Wyrd Sisters: Difference between revisions

The sixth novel in the ''[[Discworld]]'' series and the first to feature the three witches (Granny Weatherwax appeared earlier in ''[[Discworld/Equal Rites|Equal Rites]]''). Largely [[Twice-Told Tale|a homage to/parody of]] ''[[Macbeth]]'' and [[Shakespeare]] in general, and early modern theater practices in even-more-general.

 

 

 

As time passes, Felmet's rule stirs a growing amount of unrest in the kingdom, but Granny adamantly refuses to "meddle" in things... until a paranoid Felmet sets his sights on eliminating the perceived threat of Lancre's population of witches.

* [[Ax Crazy]]: "The duke's mind ticked like a clock, and, like a clock, it regularly went cuckoo."

* [[Blood on These Hands]]

* [[Boisterous Bruiser]]: King Verence was quite vivacious in life, as remarked upon by a fellow ghost. Naturally, this subdues somewhat after he's freed from the vices of the flesh.

* [[Catch the Conscience]]: Used as a direct parody of ''[[Hamlet]]''. The witches ''think'' this is why Tomjon and his strolling players are putting on a play about the old king's death. It isn't; they've been hired to do a propaganda piece that says Verence was a tyrant whose death was an accident. The witches then alter the play to do this themselves. Rather than feeling guilty, the Duke finally loses all connection to reality, but this still leads to a confession of sorts, so it's a result.

* [[Disney Villain Death]]: {{spoiler|Lord Felmet}}

* [[Died Happily Ever After]]: {{spoiler|Felmet seems pretty thrilled to spend eternity (or thereabouts) as a ghost. Go figure.}}

** In the [[Animated Adaptation]], C.M.O.T. Dibbler himself (or possibly his [[Inexplicably Identical Individuals|Lancrastian equivalent]]) actually does make a cameo appearance in this scene:

{{quote|'''Annoyed customer:''' Five copper pieces for a sausage in a bun?!

* [[Early Installment Weirdness]]: Granny, while much evolved from her initial appearance in ''[[Discworld/Equal Rites|Equal Rites]]'' is still a far cry from the indomitable and unshakeable [[Iron Lady]] seen in later books. Additionally, as the Discworld was still more of a standard fantasy setting at this stage, especially Ankh-Morpork, the Fools Guild is a training school for classic [[The Jester|court jesters]] rather than the school for modern circus clowns it becomes from ''[[Discworld/Men At Arms|Men At Arms]]'' on. Also, this is the only time Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg have a fight- in later books Nanny is the peacemaker who knows how to work her way around Esme Weatherwax without being confrontational and Granny usually fights with the younger witches such as Magrat and Tiffany.

* [[Expy]]: Hwel is [[William Shakespeare]].

* [[Fertile Feet]]: Sort of; Magrat is able to get through a castle door by causing the wood to remember when it was a living tree and to sprout.

* [[Fingore]]: See 'Out Damn Spot' below.

* [[Minion with an F In Evil]]: The Fool isn't happy working for Lord Felmet, but a fool must remain loyal to his master until death.

* [[Missing Mom]]: Tomjon's mother is never seen, and is only mentioned (very briefly) by Nanny Ogg at the end.

* [[Moses in the Bulrushes]]: Subverted. After the true heir to the throne of Lancre is revealed, everyone discovers he doesn't want to be king, and would rather be an actor, like his adopted father. Fortunately, an alternative heir is found when Magrat realizes he has a half-brother, who turns out to be {{spoiler|the court jester. In a further subversion, Magrat later discovers that the half-blood was not because the king disported with the jester's wife; it was because while the king was out disporting himself with the peasants, the queen got lonely}}.

* [[Noodle Implements]]: A footnote gives a very [[The Long List|interesting list]] of items relating to the death of a previous King of Lancre. Which is based on the real life multiple attempts to kill [[Implacable Man]] Rasputin, along with some more relevant royal figures who met similar fates.

* [[Not in This For Your Revolution]]: Granny argues against interfering in the affairs of kings, even after being confronted by the ''entire kingdom of Lancre'' (not its people, the ''kingdom itself''). She changes her mind after {{spoiler|the people of Lancre, thanks to Felmet, have turned on the witches, making it personal for her.}}

* [[Obfuscating Stupidity]]: The Fool is a lot smarter than he looks, and puts in some effort to stop people noticing. He still slips up occasionally:

{{quote|'What's a Zen?' [the cook] said.

She did nothing, although sometimes when she saw him in the village she'd smile in a faint, puzzled way. After three weeks of this the suspense was too much for him and he took his own life; in fact he took it all the way across the continent, where he became a reformed character and never went home again. }}

* [[Parody Magic Spell]]: "Owl hoot and glowworm glimmer. Stir, and then allow to simmer."

* [[Reality Is Unrealistic]]: The crown of Lancre, a simple gold coronet, was hidden in a box of stage props that included larger, more elaborate crowns of tinsel and glass. The real crown spent the next fifteen years ignored at the bottom of the box, because it looked so dull that the actors never used it. As anticipated by Granny, who earlier told Magrat "Things that try to look like things often do look more like things than things. Well-known fact."

* [[Red Herring]]: Felmet's hatred of trees, which even he doesn't seem to understand. This would appear to be setting up a reference to Macbeth's Dunsinane Forest moving, or possibly a [[Green Aesop]], but never pans out.

* [[The Unpronounceable]]: The demon the witches summon, WxrtHltl-jwlpklz ("Where were you when the vowels were handed out, behind the door?"). It's rather surprised when Granny (who can do anything she sets her mind to) pronounces it perfectly the first time.

* [[Victory Is Boring]]: Felmet has a minor case of this. Due to his guilt over murdering his cousin he believes ''someone'' should rise up against him in righteous anger... and is frustrated and disappointed when they don't. He seemed positively eager at the challenge the Witches presented.

* [[Whole-Plot Reference]]: ''[[Macbeth]]'', obviously.

* [[Woodland Creatures]]: Collectively, they alert Granny to the crisis, and later give ''Lancre itself'' a [[Roaring Rampage of Revenge]]. Yes, even the rabbits.

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Wyrd Sisters]]