THE THREE WITCHES AND MACBETH – THE GENESIS OF A SELF-FULFILLING PROPHECY

Abstract

The paper explores the tragedy Macbeth through the concept of selffulfilling prophecy introduced by sociologist Robert Merton. The purpose of the paper is to demonstrate that the entire plot of the play is initiated and completed based on a self-fulfilling prophecy. It originates from Macbeth's first encounter with the Three Witches, which is also taken as the main object of examination in the paper. By analyzing the characters of Macbeth and the Three Witches, the paper argues that the witches are a condition but not a cause of the hero's criminal acts. They only place him on the edge between good and evil, where he should make his own choices.