What is the significance of witches in Macbeth?

Answer 1

Macbeth starts the play as a loyal subject of the king. He is not a traitor. He kills the traitors. Something is needed to explain why he changes from a loyal subject of the king to a traitor. Suddenly the witches appear. They provide the explanation. Macbeth kills the king and becomes king. An explanation is needed why Macbeth loses his throne. The witches reappear. Macbeth changes residences. The woods attack the castle. His army changes sides. The witches explain the rise and fall of Macbeth. (In literature you only bring in witches or God when you have absolutely no other explanation for a major change for the behavior or actions of a particular individual. Macbeth is one such case.)

Answer 2

They are characters in the play who turn up from time to time to make prophecies. In some other scenes or parts of scenes which were almost certainly not written by Shakespeare and are never performed they interact with a head witch called Hecate and gambol about singing cutesy songs.

Answer 3

The witches are a plot device that represent foreknowledge. The point is: If you knew the future, would it make you act differently? For Lady Macbeth at least, it certainly does, because it awakens a thirst to make Macbeth king in the quickest and most violent way. The witches represent that foreknowledge. In some productions, the witches have been made to represent a dominating force of evil which controls Macbeth's actions. Orson Welles's film is an example of this.

Answer 4

Witches in Macbeth serve as agents of fate and supernatural influences, driving the main character towards his tragic downfall. They symbolize the darker aspects of human nature, ambition, and the consequences of unchecked desires. The witches also contribute to the overall atmosphere of the play, adding a sense of intrigue and mystery.

Answer 5

To create tension by offering audiences just enough information about future events to keep them interested