Known as one of the darkest and most powerful of tragedies written by William Shakespeare, Macbeth is a story about a brave Scottish general who receives a prophecy from a trio of witches and carries out his ambitious plans to become king. While William Shakespeare wrote Macbeth, he was focused on the supernatural to not only interest the reader but to also highlight the concept of the play. The Elizabethan Era, the time in which Shakespeare was born, was a time in which people almost universally believed in the presence and power of the unseen. Not only the common people, but also the king shared in this belief because it was an age in which witches were known to be at work. According to yourdictionary, supernatural is something that is extraordinary …show more content…
or associated with forces we don't understand or that cannot be explained by science (“Supernatural Dictionary Definition | Supernatural Defined”).
Likewise, in Macbeth, there are many kinds of supernatural elememts that cannot be explained by the laws of science which added a deep moral and psychological significance in the play and changed the course of action by shaping the decisions made by the protagonist.
In the beginning of Act 4, the trio of sisters are waiting for Macbeth because of their plan to lead Macbeth to his downfall by making him feel over-confident. Further on in the play, Macbeth finds his way to the witches' cave and demands to know what lies ahead for him. After first meeting with the weird sisters, the situation becomes altered a little. He is now thoroughly linked with evil and is behind the murder of both the king and Banquo. In the second foretelling, Macbeth decides that he will know the answers to his inquires and his future from the masters of the witches themselves. The three witches predict what he is going to ask and produce the three apparitions which wil affect his future actions (Shakespeare 60-64). Firstly, the witches invoke an
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appiration of an armed head, which is a head with a helmet on it, that says, “Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! Beware Macduff; Beware the Thane of Fife” (63). It warns Macbeth to beware of Macduff and in turn, Macbeth thanks the apparition for serving as a warning to him, but is not very concerned. He feels that he can handle Macduff. Secondly, another apparition evokes the image of a bloody child. It says, “Be bloody, bold, and resolute; laugh to scorn The power of man, for none of woman born Shall harm” (63). These words, more potent than the first, tells Macbeth that no man born of a woman can harm him. Macbeth reacts in an overconfident way, commenting that he has no need to fear Macduff any longer. Lastly, the third apparition is a child which appears with a tree in its hand that immediately catches Macbeth's attention as a mark of royalty. It tells Macbeth not to worry because no harm can come to him until the woods of Birnam come to his castle at Dunsinane (64). Macbeth is pleased by the prophecy because he believes that a forest could never move closer to his stronghold by itself. He incorrectly concludes that he will live a full life and die of a natural cause. As a result, these apparitions crucially affect Macbeth's actions.
The first apparition confirms Macbeth’s fears and convince his thoughts that Macduff is against him. Nonetheless, Macbeth thinks he can control Macduff easily, but still wants to ensure his safety and his throne. Thus, he plans to kill Macduff, along with Macduff’s family. These drastic measure are taken because of the apparition’s influence in emboldening and making Macbeth paranoid. The second apparition tells Macbeth that there is no one born from a woman who can kill Macbeth. He is satisfied with this answer and figures that he must be safe, because he thinks that every man must be born of a woman. However, if this assumption was true, this apparition seems to contradict the first apparition that told him to beware of Macduff. The third apparition, the last of these dark specters, finish by telling Macbeth that he'll never be defeated until Birnam Wood marches against Dunsinane, the location of his royal palace. Even more so than the second apparition, this prophecy serves to bolster Macbeth's belief that he'll maintain the throne, and is reassured by his misunderstanding that the trees in a forest cannot just uproot itself and march against
him. Thus, in this way, the apparitions cause Macbeth's corruption and Macbeth's downfall. They convince Macbeth that this is his fate and as a result, Macbeth becomes overly confident, leading him to his death. The first apparition corrupts Macbeth by driving Macbeth to obsess over Macduff’s murder. The second and third apparition make Macbeth feel invincible, luring him into false security and his downfall. While Macbeth attempts to speak further with the apparition, the Witches tell him that they will not be ordered about and that he should simply listen because the apparitions know what he wants. The apparitions foreshadow how their prophecies will be fulfilled. However, in reality, the witches conjured the apparitions in order to trick Macbeth by leading him astray from his future expectations and making him overconfident, leading to his demise. In Macbeth, the supernatural is an integral part of the structure of the plot. It provides a catalyst for action, an insight into character, and augments the impact of many key scenes (“Supernatural in Shakespeare's Plays”). The supernatural elements contribute a rich texture to the play, raising the tragedy to a cosmic dimension in which we sense the power of fate as it operates in Macbeth’s life. Moreover, Shakespeare uses the supernatural in these plays as a metaphor for many different things, from the physical manifestation of Macbeth’s immoral acts to his guilty conscience. However, what is arguably most important about Shakespeare’s use of the supernatural is not the form it takes, but the way in which it is used as a dramatic device that disrupts the audience’s expectations and forces them into engaging with the play’s central themes and issues. The use of supernatural events plays a key role in making the play flow while making the play more interesting. Also, the supernatural plays a large role in spawning an atmosphere of evil, foreshadowing future events, and defying earthly laws so that the play itself is not within the realm of what we know as common knowledge. In fact, the use of the supernatural, brought by the dramatist, is in the closest relation with the characters and action (Doak, “Supernatural Soliciting in Shakespeare”). It is also useful to intensify the atmosphere of horror and dread in the plays. The supernatural element contributes to the action as it gives a confirmation and distinct form to the inner workings of the hero’s mind. Yet, the influence of the supernatural element is not a compulsive one. We never feel that it has removed the hero’s capacity or responsibility of dealing with the situation in his own way. It is merely suggestive; the hero is free to accept it or to reject it. But, the hero follows the suggestive one, in this way and the supernatural element hastens the downfall of the hero. The influence of the witches on the action of the play is great. It is an indicative more than an obsessive one. The second meeting with the witches, while they still have no power to compel Macbeth to do wrong and immoral deeds, they do have the ability to deceive him. They fill him with the feeling of false-security and enable him to act foolishly and recklessly. Macbeth has the power to reject their advice, but he does not do so because he is completely overtaken by his evil desires and wants to fulfill his dreams. The actions of Macbeth are not forced upon him by any external power. They come out of his hands only. He is completely free to do whatever he likes without the orders of the witches. Their prediction might have come true without shedding any single drop of blood. No hints, plans, or any kind of schemes come from the witches for the brutal and most vicious crimes of Duncan, Banquo or the cruel slaughter of Lady Macduff and her children. The responsibility for such crimes is entirely from Macbeth. Throughout the play, Macbeth is strongly influenced by the supernatural events such as apparitions of severed head, bloody child, and crowned child. These supernatural beings influence Macbeth’s action to be more cruel, violent and overestimate the value of his power. Through Macbeth, William Shakespeare uses a perfect example of the supernatural and makes Macbeth one of the most didactic plays and emotionally intense plays. This is possible because despite the evidence of science or eyewitness evidence, the majority of the people in the age of Shakespeare believed in witchcraft and superstition. Shakespeare copes with his age to make his plays successful by using the supernatural which relates with the character closely and affects the actions of the protagonist.
The Weïrd Sisters were thoughtful in their mind-tricking prophecies, compelling Macbeth to take action to make their predictions become true. A little truth in the prophecies convinced him that the rest of the predictions would come true and gives him the ideas of “[his] black and deep desires” to kill his king (Doc A). The Weïrd Sisters’ apparitions tell of important factors that will lead to Macbeth’s defeat. However, Macbeth overlooks many of the details in understanding their importance such as when the Third Apparition tells that he will not be defeated unless “Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane hill/Shall come against him.” Macbeth believes that he will never face defeat because “That will never be” (Doc D). This deceit is also demonstrated when Macbeth is about to face Macduff in battle and learns from him that “Macduff was from his mother’s womb/Untimely ripp’d…” (Doc E). At this point, Macbeth realizes his misguidedness and accepts his
Macbeth is a play written by Shakespeare that is set in eleventh century Scotland. It details the life of the Macbeth, a brave and noble man who is described as ‘Bellona’s bridegroom’ (1.3.54), specifically the events after he meets three supernatural creatures who tell him about his fate. The reader should see Macbeth as a great man whose ambition for security leads to his downfall. Ambitions and manipulation from his wife cause him to commit Duncan’s murder, but this particular murder does not relate to Macbeth’s downfall. This man’s ambition for the crown turns into ambition for security after he becomes king, causing him to kill more to keep his unrightful kingship safe. There are a lot of supernatural occurrences in this play, but Macbeth is not wholly influenced by the prophecies or apparitions. Shakespeare wanted the modern viewer to see how ambition and over-confidence can lead man to his downfall. Macbeth represents this perfectly.
In fear of losing this power to his friend Banquo or his son Fleance, whom of which the witches said would be king after Macbeth and would yield a long line of kings, Macbeth had them murdered in the woods while they were out horseback riding. This proves that he truly believes in what the witches have to say about him and his future, which leads him to back to seek out more of the witches half truths to see what else would come of his future. The next set of prophecies that the witches had to offer were shown in a set of three apparitions. The first said “Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! Beware Macduff. Beware the thane of Fife,” the second apperition then spoke “none of woman born can harm Macbeth,” the third aperition then said “Macbeth shall never vanquish’d be until Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill Shall come against him”(Shakespeare,168-170). Some say it was the witches fault for Macbeth’s actions next, but in reality it was Macbeth’s and Macbeth’s alone. Due to these three prophecies Macbeth’s level of arrogance went up along with his hunger for power as well, his level of common sense was decreasing faster and faster. Macbeth’s lack of common sense caused him to make rash decisions without thinking them through. Such as when he says “From this moment the very firstlings of my
Supernatural Aspects of the Characters and Settings in Macbeth The supernatural has always intrigued mankind. People gather around to hear ghost stories and see enchanted medallions. Shakespeare realized people's fascination with the supernatural and used it in many of his tragedies. Macbeth is one of William Shakespeare's tragedies about a man, Macbeth, who wishes to become king of Scotland after being told, by three witches, that his destiny is to rule Scotland.
In William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the supernatural and the role they play in motivating characters is apparent throughout the duration of the play. The supernatural is what causes conflict in the play and the prophecies from the witches in act one scene three is the inciting action in the piece. The supernatural causes the future conflict by motivating Macbeth to kill Duncan so he could become king of Scotland. Through temptation, the supernatural motivates characters to think arrogantly and for their own benefit. The supernatural in Macbeth presents prophecies which tempt Macbeth and Banquo with the idea of power. This leads Macbeth to contradict his loyal and courageous personality by planning a treacherous murder on Duncan with the arrogant intention of becoming king and later killing other characters in the play with the only purpose of keeping his own powers. Both Macbeth and Banquo were also tempted by the original prophecies and showed clear motivation to act upon them. However, there is a clear contrast between the immediacy in which the two characters began taking actions and the logic put into their decisions.
vision, the ghost and the apparitions-these are all key elements in this play. I think that the supernatural means that it does not belong to the natural world. As there was no scenery or lighting, the actors (as women) were not. allowed to enter or act in theatres) would have a bigger effect on the audience and would really bring out the supernatural elements in Macbeth. Around the time that Macbeth was written people believed in witchcraft and the wizardry.
The third apparition presented to Macbeth was in the form of a crowned child holding a tree in its hand, saying not to fear defeat until Birnam Wood comes to Dunsinane. Macbeth was confused by this apparition and seems to ignore
Lady Macbeth created her own monster. Lady Macbeth’s plan made Macbeth commit an act that is out of his character. Therefore, Lady Macbeth made Macbeth feel as though he had an extreme amount of power. However, the Wayard witches are also at fault for Macbeth’s tragic flaw. The three apparitions towards the end of the play is a prime example of how the witches contributed to Macbeth’s self downfall. Once Macbeth killed Duncan, he had to continue to kill other people off to protect himself and his wife. Also, when his wife passed away Macbeth stated that it was just her time to go. Furthermore, this shows that fate has complete control over Macbeth. He is even thinking that things are happening because they are supposed to, he is brainwashed by the wicked sisters (Jorgensen). Macbeth says, “Bring me no more reports; let them fly all! Till Birnam Wood remove to Dunsinane I cannot taint with fear.” (5.3.1-3). This is evidence proving that Macbeth believes what the witches are saying, as it is one of their
While studying about a certain historical period, one should not dismiss the inventions of such period, for they possess an indispensable role in revealing the thoughts of that period’s inhabitants. The most popular type of historical inventions for examining the perspectives of the retrospective people is the literary works of the past. And while scrutinizing a piece of literature, one should pay close attention to the author’s words and their meanings, which disclose the literary elements in that piece. The literary elements, in turn, largely contribute to the meaning of that whole piece and most significantly, the author’s view about the world. Knowledge regarding the author’s view is the key towards the people’s perspectives, their values,
In both Hamlet and Macbeth, the supernatural plays a very important role. Supernatural elements are crucial to the plot and they also have a more thematic part as well. Shakespeare presents the ghost in Hamlet, and the witches and ghost in Macbeth, as disrupting elements that not only enhance drama, but also tear apart the existing order of things. They force the title character of each play to undergo their own internal struggle that grows from their insecurity of living up to the image of a man.
As stated by the great Polish Novelist Joseph Conrad, “The belief in a supernatural source of evil is not necessary; men alone are quite capable of every wickedness.” (Brainy Quotes). Ah the supernatural, a silver tongued devil with the charisma of a spick and span car salesman. While many overlook the supernatural, this literary element can be the driving force in many stories that both develop plot, and hint towards the outcome of the story. Macbeth specifically has a large spectrum to which supernatural aspects are applied. Mainly these are in the forms of Prophecies, and or symbolic items. The supernatural elements in Macbeth play an importance in the plot and how the past actions of the characters affects the future.
During the age of Shakespeare, people unanimously believed that their world was filled and surrounded by unexplainable occurrences controlled by powerful and incomprehensible beings. This mentality still resides today in the form of the “supernatural” . The supernatural is something that cannot be explained, understood or in some cases proven by natural means. Macbeth is filled with the supernatural causing the main theme of the story to become heavily influenced by strange phenomenon. The theme of destruction is caused when ambition goes unchecked by moral constraints, is influenced by the witches and Macbeth's own collapsing mind as they all push him to abandon any morals he once had.
The deliberately ambiguous apparitions play on Macbeth’s hubris and they make him feel so overconfident that he feels invincible and unstoppable. In his castle, Macbeth jokes that he will never fail “till Birnam wood remove to Dunsinane” (V.iii.2) thinking that the apparition literally means that the forest will pick itself up and move to Dunsinane which he thinks is impossible despite all the supernatural events he has experienced. However, the forest does not move by itself but it does move to Dunsinane because of Malcolm’s ingenious strategy. As Malcolm approaches Macbeth’s castle with the English forces, he orders each soldier to cut off the branches of the trees of Birnam Wood to use as camouflage. This greatly contributes to Macbeth’s downfall since he was nowhere near ready for an invasion of the English forces. However, because of his hubris, he is still confident that he is unstoppable as he believes no one “borne a woman” (V.iii.6) can harm him. Unbeknown to him, Macduff was born through a caesarean section and thus not “borne” so much as “taken” from a woman. This lack of access to the entire truth sees Macbeth eventually
...he supernatural is one element in Macbeth that was used cleverly by Shakespeare to get various messages across to the audience. The messages are brought across between the lines of the plays which requires audiences to reflect critically to get the underlying meaning of his play. Shakespeare did not merely show ghosts and witches in the supernatural as a thriller, but also tied in the political and religious aspects of the society during his time.
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.