Supernatural In Macbeth Essay

The Influence of the Supernatural on the Atmosphere, Events, and Characters in Macbeth

In Macbeth, the supernatural have many influences on the atmosphere, events and characters. The most influential types of supernatural beings in Macbeth are the three witches. The three witches create an atmosphere of evil and misery, they play a major part in the events which occur and they have the ability to twist the faith of characters just by interacting with them.

We first get to meet the witches right at the beginning of the play, in Act 1 Scene 1, this gives us the idea that the witches are very significant. The three witches meet together in what is described as a ‘desolate place’, and meet in the climate

However, he is unafraid, probably because he is a good man and therefore the witches have no power over him. He notices the Macbeth is astonished by the witches’ predictions, Banquo comments to the witches that Macbeth is ‘rapt withal’. This is a pun, a use of a word with a double meaning, where both meanings are appropriate in different ways: Macbeth is ‘rapt’ meaning amazed, and ‘wrapped’ as in a cloak or a garment. Banquo then demands to know his own future, the witch’s prophesy tell him that his descendants shall become king one day. Refusing to answer Macbeth’s pleading questions, the witches vanish. Macbeth’s mind is plagued by the idea that Banquo children shall become king. This is the first indication that the witches have had an influence on Macbeth’s mind, Macbeth is slowly turning against his closest friend Banquo.

Ross and Angus enter the scene and Ross praises Macbeth for his victorious effort in battle. Ross reports that whilst fighting the Norwegians, Macbeth made “strange images of death”. This shows us about Macbeth’s gruesome nature as a viscous warrior who killed the Norwegians in such an ill-mannered method. Ross and Angus

The spirit tells him he has nothing to fear from any man of woman born. This reassures him. What he does not know (until the final scene of the play) is that Macduff was born by Caesarean, so in a sense he was not of woman born. The child could be representing Macduff. Both the first apparition and the second apparition repeat Macbeth’s name three times to capture his attention, this makes it more dramatic. It could also be referring to Macbeth’s three different stages of his mind, the first Macbeth was a loyal, brave, honest servant to Scotland, the second Macbeth was when his faith got twisted by the witches and this increased his thirst for power, but Macbeth still had a conscience, the third Macbeth is the current Macbeth, who is totally careless, and shall go to all limits to gain power. The final apparition is ‘a crowned child with a tree’. This may suggest Malcolm, soon to be king, who in Act 5, scene 5 orders his soldiers to cut down trees and carry them as disguise. This spirit tells Macbeth he cannot be defeated until Birnam wood comes to Dunsinane. Macbeth thinks this will never happen – but, of course,