Meeting With The Weird Sisters In Macbeth

Words: 918
Pages: 4

In the passage of Macbeth(V.5.44-59), Macbeth refers to his meeting with the Weird Sisters. There, the sisters show him three apparitions: one of a floating head warning him of Macduff, two a bloody child telling him no man “woman born” can harm him, and three a crowned child holding a tree that tells him that he’s safe until Birnam Wood moves to Dunsinane Hill. In the same scene, Seyton brings the news of Lady Macbeth’s death and Macbeth wishes it would occur when he has a “proper mourning time.” Right before his soliloquy, a messenger brings news of Birnam Wood beginning to move toward his castle.
Macbeth begins his soliloquy by threatening to put the messenger “Upon the next tree shall thou hang alive till famine cling thee”(ln. 45-46). Macbeth threatens if the messenger is lying he will hang him alive upon the closest tree until the he dies of starvation. This passage is when the first of the witches prophecies comes true, “Macbeth shall
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Macbeth summons his soldiers when he says, “Ring the alarum bell!” (ln. 58). An “alarum bell” is the bell which will call all of his arms for battle. Macbeth then emphasizes, “Blow wind, come wrack, at least we’ll die with harness on our back”(ln. 58-59). Macbeth does not care whether his army wins or loses as long as they win with honor. Macbeth also implies he does not care about the amount of casualties but rather how hard the English army has to fight. Macbeth now demonstrates that his ambition is gone and he turns his life over to chaos. A big question of the play is whether or not Macbeth’s actions are a result of his own will or the witches control. During this passage, Macbeth clearly demonstrates that his own actions result from his want to keep authority on the throne. Another important part of the passage is this is a turning point when Macbeth gives up his control and drive for authority and hands it