What role does the supernatural play in the downfall of Macbeth?

From the very start of the play we are introduced to the witches. When the play opens, there is thunder rolling around and the witches appear on stage. The thunder is symbolic of unrest and gives the audience the first impression that the play will explore order and disorder. Jacobeans believed thunder releasing forces of evil and was an omen of unrest in individual people and whole countries. This conveys a very dramatic atmosphere. Shakespeare also puts the witches at the forefront of the play to show how malicious, spiteful and vengeful they are, this is also repeated in scene 3, also by placing them in the opening scene he is stressing their input and informing the audience that the supernatural is at the forefront of the play. He creates a strong supernatural atmosphere from the beginning – suggesting the supernatural will play a very important role in the play. Shakespeare exploits the knowledge and fear the audience, as in those days the audience would have been well aware that the 3 women where witches whereas, a modern day audience might interpret the witches as symbolic of evil, temptation and danger, faced by all of us but in this case Macbeth specifically.

There is a link and connection established between the witches who are evil and Macbeth who is talked about as a noble man by his own king. Therefore we ask the audience ourselves why are such evil women seeking out a great and brave man. Are the witches aware of that Macbeth is someone they can corrupt?

It is obvious to us that they are going to try and bring about Macbeth’s downfall-he will be doomed and brought to ruin like a true tragic hero.

The witches bring about ruin, evil and destruction and their Witches intentions are malevolent. The witches use parado...

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...t this was his fate and became over confident, and lead him to his death. The witches tell Macbeth half truths.

Macbeth’s goes on to murder Mac Duffs family which is cruel. Why would you murder an innocent woman and child the audience is left to ponder?

It shows the depths in which the noble Macbeth has sunk to. He has no sense of right or wrong anymore. He is now ruined.

Macbeth had lots of power and he craved to use it, but he was never happy, causing his downfall.

When Lady Macbeth commits suicide it is another key point in Macbeth's downfall he can even mourn her death. As he has seen so much death and caused pain to so many others he becomes numb to it and no longer cares about anything, and wishes to die himself although he does not consider suicide like Lady Macbeth this is shown when he says "Why should I play the roman fool and die on my own sword?"