‘Double Double Toil and Trouble’, this famous chant is from ‘Song of the Witches’. Written by legendary English playwright, William Shakespeare, it features in the play Macbeth, Act IV, Scene 1. The full title of the play is The Tragedy of Macbeth. It is thought to have first been performed in 1606. It is still acted out in film and on stages around the world today.
William Shakespeare
A poster for a c.1884 American production of Macbeth, starring Thomas W. Keene.
The Song of the Witches and Macbeth
The story is about obtaining power for the sake of having power. The protagonist is Macbeth a brave Scottish General. Early in the story, he receives a prophecy from 3 witches that one day he will be King of Scotland. Encouraged by his wife, he becomes consumed with ambition. Macbeth ends up murdering King Duncan and becomes King of Scotland. Once he has the power he does everything in his power to keep it.
The Song of the Witches and the evil spell it casts upon Macbeth see him descend into a dark and twisted man who has to commit terrible atrocities to stay in power.
This piece of literature influenced the perception of witches and the history of Halloween.
Song of the Witches by William Shakespeare
Macbeth, Act IV, Scene 1.
Round about the cauldron go:
In the poisoned entrails throw.
Toad, that under cold stone
Days and nights has thirty-one
Sweated venom sleeping got,
Boil thou first i’ the charmed pot.
Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn and cauldron bubble.
Fillet of a fenny snake,
In the cauldron boil and bake;
Eye of newt and toe of frog,
Wool of bat and tongue of dog,
Adder’s fork and blind-worm’s sting,
Lizard’s leg and owlet’s wing.
For a charm of powerful trouble,
Like a hell-broth boil and bubble.
Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn and cauldron bubble.
Scale of dragon, tooth of wolf,
Witch’s mummy, maw and gulf
Of the ravin’d salt-sea shark,
Root of hemlock digg’d i’ the dark,
Liver of blaspheming Jew;
Gall of goat; and slips of yew
Sliver’d in the moon’s eclipse;
Nose of Turk, and Tartar’s lips;
Finger of birth-strangled babe
Ditch-deliver’d by a drab,
Make the gruel thick and slab:
Add thereto a tiger’s chaudron,
For the ingredients of our cauldron.
Double, double toil and trouble,
Fire burn and cauldron bubble.
Cool it with a baboon’s blood,
Then the charm is firm and good.
Song of the Witches Glass Cutting Board
Available in the Mad Halloween Shop
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