Macbeth Theme of The Supernatural

Witchcraft features prominently in Macbeth. The play opens, in fact, with the weird sisters conjuring on the Scottish heath. The witches are also the figures that set the play in motion when they accurately predict that Macbeth will be crowned king. Clearly, they have supernatural powers but their power over Macbeth is debatable. At times, the weird sisters seem to represent general anxieties about the unknown. They also seem to represent fears of powerful women who invert traditional gender roles. Elsewhere, the witches appear rather harmless, despite their malevolent intentions. Ultimately, the weird sisters are ambiguous figures that raise more questions than can be answered.

1. How do Banquo and Macbeth react when they first encounter the weird sisters in Act I, Scene iii?
2. The witches accurately predict Macbeth's future but do they control his fate? Why or why not?
3. How would you characterize the witches' speech? What does it suggest about their characters? How does it set them apart from other characters in the play?
4. Are there connections or similarities between the witches and any other characters in the play? If so, what are they, exactly?

Although the weird sisters deliver a prophesy that sets the play into motion, they don't necessarily control Macbeth's actions.

In Macbeth the weird sisters represent the fear of the unknown.