Macbeth and the Witches

Psyche? I had to Google that, lmao. Let's hope AQA aren't feeling adventurous with their choice of words this year.

You need to take quotes from the Witches and find similarities in quotes from Macbeth. There are a couple of lines where Macbeth subconsciously starts talking like the Witches. You could also pick out the parts where the Witches foreshadow the coming events (e.g Macbeth becoming king, Macbeth's death etc.) and talk about how that works well with the rest of the story.

''Macbeth and the Witches'' would be a great band name

Hi OP,

I think the question is asking about how the witches can be seen as Macbeth's subconscious mind.

Many people agree that the witches are not evil or manipulating Macbeth, they are only reflecting/bringing to the surface the desires he already has, and there is a school of thought which says the witches are just a figment of Macbeth’s imagination – a part of his subconscious mind which is manifesting itself externally to drive him forward.

For your answer, I would suggest that you don’t focus on the magical prophecies (e.g. Burnham wood, man born of woman, etc) but more on the similarities in the text between the witches’ ideas of Macbeth’s power and his own desire for that power.

If you’re feeling a bit “extra” you could also talk about how the main driving force for ambition is Lady Macbeth, and that her influence is being reflected in Macbeth’s subconscious by these three women.


Hope this helps!

So don’t do Macbeth but I do Shakespeare for a levels. In other worlds explore how the witches are symbolic of Macbeth’s mind. Explore any themes that they portray and their role in the play, also their impact of the play but link it all to Macbeth’s mind. I’m not too sure on Macbeth but didn’t he go crazy or something? So explore how that is portrayed through the witches. Maybe there are some other correlation between the witches and Macbeth, like in his language or actions, maybe something he is plotting or his character. And since this is a “how true”, you could even say that the witches are not a metaphor for his inner psyche, but make sure to have an argument, so don’t just stick to one opinion but explore many ideas.