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.
Act I, Scene 3 · The Three Witches
Context
The three witches perform a ritual chant and circular dance as they prepare to greet Macbeth and Banquo.
Analysis
The phrase "wound up" treats their spell as a mechanical device being set into motion, suggesting their magic operates with the impersonal precision of clockwork rather than supernatural whimsy. The triple repetition of "thrice" and the totaling to nine impose strict numerical order on the ritual, making the magic feel rule-bound and inevitable. This mechanical quality makes the prophecies that follow seem less like possibilities Macbeth can ignore and more like a trap already sprung.
Essay Tip
Support a thesis that Shakespeare presents fate not as mystical destiny but as a machinery that, once activated, operates with cold logical force—this frame makes Macbeth's choices feel less free even before he hears a single prophecy.