Evil In Macbeth

Words: 560
Pages: 3

One of man’s downfalls is his tendency to be overwhelmed by evil. For some reason, mankind is so easily swayed into committing evil rather than good. Shakespeare echoes this truth in his play, Macbeth. The tragic hero falls victim to three witches who are intent on ruining his life. The Weird Sisters use false prophecies to spark the fire of evil in his heart. In Macbeth Shakespeare portrays the Weird Sisters as petty, vindictive, and evil in order to emphasize the theme that anyone can be led astray by those who are truly evil. Shakespeare wastes little time in revealing how petty the Weird Sisters are through their speech. While apart from one another, the witches wreak havoc on others’ lives. Once reunited, they begin to catch up with one another and …show more content…
Her anger only reveals how petty she really is. Ranting about this episode to her sisters shows that the witch could not move on and let this atrocity alone. Her words reveal the pettiness that resides in her heart and fuels her actions. While her words reveal her shallow nature, the witch’s actions characterize her as purely vindictive. Fueled by her resentment at the sailor’s wife for not sharing, the First Witch decides to exact revenge. Instead of attacking the wife, she moves to ruin the husband, which cuts much deeper.The First Witch proudly explains her plan to “drain [the husband] dry as hay” (I.iii.19). Readers of the play quickly realize it is unwise to resist the witches because it will only cause consequences of sorrow and despair. Her desire for payback causes her to lash out in the most harmful way possible. Her actions toward the innocent husband prove her desire for revenge and “justice.” Not only are the Weird Sisters petty and vindictive, but their effect on others conveys the evil spirit that dwells deep within their souls. Throughout the play, the witches stand by and observe Macbeth’s world