Macbeth What is the importance of the supernatural in the play Essay Example For Students

Macbeth What is the importance of the supernatural in the play? Essay Superstition is the belief in the existence or power of the supernatural. The supernatural is a manifesting phenomena, which is not explicable by natural or physical laws. Macbeth contains many supernatural occurrences throughout the play which would have signified many things to the audience at that period in time. For example, the play opens with the three Witches; this would let the audience immediately know that evil was present. Elizabethans, with low levels of technology, developed their own beliefs. It was impossible for the people to have come up with reasonable explanations of what was going on; instead they likened common occurrences with one another. In the play we can see that storms and miserable weather are associated with bad luck and evil happenings. Unusual or dangerous circumstances create stress and fear in the people who witness it, that is why many Elizabethans as indeed before this time attributed these happenings to the all-powerful God, as something they could relate to. A known fear being far easier to cope with than an unknown one. Many Elizabethans believed in the occult, magic and astrology. Probably the most common fear of that period was witches and it became officially sanctioned to seek them out. At that time it was accepted that supernatural forces were present and a common occurrence. Most people could not read, therefore the Bible, Christianity and the Church were considered the good way. People who were different, such as disabled, mental or herbal medicine doctors were often accused of being witches when something bad occurred. If a person was accused of being a witch, no proof was needed and they could be executed straight away. These witches were believed to have received evil powers from the Devil. Witches were really hated and were tortured in order to make them confess even if they were innocent! If they didnt confess they were killed; if they died during the torturing, it showed that they had no supernatural powers and were in fact not witches after all. The role of the three witches in the play is a very important and major one. Also referred to as the weird sisters, they embody the dark thoughts and unconscious temptations that evil represents. They cause trouble and mischief by using their supernatural powers to manipulate their chosen victim like puppeteers. The witches are also set apart from the other characters by the way they speak using rhyming couplets, whereas the rest use mainly blank verse. Despite their almost comical rhymes and recipes, Eye of newt, and toe of frog, Wool of bat, and tongue of dog, the witches are the most powerful and wicked characters in the play. We are left wondering if the witches set out to cause all the trouble that occurred throughout the play or are they simply prophets telling of the inevitable? I doubt Macbeth would have had the confidence to murder the King if the witches had not said that he was to become king in the first place. Yet the witches foretold the future with great accuracy when they predicted that Birnam Wood would come to Dunsinane there is no way that this prediction could have been self-fulfilling. We see the witches as representing everything evil in the play; they are the catalyst that brings out most of the evil in the Macbeths. The witches are what really drive the Macbeths to commit the murder if Macbeth was oblivious of what the future held, he possibly would have taken another route to reach his destiny, but there is something about the witches that stimulates evil thoughts. Romeo and Juliet Coursework EssayMacbeth believes the witches prophecies and is intrigued by what they say, as he becomes more interested he finds himself actually searching for them, even in a dark cave in order to acquire knowledge about the future. Therefore the witches are just a stimulant for Macbeths mind. The witches are described as secret, black and midnight hags, the darkness signifies their destructive nature. They also talk in riddles which makes people confused, Macbeth calls them, imperfect speakers. Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn, and cauldron bubble So in this sense Macbeth is not sure of exactly what the witches are telling him and how to reach his goal. The main reason why the witches play such a major role in the evils of the Macbeths is that they have the ability to predict the future. Because of this many people think that the witches are to blame for leading the Macbeths astray. But in no way did the witches direct Macbeth as to what he should or s houldnt do and never bound him to evil. In this sense the play is very difficult to understand because Shakespeare keeps the witches well outside the limits of human comprehension. We can see though, that Macbeth is not a totally evil person, he is very much troubled by the crimes he has committed and is haunted by evil thoughts and disturbed sleeping patterns. Although he is troubled by all this, he still plans to go ahead with his plan to become King. In act two, we see that Macbeth is full of guilt because he says, Macbeth shall sleep no more. Lady Macbeth is also having sleeping disorders and sleep walks. She seems to be having a nervous breakdown due to the incidents that have happened in their castle. This proves that both are not evil because of how they are affected by the deeds they have done. If they were evil people, they wouldnt think twice. This begs the question, how far does the supernatural lead Macbeth to commit these horrendous deeds? Maybe Macbeth is confused of what the Witches actually want him to achieve, or feels that if he disappoints them, they shall curse him. I feel that the supernatural in this play, only serves as part of Macbeths conscience. Macbeth has the power of free-will to conduct himself in any way he wishes. Macbeth, and only Macbeth is guilty of his crimes. The supernatural influence is clearly seen when, at the end of the play, all the witches prophecies come true. As an enemy army comes to fight Macbeth, his people desert him, they too realise that he is an evil person. Yet Macbeth tries to fight on as he believes himself to be invincible due to the witchs comments, Be bloody, bold and resolute; laugh to scorn The power of man, for none of woman born Shall harm Macbeth When Macduff arrives with his army, Macbeth shows no fear because he thinks he cannot be killed. Little does Macbeth know that Macduff was born by a caesarean operation, which technically means that Macduff was not born of woman, a fact the witches failed to mention. This is Macbeths major downfall, through naivety and ignorance, he has summoned his own death. Macbeth is finally killed by Macduff after a long gruelling battle, by his head being cut off. This symbolises the end of the evil reign and the end of the accompanying madness and chaos.