Promptbook-- Character Report

Witch 1 – Anthony Kim

1. What does your character want in this scene?

In Act VI Scene 1, my character, Witch one, wanted to show Macbeth the three apparitions; an armed head, bloody child, and a child crowned with a tree in his hand. The witches also include another apparition of a precession of eight kings and Banquo. My character, along with Witch two and three, pretended appear to be commanded by Macbeth when they delivered the apparitions, but actually, the witches’ prophesies would eventually contribute to Macbeth’s demise.

2. What is your character’s motivation for doing what he or she does? 

Witch one’s motivation for being sinister and evil is innate. A witch’s description is to be evil and play tricks on people’s lives. The witches are not acting out of spite or revenge and there is not a clearly stated reason as to why my character and the other witches try to deceive Macbeth except for the praise of Hecate, their master.

3. What obstacles stand in his or her way?

The only obstacle that stands in witch one’s way is belief that a witches’ power cannot affect those who do not believe in them. This is an obstacle because people like Banquo, who did not believe in the prophecy, may convince Macbeth to not listen the witches. This is not a very big obstacle because Macbeth had already been lured in by the witches’ first prophecy in Act 1.

4. What happens when your character confronts these obstacles?

When the witches confront the obstacle, all they had to do was act sinister and give Macbeth a potion so that he could see the apparitions. Macbeth, who already believed in the witches’ power, remained under their control after he saw the apparitions.

5. Are there any distinctive elements in your character’s way of speaking? (Is his or her language elaborate, plain, musical, or what?)

There are many distinctive elements in the witches’ way of speaking. There is rhyme and imagery. Also, the witches’ voices are shrill and show lots of emotion to add to the total effect of the scene.

6. What is your character thinking during the scene? (How does he or she react to the other characters and events?)

Witch one is thinking about how to lure Macbeth into their spell. Also my character responds to Macbeth trying to question the first apparition by telling him that it can not be commanded and that she will deliver another apparition.