Macbeth and Voldemort or Shakespeare and J.K. Rowling

(Source for "The Weird Sisters" picture - My Two Sickles -
http://www.wizardnews.com/blog/harry-potter/hogwarts-rocks-on-the-new-dvd.html )


(A bit bored. Just copied and pasted something I posted a while back in a Harry Potter website. Some minor changes have been made from the original work.)

Some time ago, I was watching a musical group on the TV. Well, this was the group my older son had previously told me was cast to play the "Weird Sisters" for Goblet of Fire.

Then it struck me that the "Weird Sisters" was what the three witches in Macbeth were called. So, I went on-line to check for the "Weird Sisters" being mentioned in Macbeth. Well, I'm glad a reference to "Weird Sisters" was in Act I.

Macbeth – Act I, scene 3

. . . ALL (Three witches dancing in a ring)

The weird sisters, hand in hand,
Posters of the sea and land,
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.

Enter MACBETH and BANQUO . . .

But what does the “Weird Sisters” have to do with Voldemort. Both Macbeth and Voldemort in part live their lives because of a Prophecy. In fact Macbeth has four Prophecies that applied to him. All four of these Prophecies are given to Macbeth by these three “Weird Sisters”.

Macbeth four Prophecies are

. . . . . . 1. Macbeth will become Thane of Cawdor.

. . . . . . 2. Macbeth will become King of Scotland.

. . . . . . 3. Macbeth will be defeated

“As from your graves rise up, and walk like sprites, . . . Great Birnam wood to high Dunsinane hill Shall come against him.”

(Birnam wood is the forest that is near the King’s castle Dunsinane.)

.

. . . . . . 4. Macbeth cannot be killed

“To one of woman born”. (The wording is very important.)
.

. .1. Well, Macbeth did nothing to become Thane of Cawdor. Duncan the King rewarded Macbeth with this new title.

. .2. But to become King of Scotland, Macbeth killed Duncan. Duncan’s sons fled and everyone was convinced that Duncan’s sons were responsible for Duncan’s death. The argument was why would Duncan’s sons have fled if they were innocent.

Just as Peter Pettigrew was thought innocent and was awarded the Order of Merlin. (It is only later we knew that Peter framed Sirius in the murders of James and Lily.) So, Macbeth was thought innocent though bloodstained from killing the two men that were guarding Duncan.

Macbeth claimed to have found Duncan murdered and in a rage Macbeth slew Duncan’s two guards. When Duncan’s sons fled, everyone was convinced that Duncan’s sons certainly had hired the two guards to murder their father. Macbeth was too loyal to have killed Duncan. Just as Pettigrew was too meek to have anything to do with the murders of James and Lily.

. .3. In regards to the third Prophecy - How do trees walk? Well, the soldiers attacking Dunsinane were ordered to cut some trees down and then tied the branches to their bodies. So when they attacked, it appeared as if Birnam woods was walking to high Dunsinane.

;-) But before I write about the final Prophecy, I need to mention a Fifth Prophecy.

The Fifth Prophecy was given to Banquo (Macbeth’s friend). The “Weird Sisters” predicted that his descendants will become future Kings of Scotland. After becoming first Thane and then King, Macbeth was convinced that this Fifth Prophecy for Banquo would come true.

So, Macbeth decided he could intervene with Destiny/Fate. Two men, traitors to Duncan, are hired by Macbeth to kill both Banquo and his son.

But, Destiny/Fate cannot be tampered with and Banquo’s son escaped. Sounds familiar, didn’t Voldemort tamper with Destiny/Fate and also failed to kill Harry allowing him to also escape. In Voldemort’s Prophecy, Harry was the “One born in the seventh month.”

. . 4. Finally to a closing scene from Macbeth. This is the fulfillment of the Final Prophecy of Macbeth. Again, Macbeth will not dead “To one of woman born”.

Macbeth – Act V, scene 8

. . . Enter MACDUFF

MACDUFF
Turn, hell-hound, turn!

MACBETH
Of all men else I have avoided thee:
But get thee back; my soul is too much charged
With blood of thine already.

MACDUFF
I have no words:
My voice is in my sword: thou bloodier villain
Than terms can give thee out!

(They fight)

MACBETH
Thou losest labour:
As easy mayst thou the intrenchant air
With thy keen sword impress as make me bleed:
Let fall thy blade on vulnerable crests;
I bear a charmed life, which must not yield,
To one of woman born.

MACDUFF
Despair thy charm;
And let the angel whom thou still hast served
Tell thee, Macduff was from his mother's womb
Untimely ripp'd.

For those unfamiliar with Middle English – “ . . . Macduff was from his mother's womb Untimely ripp'd” in Modern English translates to – “Macduff was removed from his (dead) mother’s womb by C-section.”

So, technically Macduff was never born by a woman. We can assume either Macduff’s mother was dead and Macduff ripped or cut-out from her womb or if Macduff was delivered by C-section then it really wasn’t a vaginal birth. Also doesn't Voldemort believe he has a "charmed life". *Cough*Horcruxes*Cough*

“I believe JKR is leading us to a similar moment. When the Prophecy is fulfilled and we also finally understand the Prophecy.” ;-) GC

(For original post - http://wc6.worldcrossing.com/webx?14@@.1ddebebc/324 )

PS My older sister took the family to see Harry Potter and Order of the Phoenix on July 11th.

PPS I really liked the 5th Harry Potter film.

PPPS If you haven't guessed, I'm a bit of a Pottermaniac. ;-) GC