The Influence of the Witches on Macbeth The witches are influential because the use of their supernatural powers lead Macbeth to the decision of killing the king to open the way of the third prophecy to come true. In Act 1 Macbeth is given three prophecies. The first two prophecies are that Macbeth will become Thane of Glamis and Thane of Cawdor. The first prophecy has been fulfilled because the death of Macbeth’s father made him the Thane of Glamis. The second prophecy was fulfilled shortly after the witches left when Ross and Angus arrived to tell Macbeth that the king has named him Thane of Cawdor. The three witches used their supernatural powers to predict the future which led to the prophecies. When the first two prophecies came true, Macbeth immediately becomes curious about the third prophecy which was “All hail, Macbeth! That shalt be king hereafter” (Third Witch 53). Because of the witches supernatural powers to predict the future and because they were right, Macbeth thought about killing Duncan. Macbeth says “Two truths are told, as happy prologues to the swelling act of the imperial theme” (137-139). Macbeth thinks that because the first two prophecies were correct that he will soon become king. Macbeth immediately thinks of killing Duncan as a way to open the way for the third prophecy. The supernatural powers of the witch were the start of what lead Macbeth to want to kill the king. The witches predicted the future and their prophecies were right. Macbeth