role of witches in macbeth

Often the role of the Weird Sisters in Shakespeare's Macbeth is overlooked by Shakespearean scholars. Macbeth is obviously a violent play about the downfall of man. However, its connections to the world of the supernatural are often disregarded. It is the only Shakespearean drama, in which witchcraft, black magic, and the supernatural do not merely play an important part, but provide the vital pivot on which the entire play depends. Furthermore, the complicity of the Weird Sisters is intriguing as many diverse interpretations exist concerning the origins and the role of these essential characters in Macbeth.

The belief in the existence and power of witches was widely accepted in Shakespeare's day, as demonstrated by the European witch craze during which an estimated nine million women were put to death for being perceived to be witches (Ellwood NP). The credence in such an illogical belief was due to society's inability to explain tragedies (i.e. illness, death, natural disasters) because of a lack of technology and knowledge that existed. It was much easier and comforting for people to blame something on a person who seemed a little ou

. . .
Some common words found in the essay are:
Weird Sisters, Lawless NP, God Elitists, Ellwood NP, Shakespeare Act, Act Sc, Weird Sisters', WITCH WITCH, Shakespeare's Macbeth, NP Boaz, weird sisters, lawless np, popular tradition, shakespeare act, true witches, third witch, mood play, macbeth witch, elite popular, lawless np weird, witch trials, elitist conception witch, lawless np furthermore, i'll drain dry, np weird sisters,
Approximate Word count = 3180
Approximate Pages = 13 (250 words per page double spaced)