Superstition
witches
they appear in act 1 scene 3 and tell macbeth and banquo their prophecies this links to foreseeing the future and magic hence witchcraft
hecate is the head witch who the other three witches disobey and it shows how the great chain of being is disturbed
religion
macbeth is christian and this ideals ar portrayed throughout the play
they are alone on the moor in the opening scene surrounded by fog and there is a storm with thunder and lightning
this shows how they are portrayed as alone and isolated in the mountains in scotland
the porter symbolises the gate keeper to hell
king james I wrote daemonologie about witches and claimed they attacked him so was happy the witches were portrayed in a horrible light
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other themes
gender
witches were often people who didn't have husbands or were widows they were also people who knew homemade remedies they were targeted partly due to misogynistic reasons
the witches are targeted and isolated in the play due to their womanhood and the fact they don't fit the stereotypical ideas of what a woman is
ambition
power
How Shakespeare presents attitudes to kingship and the natural order in the play
presents kingship as an honourable thing that people drive for
shakespeare presents the natural order being something that the characters need for stability
shakespeare presents