The Witches

The strangest of Macbeth’s major characters, the Weird Sisters are the heart of the play’s supernatural nature and the catalyst for the tragedy to come. Described as bent over and ugly, the witches punish the innocent for small slights, yet Shakespeare portrays them as powerful, malicious figures, not to be underestimated or disrespected. It can be argued that the witches are the true villains of the text, as it is their prophecies to Macbeth that lead to the bloodshed and tragedy.