The Use Of The Super Natural In

Macbeth Essay, Research Paper

The Use of The Supernatural in Macbeth In the sixteenth century witches were becoming very popular characters in books, poems, and stories. Witch hunts and burning witches at the stake were very common. William Shakespear, one of the most distinguished authors of the sixteenth century, used witches in one of his plays, he also used ghosts, apparitions and unnatural happenings. He wrote the play for James the first. Macbeth was the name of the play. James was familiar with the story of Macbeth. It was through the reign of this bloodthirsty king that James gained the throne several hundred years later. Several different types of supernatural appearances are used in Macbeth, the witches, the ghost of Banquo, apparitions and unnatural things in nature. With these objects’ Shakespear weaves a magnificent tale of temptation, devastation, treachery and betrayal. In Act 1 Scene 1 the witches make their first appearance. The witches are on the moor. The weird sisters set a large part of the mood in this scene with the simple line “Fair is foul, and foul is fair” (Macbeth, Act1, Scene) Shakespear was wise to use the witches in the very first scene because it obtained the audiences’ attention. Shakespear also knew that witches intrigued King James. His interest had even caused him to write a book about them. King James, I believe was one main reason that Shakespear incorporated the witches. The witches would catch King James’s attention immediately and he would possibly give Shakespear a bonus for their appearance. Their next appearance captures the audience or reader even more when they appear from the mist and confront Macbeth and Banquo. The witches have beards and wrinkled skin. Banquo has trouble deciphering whether they are women or men. ” you should be women, / and yet your beards forbid me to interpret / That you are so.”(Macbeth, Act 1, Scene 3) The weird sisters immediately hail Macbeth. The first calls him by his title, Thane of Glamis, the second witch calls him, Thane of Cawdor and the third witch says he will be king. Macbeth immediately becomes aroused by what the witches say but he thinks they have the wrong person and simply explains that the Thane of Cawdor is alive. He cannot possibly become king because of the king’s sons Malcolm and Donaldbain. Macbeth a man of great moral, contemplates killing the king and his sons for a brief second. He is immediately ashamed of his thoughts and calls upon the darkness to hide his thoughts from all others. Banquo, after hearing what they have prophesied for Macbeth, wishes to know what great things are going to happen to him. The first witch says to Banquo “Lesser than Macbeth but greater.”(Macbeth, Act 1, Scene 3) The third witch says to Banquo “Thou shalt get kings, though thou shalt be none.” (Macbeth, Act 1, Scene 3) The news that he will be the father of kings excites Banquo, but, he does not take the witches seriously. What the weird women tells him almost amuses Banquo. Macbeth contemplates killing King Duncan again when Ross brings forth the message that the Thane of Cawdor is dead and that Duncan has appointed Macbeth Thane of Cawdor. This news stuns Macbeth, he suddenly, puts trust in the words of the witches. The witches could manipulate Macbeth. They had power over his mind. It was because of them and their promises that Macbeth would later kill Duncan. When Macbeth kills Duncan, the night is unusually dark. Fleance mentions how the stars are all out when he says: “Their candles are all out.” (Macbeth, Act 1 Scene 7) Banquo also mentions the darkness when he says, “the moon is down.” (Macbeth, Act 1, Scene 7) Macbeth has hallucinations before he kills Duncan, another piece of supernatural material that Shakespear used in the play. Macbeth is so uptight about killing Duncan he sees a dagger. He reaches for this object but he cannot touch it. The fact that he is hallucinating is made clear when he says: “Is this a dagger which I see before me, / The handle toward my hand Come, let me clutch thee; / I have thee not, and yet I see thee still. / Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible/ To feelings as to sight.” ( Macbeth, Act 2 Scene 1). After Duncan’s death, Lennox speaks of an unruly night. Lennox has arrived at Macbeth’s castle to ride with the king. Screams of death and an earthquake were a few of the unruly things they experienced. In the next scene Ross and the Old Man discuss the strange happenings of the night of Duncan’s death. The old man is seventy years old and he says he cannot recall a night like it. Ross, also mentions the dark night as Lennox did. The old Man agrees with Ross and then speaks of another unnatural passing, a falcon, was attacked by an owl. To the reader the falcon could represent Duncan and the owl, Macbeth. Ross then mentions Duncan’s beautiful horses. He calls them the finest of the breeds, well trained and obedient. He says that they became savage, attacking one another when their master died. The killing of anyone was an unnatural deed, but, the killing of the key was an act against God. Scottish people believed that God appointed their kings. Their king was considered almost divine. Killing the king was an act against God, therefore, all the unnatural happenings. Shakespear uses the supernatural again in Act 3, Scene 4, only this time the supernatural is not a witch, but, the Ghost of Banquo. Macbeth was having a large feast to celebrate his kingship. Banquo could not a