Macbeth, Supernatural and Allusion
Supernatural occurrences and allusion are an integral part of the plot structure of Shakespeare’s Macbeth. They have an impact on much of the action of the play and provide insight into many of the characters. Tapping into the common belief in the supernatural that was predominant in his time, Shakespeare used these superstitions to entertain his audiences. In Macbeth, Shakespeare manages to include both allusions and actual characters that refer to supernatural beliefs such as the presence of witches and ghosts.
Beginning with the opening scene of Act I, when the three witches, or “weird sisters” appear on the plane, the use of the supernatural in Macbeth begins. And, although they are very weird and strange,
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the three sisters are actually “wyrd”, an Old English term meaning fate or destiny (Mabillard 2010), an allusion to fortune telling. And as the play progresses the three do foretell what will happen during the course of the action and in doing so, they predict the fate of Macbeth, and other characters. In Act I, Scene 3, when they encounter the Macbeth and Banquo for the first time, the weird sisters tell them that Macbeth will someday become King and that Banquo will be a father of kings. Macbeth takes what they say at face value and Banquo expresses doubt at their prophecies. He sees the evil in them while Macbeth does not (perhaps because they are saying what Macbeth wants to hear). Banquo thinks if the prophecy will come true, it will do so on its own, while Macbeth believes that he has to make it come true himself. Banquo, being leery of the witches to begin with, says “And oftentimes, to win us to our harm, the instruments of darkness tell us truths”, (1.3.123-4) A common idea in the Christian Bible is that the prince of darkness, Satan, uses Holy Scripture to lead us into sin. In Corinthians 11.13-14 we are told, "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ” (Authorized Version, 1907). The witches then vanish into the air. But they have planted a seed in Macbeth’s mind. They also make a lasting impression on the reader or audience. In Macbeth, Act I, Scene 2, there is reference to “Bellona’s bridegroom”. Bellona was the goddess of war (Guralnik, 1980) and this reference alludes to the bravery that Macbeth has shown on the battlefield fighting for King Duncan and his cause. Because of his bravery, in this battle among others, Macbeth is elevated in stature to Thane of Cawdor. Remembering that the witches had called him by that name and as future King when they first met him, Macbeth begins to believe that they were indeed foretelling the future. But he is aware that for him to be King something has to happen to King Duncan, who conveniently decides to visit Macbeth and his wife. The murder plot takes root. After he arrives home, Macbeth discusses the crime with Lady Macbeth and decides to go through with the murder of Duncan.
As he sits alone waiting for the signal which will summon him to murder Duncan, he thinks about his decision one final time. Macbeth’s vivid imagination and feelings of guilt conjure up a vision of a floating dagger. Although Macbeth knows that the dagger is an optical illusion, he allows the blood stained dagger to get to him. During Macbeth’s soliloquy in Act II, Scene 1, the utilization of successive allusions to people and practices which raise images of satanic and earthly evil is very apparent. References to Hecate, the goddess of witchcraft (Guralnik, 1980) and a forceful presence overall in Macbeth, and to “Murder himself” (Shakespeare, 2014) could have convinced Macbeth of the ultimate wickedness of his impending actions. However, he is too far immersed in the plan. The sound of the bell, which is a death knell for Duncan and a signal from Lady Macbeth that Duncan's chamberlains are asleep, interrupt any thoughts of remorse that Macbeth may have. If given more time to think about it, would Macbeth have changed his mind and therefore also changed the course of the …show more content…
play? Also in Act II, after the murder of Duncan is committed and Macbeth has returned to Lady Macbeth, they relay to one another that they heard things that were not said and noises that were not made. Madness seems to have taken hold of both of them. Macbeth is left alone for a short time and while looking at the blood on his hands, he wonders if all of the water from Neptune’s, the god of the sea, (Guralnik, 1980), ocean could wash the blood off of them and the guilt away from him. Later, in Act V, Scene 1 Lady Macbeth is plagued by the same type of guilty dilemma – she has started sleepwalking and is observed in her sleep mimicking the action of washing her hands continuously and saying things like’ “Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him?” (5.1.43). The guilt they both are experiencing is manifesting itself in bloody hands, ghosts, strange visions, and apparitions. When Macbeth has Banquo murdered in Act III, Scene 3, he suffers another episode of surreal images resulting from his guilt.
The Macbeth’s fancy banquet to celebrate Macbeth being crowned king is partially a cover to conceal another murder. They invite all of the noblemen and Banquo is noticeably absent. During a toast the ghost of Banquo appears and sits in Macbeth’s seat, and of course Macbeth freaks out in front of everyone who is present, after all, he knows that Banquo is dead. Banquo’s apparition seems to remind Macbeth of the deceitful course he has chosen. The ghost disappears and then re-appears and Macbeth again loses his cool. The now worried noblemen leave. Later, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth try to explain away his apparitions due to lack of sleep and his fear. Macbeth always seems conscious of his evil choices, yet he cannot stop himself from causing further
carnage. The witches return in Act IV, Scene 1. After all of the strange things that have happened to him, Macbeth feels the need to consult with them about his future. The witches add some ingredients to their cauldron and the first of the three apparitions appear, an armed head warns Macbeth that Macduff is coming back to Scotland to ruin him. The second apparition is a bloody child, who tells Macbeth that no man born of a woman can do him harm. This gives Macbeth confidence because Macduff is living. The final apparition is that of a child wearing a crown and holding a tree. It declares: Macbeth shall never vanquish'd be until Great Birnam wood to high Dunsinane hill Shall come against him (4.1.87-90). Which Macbeth interprets as the woods will have to uproot and move to Dunsinane hill before he is conquered. And this seems impossible. However, all three of the apparitions bear the truth. The opposing army has taken branches from the trees in Birnam and is using them as camouflage to approach Macbeth’s castle, so it appears that the woods are indeed moving to Dunsinane. Macduff does return to Scotland with Malcolm’s army to fight Macbeth and as he defeats Macbeth, he tells him that he, Macduff, was 'untimely ripped' from his mother when he was born. Macbeth now realizes that the weird sisters have tricked him with their witchery. Would Macbeth have chosen the path he did without the guidance of the witches, the encouragement of Lady Macbeth to pursue the evil course, or the allusions and illusions he experienced throughout the play? He was a good man and a brave warrior who was faithful to his king and country. But it did not take much, only the suggestion from the witches, to start Macbeth on his quest for power and greatness and everything that led to the destruction of many innocent people and the ultimate demise of Macbeth himself.
History has been filled with evil people doing evil things for power whether that means killing or putting other people down. The truth is everyone wants power and once that power is gained they will do whatever to maintain it. In the play Macbeth written by Shakespeare the main character receives a prophecy from witches (wierd sisters) telling him he will become king. Acting in response Macbeth kills the king and soon becomes the new king. The play follows his story as he struggles to maintain his power and battles against those threaten his rule. In Act 3 scene 1, Macbeth's’ soliloquy about Banquo, his best friend, expresses the tones of fear, jealousy, and anger through the literary devices of metaphors, repetition, and foreshadowing, which
Following this murder, Macbeth sees Banquo's ghost at the banquet. He is filled with feelings of regret and, as a result of his troubled mind, sees Banquo's ghost.
As the play continues the supernatural is used more. Act 1 Scene 3 is Macbeth’s first meeting with the witches, and is also the first time the audience sees or experiences the witches’ supernatural abilities.
In the play of Macbeth we notice the works of how the supernatural can control or change
Macbeth is told that Banquo is dead, but Fleance has escaped and Macbeth says that Fleance is like a serpent and will not be a problem just yet but will eventually become one. Macbeth then see Banquo’s ghost at the table and stops dead in his tracks, with horror on his face he begins talking to the ghost. Lady Macbeth covers the scene with saying that Macbeth has delusions. The ghost leaves and then the table makes a toast to Banquo and the ghost reenters causing Macbeth to scream at the ghost to leave, his wife, once again covers his outbursts with saying that he has delusions and they bid the lord farewell. Macbeth says that he will go see the weird sisters and says that he is not in his right senses. The three witches meet with Hecate,
The legendary plot of Macbeth, like those of many Shakespearean plays, relies heavily on the influence of the supernatural. The play itself reflects on the dark inane tendencies of humans to be evil, especially when faced with a thirst for power. Throughout its course, the reader is able to witness a man’s transformation from a brave soldier to a murdering madman. Without the impact of certain apparitions, hallucinations, and three bearded witches, the events of the story would not have unfolded as they did. The root evil is first planted in the minds of two ambitious people, creating in their minds a projection of how things will turn out. Unbeknownst to our two leading lunatics, the eventual outcome of the play will not be the scenario drawn up in their twisted minds.
William Shakespeare, in my opinion starts the play off with supernatural beliefs. The first of characters to speak are the three witches. I feel that the witches are a supernatural element that Shakespeare used. The introduction of the witches depicts the plan they had to meet Macbeth. I would describe the witches as a set of mysterious characters that plot mischief against Macbeth using things such as the apparitions. There predictions are what I think caused Macbeth to par...
These apparitions, if done right, could potentially be visually spectacular, having a serious impact on the audience, invoking fear and terror. These supernatural elements, combined with Shakespeare’s use of language and possible stagecraft, will have a dramatic effect on the audience as Shakespeare intended. In conclusion, supernatural elements feature throughout Macbeth, from the witches to apparitions and daggers. The only elements of the occult present in Macbeth, if we are to abide by the given definition, are the characters of the witches. In order for the dramatic effect that Shakespeare intended for the play to have on its audience, which it did in front of an Elizabethan audience, then a heavy amount of stagecraft concerning costumes, scenery and props will have to be applied to the performance.
In the time of William Shakespeare there was a strong belief in the existence of the supernatural. Therefore, the supernatural is a recurring theme in many of Shakespeare's plays. In two such plays, Hamlet and Macbeth, the supernatural is an integral part of the structure of the plot. It provides a catalyst for action, an insight into character, and an augmentation of the impact of many key scenes.
Taking the view I do of Lay Macbeth's character, I cannot accept the idea (held, I believe, by her great representative, Mrs. Siddons) that in the banquet scene the ghost of Banquo, which appears to Macbeth, is seen at the same time by his wife, but that, in consequence of her greater command over herself, she not only exhibits no sign of perceiving the apparition, but can, with its hideous form and gesture within a few fee of her, rail at Macbeth in that language of scathing irony . . . (117)
The Importance of the Supernatural in Macbeth by William Shakespeare The supernatural is to play an essential part in the play 'Macbeth'; this is made clear from the first paragraph of the play, when the three witches are introduced. It is represented in many different forms, mainly: the witches, the dagger and the ghost of Banquo. Shakespeare's use of imagery and creative language in the play creates tension, fear and clearly displays the importance of the supernatural theme. At the start of the play, the supernatural is disguised in the form of nature, in this case a storm. Shakespeare uses pathetic fallacy to describe the strong force of nature- "Thunder and lightning - Enter three Witches.
In the play Macbeth, the supernatural plays a major role in affecting Macbeth’s choices. The play features many moments in which the supernatural is especially prevalent. Throughout the play, the supernatural is seen motivating Macbeth’s actions in three ways, by using witches, ghosts, and visions. The three witches otherwise referred to as the “weird sisters” play the biggest role in motivating Macbeth’s actions. In the first act, Macbeth and Banquo first encounter the witches.
In the English Renaissance, there was a strong belief in the existence of the supernatural. Thus, the supernatural is a recurring aspect in William Shakespeare 's Macbeth and is an integral and important part of the plot. The role of the supernatural in Macbeth is to bring out emotional reactions within Macbeth that cloud his judgement, affecting his actions which ultimately leads to his downfall. This is demonstrated through the ambiguous prophecies of the witches, the supernatural phenomenon that Macbeth sees, and the apparitions that foreshadow how he will meet his end.
The supernatural was a popular element in many of the plays written in Shakespeare's time (including Hamlet) and everyone of Shakespeare's time found the supernatural fascinating. Even King James I took a special interest in the supernatural and wrote a book, Daemonologie, on witchcraft. It must be remembered that, in Shakespeare's day, supernatural referred to things that were "above Nature"; things which existed, but not part of the normal human life and unexplainable. The play Macbeth involves many supernatural actions that act as a catalyst for suspense and thrill, insight into character, foreshadowing of future events as well as making connections with the theme. In the opening scene of the play, the entrance of the three witches depicts the first presence of supernatural in Macbeth.
To conclude Shakespeare used the supernatural, to show how easily someone’s fatal flaw can be exploited to bring them to an end. This is extremely relevant to his audience at that time as well, no one knows, but Shakespeare could have been a non believer in the supernatural and wanted to show it as a figment of the mind, that can only result in insanity or he could have believed the popular opinion that the supernatural did exist and caused terror and evil throughout that period. Either way he wrote Macbeth in such a way to leave questions about the supernatural in peoples mind.