Natural vs. Unnatural
The term supernatural was first used in 1520-30 AD. The definition of supernatural is “that which is not subject to the laws of physics, or more figuratively, that which is said to exist above and beyond nature” (“Supernatural”). The term supernatural, or unnatural, refers to paranormal, religions, and magic. Macbeth was written in 1606 and contains many of the unnatural elements listed above. In Macbeth, the supernatural plays a huge part in the play. The play is more focused on the unnatural element than the natural element. The element of unnatural is shown through the three weird sister witches, the deaths that occur in the play, and Banquo's ghost.
The three weird sisters present the first and the main unnatural element of the play. The very first scene of the play introduces the witches and how they will later impact Macbeth's life. The witches say, "When the hurlyburly's done, when the battle's lost and won." (Shakespeare 5 ln 3-4). This is an allusion to the battle between Macbeth and Macdonwald. The witches are proclaiming that they will meet again after this battle to meet Macbeth. In Act I Scene III, the witches summon Macbeth and Banquo and tell them their prophecies. In this scene, not only are the witches unnatural, but they are telling about the future of Macbeth and Banquo. Knowing the future falls can also be called divination, which is a category that falls under supernatural theme. To Macbeth, the three weird sisters say, "All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Glamis! / All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor! / All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter!" (Shakespeare 15 ln 47-50). The witches give Banquo three paradoxes about his future: "Lesser than Macbeth, and greater...
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...ect that critics look at when considering the ghost of Banquo is that his ghost represents Macbeth’s guilt about having his best friend murdered. However, whether or not Macbeth is mentally ill and seeing the ghost or seeing the ghost because it is truly there, Banquo’s ghost is part of the supernatural world.
In conclusion, Macbeth contains more unnatural elements than natural elements. The supernatural elements in Macbeth are shown through the witches, the murders in the play, Lady Macbeth’s suicide, and Banquo’s ghost. The supernatural elements that Shakespeare wrote about in 1606 are very closely related to supernatural elements thought of in modern day times.
Works Cited
Shakespeare, William. Macbeth. Ed. David Bevingtin
And David Scott Kastan. New York: Bantam
Dell. 2005. Print.
"Supernatural." Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 06 Dec. 2013.
In the play of Macbeth we notice the works of how the supernatural can control or change
In the early scenes of Act I we see Macbeth and Banquo encounter the ‘three weird sisters’. It is Macbeth who first receives the prophetic words of the three witches. “All hail,
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...
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.
There are many types of supernatural phenomena in William Shakespeare's Macbeth. No matter which form each phenomena took, such as a witch or ghost, they all acted as a type of catalyst. When Macbeth first met the witches, they told him he would be a king and when Macbeth saw his friend Banquo's ghost, it set him off on a downward spiral. The Supernatural phenomena all influenced Macbeth and his wife to do things that they would never have thought of doing such as killing King Duncan. All of the projected outcomes came true, however the eventual outcomes that Macbeth and Lady Macbeth predicted did not.
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.
The supernatural was believed by everyone from the educated to the non-educated. When something was not explainable they would relate that problem to the supernatural, even though today that same problem was explainable in scientific. terms. The.. & nbsp; The witches in this play are named by Shakespeare as the "weird Sisters". These witches had all the features of witches in those days: old people, dirty.
From the very beginning of the play, supernatural and unnatural forces have inspired and encouraged Macbeth. They interfere with natural events and completely change the character of Macbeth and his wife. Witches, apparitions, ghosts, and other unnatural images are used to demonstrate the evil effects and consequences those forces can have. Shakespeare is successful in telling his audience that only evil will come when Macbeth or any other person tampers with natural forces for personal gain.
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.
The last person you would expect to encourage you to commit a crime would be your wife. Macbeth is motivated by his wife and by three Witches and gradually becomes more ruthless, evil, and murderous as the play progresses.
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.
The supernatural, is an integral part of the plays of William Shakespeare. In addition, the supernatural is, in fact, an integral part of the structure of the plot of Hamlet. The supernatural appears in Hamlet in the form of a ghost. The role of the supernatural is very important.
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.
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.
It is undoubted that the 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. References: Internet Shakespeare Editions (2003). Witches and the King James.