Harry Potter was indeed what caused the craze of witches for this generation. The book and movies have taken to the old tales of superstitions of witchcraft that festered in the 16th and 17th century. Though being a series having a positive light on witchcraft, very little of the witches and wizards of that world were described to be ugly or diseased (Thiselton-Dyer, T.F.). Macbeth did have one notable influence on Harry Potter or at least one of the movies:
It is difficult to estimate the extent of the superstition of witchcraft influence on England in the 16th and 17th century and in other countries (Thiselton-Dyer, T.F.). Witchcraft was a popular belief in ever day life during this period.
There are three ways to look at the Weird Sisters. Some readers find the sisters to be simply witches and nothing more. The second group of readers find them to be a more than simple witches, but a hybrid of witches and gods. The third goes to talk of how Shakespeare is using these witches to reflect on the daily life of the time and allude about King James who would be seeing this play as King of England.
As regular old witches, The weird sisters were able to have the power of creating storms and other disturbances. They elect to meet “in thunder, lightening, or in rain” (1.1.2). Let it be scene one of act one or scene one of act four, thunder is noted as they enter on stage. The sisters use their act upon the weather to get back at a sailor's wife who wronged the first sister. The second witch “gives [her] a wind” and the third does the same (1.3.12).
Witches are known to have a love for odd numbers. Somehow odd numbers give them power. The First and Second called out that “thrice the brinded cat hath mewed” and “thrice, and once the hedge-pig whined” (4.1.1-2). Multiples of three and nine were specially empowering and employed by witches. The Weird Sisters are made up of three witches and are said to chant hand in hand: Thus do go about, about Thrice to thine and thrice to mine and thrice again, to make up nine. Peace, the charm's wound up. (1.3.35-38) It is with this chant of three and nine that they create a spell.
Some critics believe the weird sisters are not in fact witches at all but are allied to the Norns or Fates found in Scandinavian paganism. Scandinavian paganism is what most people today know as Norse mythology. If that doesn't ring any bells the photo below will jog your memory.
Shakespeare could have possibly drew upon the Norse mythology to construct the characters of the weird sisters and also derive traditions of witchcraft. The weird sisters become hybrids of Norns and witches. Each sister has a special function of one of the Norns. The Third sister is made as a prophetess, the First thinks of the past, and the Second is connected to the present. These are similar to Urda, Verdandi, and Skulda who are the fates in Norse Mythology (Thiselton-Dyer, T.F.). The first speaks, “when shall we three meet again?” the second decides the time “when the battle's lost and won (1.1.1-4). The third speaks of the future and states ,”that will be ere the set of sun.” The first asks, “where the place?” The second decides “upon the heath” the third states, “There to meet with Macbeth” (1.1.5-8). Banquo even goes to describes them as being “That look not like the inhabitants o’ the earth” (1.3.42). Even the name “Weird Sisters” is a hint upon them being more then simple witches. Noted in the Folger Macbeth, “Weird” meant fateful or fate-determined. In the Folio the spelling goes as weyward or weyard. It is the scottish form of wyrd, which is a word in Old English meaning fate or destiny (Shakespeare, William).
Introduction of Hecate among the witches, placed more ancient superstitions with Shakespeare modern superstitions as she is a goddess in Greek Mythology. She is associated with cross roads and witchcraft. Hecate is portrayed to have a triple forms which goes back to the multiples of three. Trouble comes in three it seems. The belief the Pagan gods were really existent as evil demons is one which have come from the very early ages of Christianity. As far as the fourth century, the Council of Anctra is said to have condemned the claim of witches, that in the night time they rode and their mistresses were of Pagan goddesses such as Minerva, Sibylla, Diana or Herodias. (Thiselton-Dyer, T.F.).
Mentioned on the page, England and Superstition, Shakespeare fallows the common description of witches, which can be describes of ordinary hags. Banquo describes the Weird Sisters of being “ So withered, and so wild in their attire” and described to have “choppy fingers” and “skinny lips” (1.341-48). The beard is also a indicator of a characteristic of a witch. This common traits of old women have easily caused many to become victims of powerful superstition at the time. This brings to the confession of Agnes Sampson.
In Scotland in the year of 1591, Agnes Sampson was considered a reputed witch. She vowed that when King James VI was in Denmark, she “took a cat and christened it, and afterwards bound to each part of that cat the chiefest parts of a dead man, and several joints of his body; and that in the night following, the said cat was conveyed into the midst of the sea, by herself and other witches, sailing in their riddles, or crieves, and so left the said cat right before the town of Leith, in Scotland” (Thiselton-Dyer, T.F.). It is because of this that there arose a tempest in the sea which stopped any boat and vessel from coming from the town of Brunt Island to the town of Leith. These boats were to have jewels and rich gifts to be given to the new Queen of Scotland as his majesty was coming to Leith. It was believed that her magic caused the Majesty's ship, from his coming forth of Denmark, to have such a rough time. With King James powerful negative opinion on Witchcraft, it is no wonder Shakespeare placed witches in and had in Macbeth allude to this by having the First sister say “ Though his bark cannot be lost, /Yet it shall be tempest-tossed” (1.3.25-26).