And similarly, fairies are defined as enchantresses, commonly taking a small and dainty human form. Nymphs are generally regarded as goddesses of the mountains, forests, or waters, and they possess a great deal of youthful beauty. Holinshed's sisters are 'creatures of the elderwood. Notable changes are also made by Shakespeare in his depiction of Holinshed's three Weird Sisters, and it is apparent that the alterations are implemented partially to instill trepidation in the audience. I discuss Shakespeare's changes in An Analysis of Shakespeare's Sources for Macbeth: In Shakespeare's primary source for Macbeth, Holinshed's Chronicles, the Weird Sisters are "goddesses of destinee", but they are far more sinister in Shakespeare's version. Thus the Weird Sisters are foretellers of Macbeth's fate. Weird here comes from the Anglo-Saxon wyrd, and means fate or destiny.
Our modern-day meaning of weird, i.e., odd or strange, is not really accurate. In the Folio edition the spelling is weyward. Why are the Three Witches referred to as the Weird Sisters?
0 kommentar(er)
