it is ultimately Macbeth himself who decides his actions and creates his own destiny.
JJ-0
Once Macbeth became the Thane of Cawdor, the Weird Sisters' predictions influenced his life immensely. The predictions gave Macbeth the idea that he needed to be king, and later, made him so paranoid that he had one of his closest friends killed. What the weird sisters predicted made Macbeth's fate one of unhappiness, guilt, and fear.
Throughout the play so far, Macbeth has shown that he is capable of cognitive thinking and manipulation. While the sisters have had influence over him, that influence is not what influences Macbeth the most. Macbeth is able to determine right and wrong, and he is able to control urges when he wants. It is Macbeth's personal nature and character that ultimately controls and influences him most.
-0 block Lovelace
In Shakespeare's play Macbeth, the "Weird Sisters" are used to influence the main character. They do this through a prediction of his future as Thane of Cawdor and eventually king. Once Macbeth is informed he has in fact become the Thane of Cawdor while the previous one is sentenced to death for aiding the enemy in war, he considers the weird sister's predictions to be credible. The Weird Sisters do have the greatest influence on Macbeth, although it is ultimately his own decision to follow through with the murders. The "witches" cause him to believe it is fate that he is to become king, but it is his own desire to do whatever he can to make this come true, including murdering the admirable King Duncan.
-VN. O Block Lovelace
The Weird Sisters influence most of Macbeth's actions in the play and plant the seed of desire in his heart. Macbeth is at first skeptical of the reliability of the sisters' predictions. When he learns that he has indeed become the Thane of Cawdor as the Weird Sisters predicted, he begis to believe in the legitamacy of these predictions. He becomes obsessed with the possibility of that type of power. This obsession causes a drastic character change due to his immense desire to be king. This desire is directly rooted from the predictions made by the Weird Sisters.
-BM Lovelace
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