Friday, April 11, 2014
Macbeth: Witches? Really?
The three witches, otherwise known as the three Weird Sisters, play a very significant role in the play. What do you think about that? How does that impact your ability to take the play seriously? Do you or did you ever believe in ghosts? witches? Have you ever been affected by something you can't explain?
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I am intrigued by witches, personally. I am excited to read about them, especially in an old piece of writing. I can still take the play seriously, even when their are witches in it, because witches are real and they do have their own religion. I am undecided yet if I believe in ghosts because their have been times when weird things have happened i my house and weird events. In my summer house in Maine, we joke about the Ghost of Mrs. Foster, she was the woman who died in our cottage a long time ago. Sometimes in the cottage weird things happen like moving rocks and weird things falling over. This has happen countless times. We say that she is a nice spirit and she is just saying hello and that she accepts us and likes us. We makes a dramatic entrance with vases and cups falling over. I definitely believe in witches because their are people who practice witch craft like some types of pagans and Wiccans. I really do not have an answer for mrs. foster because it s not possible for a rocks to move or just fall over. The rocks are cemented very tightly into the fireplace and immobile. It has to be the Ghost of Mrs. Foster!!!!
ReplyDeleteThe Three Weird Sisters make Macbeth fanciful and strange. Witches are mysterious and magical, so you become interested in what they know and how they might influence the story. I’m guessing that Shakespeare uses the witches as an opportunity to tell the reader things that no normal person would have any way of knowing. Witches have supernatural powers, so they might have some insight into the past or future. The witches could be used as a way to foreshadow, convey information about things that have happened in the past, and warn readers and characters of events that will happen in the future. This is what Teiresias and the chorus do in Oedipus Rex - they are used as a medium to tell the reader things that the characters themselves are not aware of. Although I don’t believe in witches, I am still able to take this play seriously. Many times when I read plays like Oedipus Rex or other Shakespeare pieces, the events that happen in the rest of the story don’t seem realistic, even without the magical component. If the more realistic parts of the plot aren't believable, accepting that fact that there are witches in the story isn't too much of a stretch.
ReplyDeleteA lot of literature written for younger children includes magical creatures like witches, but growing up, fantasy for a mature reader is hard to find. I grew up reading books like this, and personally am excited to join witches again. I think that every time someone picks up a story that includes any kind of supernatural being they are knowingly embracing the fact that it could be very hit or miss. I think the best way to make a fantasy book "hit" is to make sure that whatever new fantasy reality you are creating is believable to the reader. I will not have trouble suspending my imagination if the author makes the witches believable in their own universe. Obviously, Macbeth is Shakespeare, so I don't doubt that it will be well written. I don't believe in ghosts or witches in the real world, but I am willing to put that aside to be convinced that they exist in the world of Macbeth.
ReplyDeleteWithout having read Macbeth yet it's my instinct to make assumptions on what the book is going to be like. Adding an element of fantasy, something made-up and make a story more interesting. If done correctly, and I have no doubts in Shakespeare, a writer can make this fantasy seem realistic. Although at first thought, it might seem like witches could make it harder to suspend disbelief. When I was younger, I was never into fantasy. I liked watching television and movies with real people, I was never into animation or shows about fantasy such as the magic of Disney princesses, or any of the Pixar films. Most young children have no problem at all suspending their disbelief, but I never liked it. I liked to watch what I knew, what was real.
ReplyDeleteIn Macbeth, three witches play a significant role. I have no problem with this, because I've read and enjoyed other books that have heavy ties with sorcery. I enjoyed the Tempest, and the Harry Potter books. I find that when I pick up a book I can suspend judgment. I try to imagine that the particular scenario could take place. I don't believe in ghosts or witches, because I've never experienced "dark magic" that I couldn't explain. I've seen strange things, that could be interpreted as magic, but each time there is a logical explanation.
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ReplyDeleteI have already read Macbeth and I do seem to remember the role that these three witches play in the play. I'm not going to go into that for fear that I might ruin this play for everyone else. Witches give all stories a dark but magical twist and for a shakespeare play this is always exciting. I don't think witches will impact how in depth I read and understand the play because the witches will tie into the play well. I never really believed in witches and ghosts because that is very childish, but there are other things that I believed in. I don't know if I have been affected by something that I can't explain because I wouldn't remember it if i didn't remember.
ReplyDeleteThe three witches, otherwise know as the three Weird Sisters, play a very significant role in Macbeth. Though I haven’t read the play, I think it will be in the genre of fantasy because it has witches in it. I enjoy fantasy because it allows the author to be more creative and make a more interesting novel or play. I do not believe in ghosts or witches and I have never been affected by something I can’t explain, but I am still interested by this play.
ReplyDeleteThe three witches do not necessarily affect my experience with the book. Different books are put under different genres and styled differently. As long as the book/play is quality content, then I will be fine. It may seem weird to be affected by things that you can't physically touch or visually see, or even explain, but it's very possible.
ReplyDeleteI think the three witches will shape this play a lot. It does not affect my ability to take the play seriously. I think if you look at the book in a serious way it will not affect you, but if you don't take the witches seriously it will and the book will seem silly. I have never believed in ghosts or witches, and for the most part, I have been able to explain everything I have been affected by.
ReplyDeleteI think that I can very well believe that witches play a part in the play. People like striving to understand things that they don't understand. It can make people more comfortable with them. I can take the play very seriously a think of it as a great piece of writing. Personally I won't say that ghosts do or don't exist. I think with no strong proof on either side of the argument it is hard to say. I feel the same way about witches. I have been with people that were affected by things they cant explain. I was not sure what to believe, so I won't be for or against.
ReplyDeleteSo far I think that the witches will be a major part of foreshadowing in Macbeth and they will help us to understand the book better. I think they take you out of the current situation in the story and help you predict what will happen, which doesn't effect seriousness but is more like an escape. I think that I kind of believe in ghosts, witches and paranormality just from watching so many movies and shows. I am an avid scary movie watcher and I like to think maybe those things could be real but on the other hand I sincerely hope to never come in contact with one.
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