Supernatural Events In William Shakespeare´S Macbeth

Supernatural Events in William Shakespeare´s Macbeth
Supernatural Events in Macbeth
The supernatural events that occurred in the play Macbeth are an essential part of the plot that
creates a way for the audience to see the insights of the characters. All of these supernatural
occurrences are a way to show the evil paths that the characters will eventually lead. These
paranormal events lead the characters to behave in an unnatural way. There is a multitude of
variations in how the supernatural appears such as the three sister witches, the dagger, a ghost, and
more.
The witches in Macbeth were used as a symbol of evil and are also synonymous to the oracles that
originated from Greek myths. The witches are first seen under a storm with thunder and lightning
clashing powerfully as the play opens. They set the theme of betrayal and mystery which occurs
throughout the entire play. The witches act as a catalyst for the actions of Macbeth. The witches use
their powers to deceive the characters to behave psychotically and use their weaknesses and desires
against them. Each time that the witches appear, they make the audience and Macbeth more
knowledgeable about his faith. When Macbeth first meets the witches in Act 1 scene iii, they
prophesize that he will be king of Scotland and that Banquo will give birth to a generation of kings.
With the idea planted in his mind, Macbeth is effectively led down to the path that leads to his own
destruction. Every time Macbeth speaks with the witches, he is more able to understand his mind.
They
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How Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are Influenced by the...
How Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are Influenced by the Supernatural in Macbeth by William
Shakespeare
In Shakespeare's time witches were believed to have many powers. They were believed to talk to the
devil, the dead and evil spirits. They were believed to predict the future (act 1. Scene 1 – 'When
shall we three meet again in thunder lightning or in rain?') and change the weather. People thought
they could fly throuhg air and make themselves invisible at will. People also thought they could kill
or make them fall ill at a distance. Many witches were killed in Scotland between 1590 and 1680,
more than 4400 women were executed. Most were accused of worshipping the devil in a church at
night, flying ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
When macbeth meets the Witches he is fascinated by them and blinded by his ambition, they tell
him he will be Thane of Cowdor and the King of Scotland.
In Act 1 Scene 3 Macbeth wants to believe the witches ('look how our partner's wrapt') this is
because the witches are telling Macbeth things he likes to hear, that he will become the king of
Scotland while Banquo is more suspicious ('Things that do sound so fair') because he knows that the
witches are evil and he thinks they are saying evil, untrue things. Macbeths then wants to question
them but the witches vanish, Macbeth remains fixed and amazed and his ambition makes him
believe what the witches say.
Macbeth then writes a letter to Lady macbeth telling her what happened, From the moment Lady
Macbeth receives the letter from Macbeth she begins to plan the murder of king Duncan. She paints
Macbeth as a weak man (act 1 scene 5 ''too full o' the milk of human kindness') and she resolves to
persuade Macbeth to do it and asks for the strength from the devil, and the evil to commit the
murder (act 1 scene 5 'come thee spirits').
We see that Macbeth is powefully influenced by the evil in his speeches, in act 1 scene 7 when he is
thinking out loud in his monologue. 'We will proceed no further in this business' represents a
triumph of conscience. He has talked himself away from

How Did Shakespeare Use Supernatural In The 1600s
General Background on the Supernatural in 1600s: During the Elizabethan times, which were the
late 16 century, people believed in ghosts, spirits, witches, and other elements of the supernatural.
This era was famous for witch hunting and trials. This period that lasted from 1400 to 1700, made
up the famous Salem witch trials of the late 16th century. England imposed the 1562 Elizabethan
Witchcraft Act to forbid conjurations, enchantments and witchcrafts. This was under the reign of
Queen Elizabeth the first. Religion in the 1600s was affected in a great deal by supernatural. People,
who were using any witchcraft or dark magic, were considered to be worshipping the devil. They
would be damned to hell after death. Witchcraft became ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The Romans were extremely aware of supernatural events, as prodigies and omens. That was
because their belief that Gods were communicating with them through these. It was only in the west
and recently that people were afraid of the supernatural. During Shakespeare's time, people strongly
believed in the supernatural. That was why the supernatural events fitted in the culture of readers in
that time, but not in the modern times. In fact, the supernatural elements in Julius Caesar were
extremely significant, as they made the contemporary of Elizabethan audience understand, and value
the Divine Right of Kings. According to the theory of royal absolutism, the king was considered to
be the representative of God on earth. This was also evident in most of Shakespeare's history plays,
and Macbeth. Julius Caesar was the Roman Emperor, as well as the representative of God on earth.
That was why any treasonous act against him was accompanied by bizarre supernatural happenings.
Shakespeare's reason to include supernatural elements in this play was to create a great effect in his
contemporary audience's minds, and that was by taking advantages of their beliefs in

Lady Macbeth Research Paper
The supernatural is one of the most mysterious cases today that no one for sure knows is real. The
concept of ghosts and objects appearing even though they really are not there is especially a regular
topic when one thinks of the supernatural. It just so happens that these ideas are in The Tragedy of
Macbeth as well. Although many people think Lady Macbeth motivated Macbeth to be a cold–
blooded killer, in William Shakespeare's play, The Tragedy of Macbeth, it is the supernatural that
increases his thoughts of gaining power and killing, especially when he sees the dagger that leads to
King Duncan's room, the ghost of Banquo during the banquet, and the apparitions.
First off, many think that Macbeth was convinced by his own wife to murder King Duncan. One
could use the quote, "Art thou afeard To be the same in thine own act and valor As thou art in
desire? Wouldst thou have that Which thou esteem'st the ornament of life, And live a coward"
(Shakespeare 1.7) said by Lady Macbeth to prove that the living was what turned him into a killer.
Although Lady Macbeth does encourage Macbeth to follow through with the plan and ... Show more
content on Helpwriting.net ...
For example, when the second apparition says, "Be bloody, bold, and resolute. Laugh to scorn The
power of man, for none of woman born Shall harm Macbeth"(Shakespeare 4.1), the apparition
basically says that Macbeth should be violent, bold, and firm because no one born of a woman could
hurt him. The quotation connects exactly to what happens next in the play; Macbeth fights
recklessly in the end because he thinks no one who was born by a woman can kill him, however this
just leads to his ultimate downfall and death. It is clear that the supernatural motivates Macbeth's
actions which got him killed in the end. This is true for humans today, where a voice in the head of
one, otherwise know as a ghost, could easily convince one to do something

The Supernatural Evil Within Lady Macbeth in Shakespeare’s...
In the modern 21sr century, the roles and behaviors expected of individuals remains analogous
despite gender. This ideology stems from the preceding movement in equality, which preaches that
differences of sex appear insignificant. Despite this notion, there remains distinct differences in the
physical and psychological makeups of both men and women. In most cultures, certain duties
remain associated with specific genders. With this in mind, Shakespeare's Macbeth heightens the
supernatural evil possessing Lady Macbeth as she condones murder for her own selfish ambition,
while in Shakespeare's time women were regarded as peaceful and full of feminine sympathies. This
anachronism with the reality of Shakespeare's day, illustrates the immense sense of wickedness and
abnormality emphasizing her character's influence on her husband and the plot of the play. In
contrast, Macbeth appears to some extent a more acceptable evil due to a greater compliance with
the gender standards and moral transition during the Shakespearean era. Shakespeare utilizes
numerous literary intentions in order to express these diverse levels of evil to provide an element of
depth behind the mental reactions and deteriorations of the characters until their final decease into
the complete darkness of death. Lady Macbeth's wickedness appears supernatural due to her actions
exceeding the nature of the time for a woman. Shakespeare introduces the character of Lady
Macbeth near the end of Act I symbolizing the

William Shakespeare 's Macbeth
Carter W. Dunn
AP Literature
12/3/15
To be or not to be? That is the Question of Macbeth
The idea that not everything is quite what it seems is not a new one, and has been explored even
long before the time of William Shakespeare; however, the playwright whose name has remained
the talk of dinner tables worldwide, did an exceptional job of weighing the plurality of the different
forms of the natural world. In the Scottish play, Macbeth, Shakespeare both entertains his audience,
and poses questions as to what is real and what is changeable. The play explores the themes of the
natural and supernatural world, questions whether or not the presence of evil is natural within men,
and what motivations can be provided by the presence of power. His single most impactful analysis
on the dual nature of all things however, was his portrayal of what it means to be a woman. His
female characters develop differently from one another, and their choices and fates can help the
audience to interpret Shakespeare's views on womanhood; nevertheless, the great beauty of
Shakespeare lies in the mystery, and it is the obligation of the attentive viewer to unravel that
mystery form themselves. The mystery currently in question, is Shakespeare's portrayal of womanly
nature, whether or not they can survive in the dog–eat–dog world of men, and if even men are
beneath their supernatural ambitions. To be a woman in any era has had its many challenges, and
while those challenges have fluidly

The Use of the Supernatural in Macbeth by William Shakespeare
The Use of the Supernatural in Macbeth by William Shakespeare
In this essay I am going to explore the use of the supernatural in the play Macbeth, written by
William Shakespeare. This is going to be done by showing how much power the supernatural
elements had and how it influenced peoples' mind. The supernatural elements are the use of the
witches, the dagger, Banquo's ghost and the apparitions in the play.
Firstly, the use of the witches in the play is a key element in the supernatural. When the play was
written in 1600, people in those days believed in things like the witches and they also believed
thought that the power and knowledge of the future came from the devil. All this shows why ...
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"Come, you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here. Come to my woman's breasts for
gall" (Act 1 Scene 5), her soliloquy shows that she relied on the supernatural by asking for the spirit
to get rid of her natural feelings of concern by making her cruel. The interference with the
supernatural might cause her to be possessed by ghost when she goes mad and sees blood on her
hands.
As Macbeth awaits for the signal to make his way up to the stairs, he sees floating dagger and said
"Thou marshal'st me the way that I was going; and such an instrument I was to use. There's no such
thing. It is the bloody business which informs" (Act 2 Scene 1). Here Macbeth begins to question
whether his mind playing tricks on him or there is presence of evil that put the dagger which being
covered with blood. This shows that there is interference of supernatural that leads Macbeth towards
the Duncan's chamber to do the murder. The dagger symbolizes the point of no return for Macbeth.
If he chooses the path in which the dagger leads, there will be no turning back.
After Macbeth did the murder, he becomes a king. Although he has already achieve his goal to be a
king, he begins to be greedier to not let the Banquo's prophecy of being father of kings come true
because he thinks he has put a great effort to reach the

How Does Shakespeare Present The Supernatural In Macbeth
Macbeth: Superstitions
The tragedy of Macbeth was written by Shakespeare in 1606 and produced in 1610. Macbeth is the
most concentrated of Shakespeare 's tragedies. The action gushes forward with great speed from the
beginning to end. The main characters in the play are Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, who are very
noble, but their evil ambition ultimately causes their downfall and death. The play focuses around
evil, greed and the supernatural. The play was written by Shakespeare for the king at that time, since
he was a big believer of witches and the supernatural.
Supernatural is classified as the unnatural or the explainable mysteries of our universe. In
Shakespeare 's time many people would relate many of the unusual happening against the ... Show
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Their powers were in part to tell future events, to create evil and destruction. The witches could not
however do fatal harm to their victims. In appearance they were sexless. Banquo says that they
should be women but they have a beard. The witches relation to Macbeth is that they represent
Macbeth 's evil ambition, only Macbeth can see the witches and no one else. Later in the play they
lead him to his destruction. They do not guide Macbeth but they only represent his own wishes and
thoughts. Shakespeare 's witches are a compound of native folklore and classical mythology. They
serve demons, for they are summoned by the devil and predict apparitions. They are associated with
Hecate, the Greek goddesses of sorcery. Although the witches can foretell the future, the main idea
of the play is that Macbeth bears responsibility for his own actions. The witches, and ghosts
influence him but do not control his destiny. Superstitions were often believed by many
Elizabethans in Shakespeare 's time but how are these superstitions used in the play. Superstitions
are the unnatural unseen of the universe. Witches were one of these superstitions.
Witches are no longer a big thing in today 's society but it was a different story for Elizabethans in
Shakespeare 's time. The witches and other superstitions in the play which include ghosts, destiny
and apparitions all have a role in the play about Macbeth. These superstitions were used to entertain
the people of

Examples Of Demonology In Macbeth
Macbeth: Shakespeare's Demonology Literary Research Essay on William Shakespeare's Macbeth
Witches, goblins, ghouls, oh my! The supernatural world has been a mystery for many years and has
never been truly understood or solved. Shakespeare demonstrates his beliefs in the supernatural
world through his characters, their words and their actions. He also demonstrates his beliefs in
Demonology, through those same elements. Demonology is the study of evil spirits, demons and
demonic beliefs. Macbeth is filled to the rim with supernatural elements; creating the play and
keeping readers on the edge of their seats continuously throughout the tragic story. How exactly
does the supernatural effect keep readers interested?
"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" (1.3.50–53). This ... Show more content on
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Ghosts and apparitions were key in Macbeth's journey as well. In the Jacobean era (the era
Shakespeare wrote Macbeth and King James IV and I ruled) apparitions were said to have helped
people overcome certain situations or a crises and sometimes offered solutions as well, but they also
haunted and tortured the living; for example, Macbeth in the play. Macbeth is haunted by Banquo's
ghost which guilts him into a major panic attack and almost reveals to his peers of his attempt to kill
Banquo and Fleance (Banquo's son); Fleance manages to escape and survive. Later on in the play
Macbeth is visited by three apparitions, all describing futures for him; some true and some false.
Two out of the three apparitions told the truth and also gave him warnings of what was to come if he
were to go ahead with his plan and attack Macduff. He ignored the warnings and confronted
Macduff which lead to his death in the

How Does Shakespeare Present Supernatural In Macbeth
How does Shakespeare present the Supernatural in Macbeth?
Shakespeare wrote the tragedy Macbeth in 1606 when witchcraft and the supernatural were feared
throughout England. Macbeth is a fictitious play about a Scottish nobleman who becomes king due
to the ill effects of the supernatural, which ultimately leads to his downfall. Shakespeare presents the
supernatural through the use of witchcraft – as one of the main instigators for the story of Macbeth –
ghosts, apparitions and dark imagery as an integral part of the structure of the plot, the catalysts for
action and change.
The way the supernatural is presented by Shakespeare was heavily influenced by James I. In his
book, Daemonologie, James I wrote a description of a witch that directly correlates to the witches in
Macbeth. For example one of ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
This is particularly evident in the witch's chorus of the line 'Fair is foul and foul is fair'. This quote
shows the contradictory and riddle like manner of the witches which would confuse the audience
and causes a sense of uncertainty around the characters. This phrase resonates throughout the whole
play and it serves as an impacting first scene. The adjective 'Foul' could portray the tone for the rest
of the play as it is repeated at regular intervals throughout, for example; 'played'st most foully for't'
and by the doctor 'Foul whisperings are abroad'. The repetition of 'foul' keeps the adjective prevalent
in the audience's mind throughout the play and therefore they associate it with the murders that
occurred and the supernatural. This can be supported by events at the time the play was written, in
1606 after the Gun Powder Plot, which Shakespeare uses as a stimulus for Macbeth. This deters the
Jacobean audience to commit such deeds themselves as they know it is the effect of the supernatural
and evil spirits alike who serve chaos and

The Supernatural Of William Shakespeare 's Macbeth
Abraham Maslow once said, "We need not take refuge in supernatural gods to explain our saints and
sages and heroes and statesmen, as if to explain our disbelief that mere unaided human beings could
be that good or wise." In an odd way, this applies to William Shakespeare's tragedies. Shakespeare
seemed to frequently fall back on the use of supernatural elements in order to pull his plays together.
He would turn to them for aid in his story telling and use them to further explain the scenes that
were taking place, and that would eventually take place. By tying the supernatural world into his
plays, Shakespeare was able to draw in his audience and keep them entertained. Because pieces of
his plot were able to apply to their lives, the audience members were captivated by it; therefore,
William Shakespeare was a genius for that. However, by using elements of the supernatural, such as
the three witch's in Macbeth sharing their prophecies, Shakespeare is able to tie in religion. In
Elizabethan England the religious beliefs would frequently flip–flop between Catholic and
Protestant, two religions that were similar yet different; however, a major point that is stressed in the
Bible is that there is to be no communicating with the dead. It's forbidden by the highest power of
them all... God.
Characters such as the three witches were used in Macbeth as a way to predict the future actions of
Macbeth. Had the three witches not told Macbeth that he were to be king, then he most likely

Supernatural Soliciting Within Shakespeare 's Macbeth
Julia Sawicka
Ms. Paolone
ENG3U1d
Monday, November 6th, 2017
Supernatural Soliciting within Shakespeare 's Macbeth Shakespeare's Macbeth is broadly known as
a cursed play by a myriad of individuals globally. Given its appalling history of death and disorder,
as well as the supernatural elements present within the play, many have come to the latter
conclusion. To add, Macbeth is also a tragedy, adding more malediction to the already allegedly
accursed play. To create such a tragic, ill–fated play, Shakespeare uses a vast variety of supernatural
features, as well as the main component of a tragic hero, a tragic flaw. Thus, the supernatural within
Shakespeare's Macbeth is vital to the structure of the tragic plot, and such importance ... Show more
On the other hand, the witches' prophecy gives him enlightening hope that he could one day be
King, boosting his self–esteem. Macbeth is seen to have difficulty deciphering between good and
evil when he thinks:
This supernatural soliciting
Cannot be ill, cannot be good. If ill,
Why hath it given me earnest of success,
Commencing in a truth? I am Thane of Cawdor.
If good, why do I yield to that suggestion,
Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair
And make my seated heart knock at my ribs
Against the use of nature? (Shakespeare 1.3.129–36).
Through the latter quote it is seen that the prophecies presented to Macbeth are troubling him, for he
does not know whether to believe the wicked witches or not, for they bear good news. To add, the
witches also play a pivotal role for they aid in the advancement of the plot through their prophecies,
which lead to the commencement of Macbeth's corruption due to his blind ambition. As
aforementioned, Macbeth has a tough time choosing between good and evil, and ultimately,
becomes swayed by the temptation of the throne and chooses evil. However, on his own, Macbeth
was not depraved enough to choose the latter, and only did such after being influenced by the
witches' prophecies. Therefore, the witches tempt Macbeth to do wrong, and Lucy further conveys
this argument when she writes, "The

The Ultimate Downfall of Macbeth Due to Guilt
In the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare, Macbeth's ultimate downfall is due to the guilt he
feels over everything he has done. The motif of supernatural forces, specifically the hallucinations
and lack of sleep that Macbeth experiences, project the force of the guilt that eventually causes
Macbeth's destruction. Shakespeare uses the motif of supernatural forces to express how the force of
the guilt Macbeth feels eventually leads to his final demolition in the play Macbeth. The recurring
supernatural forces that cause Macbeth to have hallucinations show how his guilt is slowly killing
him. For example, before Macbeth kills Duncan, he visualizes a floating dagger that is not really
there because he feels immense guilt about what he is about to do. When Macbeth says, "I have thee
not, and yet I see thee still. Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible to feeling as to sight? Or art thou a
dagger of the mind, a false creation proceeding from the heat–oppressed brain?" (Shakespeare 51
and 53) he is discussing seeing the dagger but he is confused whether or not the dagger is actually
there. The confusion shows that this hallucination is a force of a supernatural power and fabricated
by Macbeth's subconscious due to the tremendous guilt he feels about killing Duncan. Another
example of the supernatural forces causing Macbeth to hallucinate is soon after Macbeth commits
the murder, he tries to wash his hands clean from the blood, however no matter how much he scrubs
his hands

Supernatural Elements Of Macbeth By William Shakespeare
Supernatural Forces In Macbeth 1)Even today people struggle with whether or not to believe in
supernatural forces, such as ghosts or witchcraft, but those who would admit that they let the
supernatural guide their behaviors and predict their futures would be harder to find. 2) Shakespeare's
play, Macbeth, takes place during medieval times when many people believed strongly in the
presence and power of witchcraft and in the supernatural. 3) In Macbeth, Shakespeare uses three
witches, a floating dagger, and Banquo's ghost, as supernatural forces which increasingly motivate
and influence Macbeth's actions as the play progresses. Near the end of the play, Macbeth becomes
so influenced by these forces that almost all of his actions are ... Show more content on
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11)Shakespeare uses the supernatural as a constant underlying theme of the play, with the witches'
words placing the idea of greater power and fame in Macbeth's head, but Macbeth makes his own
evil choices in pursuit of his originally noble goal of becoming King.
4)Another form of the supernatural Shakespeare uses is the floating dagger Macbeth sees before he
commits to killing King Duncan. 5)The floating dagger, covered in blood, symbolizes evil, and
leads Macbeth to go forward with his plan to kill Duncan. As Macbeth questions whether he should
commit the murder, he sees a "bloody dagger" appearing before him with the handle pointing
towards his hand, and he speaks "Come, let me clutch thee"(Shakespeare 2.1.41–42). 6)Macbeth's
doubts about killing the King disappear, as Shakespeare uses the dagger to lure Macbeth towards
King Duncan's room. 7)Macbeth sees the dagger as a sign, that he is being led by the supernatural to
commit the murder, but really he is only following his own greedy desire to become King. 8)The
floating dagger appears to hypnotize Macbeth, because he confesses "mine eyes are the fools o' the
other senses" (Shakespeare 2.1.52). 9)Shakespeare has Macbeth kill Duncan to illustrate a change in
Macbeth as he grows more evil in pursuit of his goals. Macbeth becomes more dependent on what
he believes the

Huckleberry Finn And Macbeth Comparison Essay
Could you imagine living in a world without enduring writers like Shakespeare or Mark Twain? I
honestly couldn't. Without Shakespeare many parts of the English language would not exist. In the
same token, without Mark Twain today's style of writing would be not be the same. These writers
have made permanent works of literature that continue to influence society today. Adventures of
Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain and Macbeth by Shakespeare both share the theme of each belief
in the supernatural. Twain and Shakespeare express the theme through characterization and
symbolism. To clarify, practically everyone believes in the supernatural. If you did not know god is
a supernatural figure. Those who do not believe in god can still believe in the supernatural. There
are many forms of supernatural beings. Huckleberry Finn doesn't believe in god. He simply uses
superstition to explain everything in life good or bad. For example, Huck believes that since he
turned over a salt cellar and didn't throw any salt over his left shoulder he received bad luck. When
Huck arrives in his bed room later that night he sees his abusive drunken father. Characterization
and symbolism are used to exposed the theme of belief in the supernatural. Both Jim Miss Watson
run away slave and Huck get along so well because they both believe in ... Show more content on
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Huck used supernatural superstation he to do the morally correct thing. The book is about Jim and
Huck's journey or escape down the Mississippi River. Macbeth on the other hand, used the messages
he received from the supernatural to begin an absolute reign of terror in Scotland. To say the least,
during thi reign of terror Macbeth does anything in his power to become king. The word "tyrant" is
often used to in the play to describe Macbeth. After he became king he becomes crazy and

Supernatural Evil In Shakespeare
Shakespeare also adds a supernatural sense of place trying to explain the strange things happening.
It was easier to point to the fates, dreaming, madness, and general supernatural stuff than explaining
the 'inexplicable'. An example of this can be seen when Dromio of Syracuse tries to explain his
connection with Nell and Antipholus connection with Luciana. Both feel they're being bewitched;
however, Antipholus of Syracuse feels himself enchanted in a romantic way while Dromio feels a
darker enchantment is darker. In act III, scene II: ''Oh, sir, I did not look so low. To conclude, this
drudge, or diviner, laid claim to me, call'd me Dromio; swore I was assured to her; told me what
privy marks I had about me, as, the mark of my shoulder, the mole in my neck, the great wart on my
left arm, that I amazed ran from her as a witch: And, I think, if my breast had not been made of faith
and my heart of steel, She had transform'd me to a curtal dog and made me turn i' the wheel.'' (The
Comedy of Errors)
Despite all the similarities seen above, Shakespeare endows his work with many aspects of his time
and adds new characters and situations to complicate even more the plot and almost triples the
incidents of error. Shakespeare altered plot elements and location and modified the comic tone and
mood when adapting ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
In the time of Plautus, it was common the use of masks that prevented to see the faces and facial
expressions of the actors and this, facilitated the representation of his work. In the case of
Shakespeare, it was necessary to look for actors who looked so much physically alike that people
could believe that they were twins since they didn't use masks in the Elizabethan theatre. The theatre
itself also changed and in the era of Shakespeare it was simpler a more accurate representation
thanks to the improvements in the

How Does Shakespeare Use Supernatural In Macbeth
The use of supernatural is very evident in the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare. Supernatural is
the extraordinary or something related with forces we don't comprehend or that can't be clarified by
science. Readers are introduced to the world of supernatural in a number of different ways
throughout the play. From start to finish, every page, every scene, and every act have some sort of
supernatural element to it. The supernatural was used in Shakespeares Macbeth to suggest the main
character's state of mind, including; madness, ambition, and guilt. From the witches to the floating
dagger, to Banquo's ghost the readers can tell that the play is full of supernatural events.
During the play, Macbeth experiences madness throughout the play ... Show more content on
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His ambition is another example of something that is caused by the supernatural in the play.
Macbeth communicates his ambition while heading towards Duncan's bedroom. Macbeth has
visions and sees a dagger and is mesmerized by it. During the first part of Macbeth's soliloquy,
Shakespeare analyzes Macbeth's emotions towards the dagger. Macbeth at that point addresses the
dagger and is uncertain whether he is hallucinating or if there is a genuine dagger before him,
Macbeth states, "is this a dagger which I see before me"(Shakespeare 2.. 44). Macbeth follows the
dagger and exclaims, "Thou marshal'st me the way that I was going" (Shakespeare 2.54).
Shakespeare's plot proposes that the witches have sent the dagger as a sign for Macbeth to follow
and fulfil. During the second half of Macbeth's soliloquy, he makes an overwhelming atmosphere,
"Nature seems dead, and wicked dreams abuse The curtained sleep" (Shakespeare 2.1.62–63).
Shakespeare utilizes imagery to make a vision of the scene in our minds. He utilizes similes,"...
moves like a ghost"(Shakespeare 2.1.69), so we can picture how silently Macbeth travels. Macbeth
fears that the evil spirits will disturb the arrangement and make it fail"for fear thy very stones prate
of my whereabout" ( Shakspeare 2.1 70–71). The floating dagger is an aspect of the play that
encourages Macbeth's ambition due to his desire to become

Witches And The Supernatural In Macbeth By William...
In one of his most famous plays, Macbeth, written in 1606, Shakespeare has many references to
witches and the supernatural. In the Shakespearean era, supernatural beings were believed to be real
and accepted as fact. Shakespeare used witches in his play to relate to the public and make for a
more interesting performance. The three witches in the play give the main character, Macbeth,
advice and false hopes for the future. In the beginning, they predict that Macbeth will become Thane
of Cawdor and eventually King of Scotland. Although the witches seem to inspire Macbeth to do his
best by telling him his fate, they also know the negative effects of becoming the king and fail to
warn him. Without the witches' prophecies, Macbeth would have continued being a successful
soldier for King Duncan and would have never gone down a path of self destruction. ... Show more
At first he is nervous, but is soon ready to do whatever it takes after a talk with his wife, Lady
Macbeth. She assures him that he deserves to be king and promises to make the tough decisions for
him. As she is reading a letter from her husband, she says aloud, "Hie thee hither, That I may pour
my spirits in thine ear" (1.5.24–25). Once Macbeth agrees to Lady Macbeth's proposal, her first
piece of advice is to kill King Duncan. The witches knew this was going to happen, though they
chose to leave this out, as they feared Macbeth may not have pursued becoming king if he knew of
the evil path he would soon be traveling down. Macbeth gives in after his wife calls him a coward
and feels he has something to prove to her. He invites Duncan to their home and murders him in his
sleep. No one suspects him or Lady Macbeth, but he still feels the guilt of betraying his good friend.
Macbeth would not have killed Duncan without the desire of becoming king, and he would have
never thought about becoming king until the witches told him he would do

Supernatural Events in Shakespeare´s Macbeth
Supernatural elements are found on numerous occasions throughout Macbeth, and they significantly
contribute to Macbeth's decisions by convincing him that he will be king, that he is invincible, that
his castle cannot be attacked, and that Macduff is his true enemy. The three witches in Macbeth
represent the very essence if the supernatural. They constantly bend the truth and give prophecies to
Macbeth about his future. For instance, in Act 1, they proclaim him as king and he does not know
what they're talking about. "Third Witch: 'All hail, Macbeth, thou shalt be king hereafter!'" (1.3.51)
This causes Macbeth to contemplate what he will have to do to assume kingship, whether it be
something evil or just have it be handed down to him. He believes he will have to kill the king,
which frightens him greatly. "Macbeth: 'If good, why do I yield to that suggestion / Whose horrid
image doth unfix my hair / And make my seated heart knock at my ribs, / Against the use of nature?
Present fears / Are less than horrible imaginings.'" (1.3.138–1.3.142) Macbeth is swayed by his wife
to do the unthinkable: murder King Duncan in his sleep to solidify his position as the king of
Scotland. "Lady Macbeth: 'when in swinish sleep / Their drenchèd natures lie as in a death, / What
cannot you and I perform upon / The unguarded Duncan?'" (1.7.67–1.7.70) The three witches use
their supernatural abilities to understand that no man born by vaginal birth can kill Macbeth. They
tell him

Witchcraft And Superstitions In William Shakespeare's Macbeth
It's the end of the 16th century, and Shakespeare is enveloped in a world of witchcraft and
superstitions. William Shakespeare's Macbeth begins with the following stage directions: "Enter
three witches." It becomes apparent in the first few lines that the play relates to the perspective of
the outside world; a world that believes in supernatural forces. During this time, a great number of
individuals looked to the supernatural as a result of ignorance and fear of the unkown.
Comparatively, Shakespeare uses this ideology to maintain a progressive plot. In William
Shakespeare's Macbeth, Shakespeare exploits supernatural occurrences in order to influence the
actions of the tragic hero, Macbeth, as a way to guide him and facilitate change ... Show more
Macbeth brushes off the apparitions, since he feels he already knows what to expect, until the
apparitions are found true in unexpected ways. For example, the second apparition (a bloody child)
assures Macbeth that no man born of a woman can ever cause any harm to him. Macbeth is relieved,
believing that he is safe from the vengeful hand of Macduff. Eventually, Macduff reveals that he was
not born of the mother's womb, which means Macbeth is not actually safe. Macbeth realizes how
deceptive the seemingly assuring prophecy was. He relies on false assurance, created by
supernatural means, which leads to his imminent

How Does Shakespeare Present Supernatural In Macbeth
How does Shakespeare present the Supernatural in Macbeth?
There are several ways in which the Supernatural is presented throughout the tragedy Macbeth,
including the abnormal characteristics of the witches, through Macbeth's hallucinations and through
acts of transgression, which chronicle how deeply Macbeth is affected by the supernatural. The
witches are presented as dark, sinister creatures as Macbeth was written in 1606, when a Jacobean
audience would be very fearful of any type of witchcraft because they were thought to be working
with the devil and would bring harm to the Jacobean community. Additionally the witches are a
major part of the play because everything Macbeth does is predicted by the witches and due to the
Monarch's obsession and paranoia with witchcraft.
One influential way Shakespeare exposes the presence of the supernatural is at the onset of Act 1,
Scene 1 when the stage directions call for '(thunder and lighting)' as the three witches enter. This sets
an ominous tone that is reflected in the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
This gives Macbeth confidence for the battle he is about to fight, once again presenting the
supernatural as influential. But we soon learn that Macduff was born through a cesarean making him
be the one to kill Macbeth. After this, the stage directions state '(Enter a show of eight kings and last
with a glass in his hand, Banquo's ghost following.)' The eight kings illustrate the line of future
kings that will reign, with the last one holding a mirror reflecting on James 1st in the audience.
Shakespeare wrote this because James 1st is loosely related to Banquo so it shows his divine right to
be King, furthermore representing Shakespeare's desire to flatter James

The Use Of Supernatural In Macbeth
In the tragedy Macbeth, Shakespeare's use of the supernatural to develop themes relating to human
emotion is evident. A large portion of the play is based around the supernatural's role of pre
ordaining Macbeth's fate, and his free will to believe in such predictions. Supernatural occurrences,
such as the appearance of Banquo's ghost in particular, personify Macbeth's guilt and conscience.
Supernatural beings, such as the three witches, appear throughout the play as recurring symbols for
the themes of Macbeth. In addition to these symbols and appearances, the characters of Macbeth
themselves make references to and call on the supernatural, to the point of taking on characteristics
of evil and supernatural.
One of the earliest scenes of Macbeth depicts the three witches predicting the fate of Banquo and
Macbeth. During this scene, the witches establish that Macbeth will become king, while Banquo's
children will later become kings. "Lesser than Macbeth, and greater. Not so happy, yet much
happier. Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none. So all hail Macbeth and Banquo." (Shakespeare.
1.3, 63–66.) Although at first Macbeth and Banquo both jest over this prediction, over the course of
the play Macbeth begins to believe the prophecies made by the three witches. With the assistance
and persuasion of Lady Macbeth, Macbeth's ambitions to gain higher power and become King of
Scotland grow. In spite of this, his ambitions continue to ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
Words used by Shakespeare to describe the supernatural are also dark and somewhat violent. In the
case of Lady Macbeth, the supernatural is used to depict her as a character, and the resentment she
shows to conforming to society's ideals of submissive women. Evil and supernatural occurrences are
also used to depict the changes occurring in Macbeth's character as the play

Supernatural Elements Of Macbeth By William Shakespeare Essay
Whether or not someone accepts the supernatural does not mean it does not exist for another. The
power of the supernatural is something that has been around since civilization began because people
recognized there was something beyond their control. In Shakespeare's Macbeth, Macbeth is
confronted with supernatural firsthand, however, they were viewed as forces of evil. Although the
witches, the ghosts, the prophecies, and all the other supernatural elements in the play are
dramatized and feared, they represent how society has come to transition away from viewing these
supernatural manifestations negatively. In Shakespeare's era, the pure belief in the supernatural was
much more widely expressed but not accepted. Macbeth shows that Shakespeare wrote not only for
entertaining audiences but also for playing on the widespread fear of the supernatural. I think that
this play being so heavily doused in supernatural elements suggests that he wanted to use these
beliefs, whether or not he personally believed in them. I think that while he is playing with these
ideas, they hold at least some truth for us now because of the way we interpret what Shakespeare
was interpreting. For Macbeth, the witches and the role of their prophecy was hugely instrumental
because of the stakes for him. When we transport ourselves into Macbeth's shoes, maybe not his
time, we can see how anybody would be less likely to take the prophecy with a grain of salt. Maybe
we would not exactly go to the lengths

The Supernatural in Macbeth Essay
The Supernatural in Macbeth
More than a few elements of the supernatural can be discovered within the action and dialogue of
Shakespeare's plays. However, the extent and nature of those elements differs to a large degree.
There are traces of it to be found in Henry V, "Pardon, gentles all,/The flat unraised spirit that hath
dar'd...to bring forth/So great and object" (Lucy 1). There are also elements of it apparent in Winter's
Tale, "What I did not well I meant well" (Lucy 1). The supernatural is used most fearsomely in
Hamlet, with the ghost of Hamlet's father representing the most frightening apparition in all of the
Bard's plays. However, the supernatural is used to an almost whimsical degree in A ... Show more
With devices like the sing song speech of the fairies, the follow of the 'clowns', and others,
Shakespeare further creates a jovial atmosphere" (Hodura 1).
In The Tempest the supernatural is, as in many of Shakespeare's plays, symbolic. While its forces
are really felt by those in its midst, it represents throughout the play the all–encompassing, all–
powerful, nature that seems to be in league with Prospero. The supernatural elements in this play are
more threatening and frightful than the jovial ones of A Midsummer Night's Dream, but they are
whimsical because they represent nature and seem to play capriciously with men's lives rather than
fatally, as in Hamlet, and, as we shall see later, Macbeth. We also see mystical, magical elements
that serve men well, like when the ship is magically restored and Prospero's use of his magical
capacity to free Ariel from her arboreal prison.
As frightful as the ghost of Hamlet's father may, the supernatural is nowhere as integral a part of the
play as it is in Macbeth. The supernatural is indeed instrumental in Macbeth's fall, mainly because it
represents the dark or evil side of man. The supernatural forces in Macbeth are just waiting to glom
on to a sucker like Macbeth, whose vaulting ambition o'erleaps itself right into their hands. While
some might argue that the supernatural elements overwhelm and cause

How Does Friesen Use Magic In The Tempest
In opposition to Gibson, Ryan Friesen believes that Shakespeare was aware of magic in his culture,
but that he used it more as a plot device rather than as a manifestation of his own beliefs in the
supernatural. Friesen explains that while "witchcraft and diabolic magic" were popular among
audiences, universal themes were more important. In relation to both Doctor Faustus and Macbeth,
he says sin and a hunger for power are "themes that are contradicted if the tragic protagonist's fate is
blamed more on his occult prowess than on his decisions to deceive, exploit, and murder his
cohorts," (122). This helps to show how Shakespeare's writing expertize was illustrated even better
with his delicate use of the supernatural. Other playwrights of early ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
As far as scholars can tell, all of the supernatural in this play was made up entirely by Shakespeare,
disregarding the chance that he was inspired by a play that was never found (Gibson 139). In the
eyes of Friesen, however, The Tempest was more concerned with the aesthetic and thematic use of
magic rather than using it as a depiction of a particular supernatural being. Friesen says, "in the use
of magic as a thematic tool, a reflection of ways in which knowledge and power are gained and
governance sought on a middle ground between theory and experience," (Friesen 190). As
Prospero's magic is not particularly based off one of Shakespeare's magic toolbox materials, Gurr
claims that The Tempest's highly spectacled use of staging operates as a metaphor for Shakespeare's
own art (191). In fact, this play is the only one that actually uses stage spectacle and "stage
business" as much as it does (191). This stage business included a 'quaint device' for Ariel to use to
make the banquet vanish, in which the banquet would have needed to be fastened to a reversible–top
table (192). Henslowe's list also included a bit about the exotic costumes the goddesses would be
wearing (200). And Gurr explained that there was likely a way to create a wet look for the mariners
after the shipwreck (184). The Tempest is such an exception to the common devices Shakespeare
used, in which his focus was a little less about the use of magic thematically, and maybe a little
more about spiting his contemporaries and other influential thinkers of the

Hallucination In Macbeth
In most cases, elements of the supernatural are used to represent evil. In Shakespeare's play,
Macbeth, the supernatural influences the actions of certain characters and gives the play an eerie
atmosphere that is full of disorder. The supernatural appears in many forms such as, ghosts, witches,
and hallucinations. Macbeth's belief in the supernatural encourages him to secure his fate by
committing dishonorable crimes that he eventually regrets. Macbeth's trust in the witches' prophecy
motivates him to commit crimes in order to make the prediction come true. Shakespeare uses a
hallucination to show what causes Macbeth to kill Duncan. "Thou marshal'st me the way that I was
going, and such an instrument I was to use." (Shakespeare ii.i. 54–55).

The Importance of the Supernatural in Macbeth by William...
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 ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
In Act 1scene 5, Lady Macbeth describes how she hopes the weather will be for when she commits
Duncan's murder– "Come thick night and pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hellâ€¦Nor heaven peep
through the blanket of the dark." She is using the weather as a means of covering up her evil actions;
she wants the night to hide her, so that neither she nor anyone else can see the wound the knife
makes. Shakespeare uses personification to describe the nature around them– "Nature seems dead."
The nature is given a human form, as though it is a victim of the supernatural itself. In Act 2 scene 1,
Macbeth talks to the ground, as if it could hear him, suggesting it is part of the supernatural, and is
going to disguise his treacherous footsteps– " Thou sure and firm–set earth, hear not my stepsâ€¦"
This creates tension, as Macbeth is talking as if the ground can hear him, showing how the
supernatural has easily affected him and made him wary.
.
AQA (syllabus B)
GCSE English/Literature:
Pre–1900 Drama– 'Macbeth' by William Shakespeare
Coursework assignment: Discuss the importance of the Supernatural in William Shakespeare's
Macbeth
When Macbeth commits the murder of king Duncan, Shakespeare describes the animals having,

"Turned wild in nature." This shows how the animals are also being affected by the evil around– the
supernatural is even affecting nature, creating a

Supernatural In Macbeth Research Paper
Shakespeare Supernatural
Most people have their own perspective on supernatural, but questionable with the play Macbeth by
William Shakespeare. In Shakespeare time the people wanted the unreal in a play. His perspective of
supernatural was witches, ghost, magic, unnatural, and evil which clearly he interoperated in the
play "Macbeth," as for an example he uses some unusual looking women with the power to control
the weather, and to be able to predict the future. The three witches are Shakespeare's perspective of
supernatural. Shakespeare people strongly saw the world as if there was supernatural all around us
and most people were afraid of it, so frighten even the king of that time, King James l of England.
Ever since they were introduce with the topic, Shakespeare play Macbeth became a relatively true to
the people in that time. The plays theme "supernatural," was a 17th century remarkably coming to
the modern day horror stories. The play starts with a supernatural scene, which the three witches
come in as who they are specifically, and what they are capable of. "...we three meet again in
thunder, lighting or in rain?....When the battle's lost and won....That will be ere the set of
sun....There to meet with Macbeth." In this scene the world's ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Supernatural will always be a topic of all good and evil with what it really lies, which is reality.
Macbeth is an outstanding play that was used to entertain or amuse the king of his time King James l
with his most fear of all supernatural contents. Perspectives of what people might have missed
during the plays action rise into always a loss of cheating the laws of physics and forgetting what is
real and isn't. As it has been proven there are no such thing in this world, but that there is another
dimension where we remain not just only one but

The Supernatural Of Macbeth By William Shakespeare
In Macbeth, the supernatural is the guiding force behind Macbeth 's action and an integral part of the
structure of the plot. The supernatural appears in many forms: the witches, Banquo 's ghost, and the
four apparitions. The supernatural serves as a role of manifestation of evil temptation that seduces
Macbeth in murdering his comrades. Macbeth, who was seen as a hero, became a corrupt,
murderous man who would remove all that he sees as a threat to him. Meeting the witches awaken
to his ambition of killing his comrades; second was the sanity and judgment to wander off to a
murder 's mind with the appearance of Banquo's ghost. Third was the meeting was the apparitions,
which left Macbeth feeling guilt and insecurity. The supernatural played a large role that motivated
Macbeth's action to the extent where his moralities became imperfect, and his path of murderous and
evil deeds.
The witches represent Macbeth 's evil aspiration and are the motivation that drives Macbeth to
executing his friends. The witches ' first prophecy was that Macbeth will be the "Thane of Cawdor"
(1.3.51) and "be King hereafter" (1.3.52). Macbeth questions why give him such title when the
Thane of Cawdor is living healthy and the King is still alive, but after the King announce the new
title to Macbeth, he believes that his second prophecies will come true. This prompted Lacy
Macbeth into convincing Macbeth that it is necessary to kill and motivates him to consider murder
as a way to the throne. The

Occult and Supernatural Elements in "Macbeth"
Although Macbeth is not classed as being a supernatural play or a play of the occult, there are some
elements in the play that Shakespeare uses to effect. It is necessary however, to define what is meant
by the terms 'occult' and 'supernatural': the term 'occult' is defined as being 'supernatural beliefs,
practises or phenomenon' and the term 'supernatural' is defined as being 'attributed to some force
beyond scientific understanding or the laws of nature'; both these terms can be associated with
gothic writing. Gothic writing usually involves elements that invoke a feeling of fear, repulsion and
abhorrence from its readers or audience. Writers use imagery of the supernatural to achieve this
effect, for example in Shelley's Frankenstein ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
This dagger represents the point of no return for Macbeth: he can continue to follow the path and
kill the King or he can turn away from it all. When the play is being performed, stagecraft plays an
important role in making the appearance of the dagger as dramatic as possible for the audience. In
Roman Polanski's 1971 film of Macbeth the camera shows Macbeth's point of view with a glowing
dagger in front of him, then cuts to a side view showing Macbeth facing empty space. Shakespeare
intended for the appearance of the dagger to be visually dramatic and so stagecraft is important
when invoking emotions from the audience associated with this supernatural image. Similarly to the
dagger, Macbeth imagines the ghost of Banquo appearing at a banquet in Act III Scene 4. At first
Macbeth believes that the ghost is real and that others are able to see it, as Shakespeare writes:
"Which of you have done this?" ...
... "Thou canst not say I did it; never shake thy gory locks at me."
Macbeth suspects that someone has staged the appearance of the ghost of Banquo but then he
addresses the ghost himself by denying his guilt – "Thou canst not say I did it". The ghost of
Banquo is seen as a symbol of Macbeth's guilt: he feels guilty that he had his companion killed,
albeit not done by his own hand, and so he imagines the ghost of Banquo as his conscience is

Who Caused Macbeth 's Ill Fate : The Witches Or Himself?
Who Caused Macbeth's Ill Fate: the Witches or Himself? The concept of witchcraft has been around
for thousands of years; it can be seen in many diverse areas of our daily lives. Take for example
children's stories – several books/movies use a witch as their main antagonist. Where did witches
begin? To answer this question, witches have been around as long as there has been a devil in
religious tales. Sometimes, they are not even called 'witches' in certain religions, but you can be sure
that each religion has its own idea of witchcraft or devil worship. The late 1500s into the early 1700s
were a time when witches became increasingly popular. Women accused of witchcraft were blamed
for the slightest happenings that occurred in villages and towns: illness, death, infidelity, etc.
Religious wrong–doers frequently blamed the witch and her spells for corrupting their mind with
evil and wicked nature. It is commonly known that when a person was found to be a 'witch' they
were taken to trial where they would have to defend themselves to the accusations brought against
them. Many women were asked to recite verses from the bible as it was believed that those who sold
their souls to Satan would perish if they uttered the righteous words of the Lord, God. This was a
difficult task for anyone to attempt. Not many people were able to recite specific verses off the top
of their head. Others who were able to recite the verses were put to other tests, one of the most

How does Shakespeare Exploit the Supernatural for...
The play begins in a 'desolate place' as the stage directions tell us. Shakespeare uses the pathetic
fallacy of 'Thunder and Lightening.' This creates an atmosphere of dark and evil and anticipates
something frightening. There are three witches, casting a spell, as Shakespeare shows through the
use of rhyming couplets at the end of lines. In addition to this, he uses the syntatic parralelism to
suggest that everything is not what it will seem. 'Fair is foul and foul is fair.' This warns the audience
so that they can make predictions of what will happen in 'Macbeth.'
A Jacobean audience and Shakespeare?s contemporaries believed in the supernatural very strongly,
including the king of that time, King James I of England. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
As, for the next prediction to come true, King Duncan must be killed for Macbeth to stand a chance
of being King. Shakespreare uses Act I Scene III as a way of creating a focus on Macbeth, the plot
to get rid of King Duncan and then concentrating on Macbeth?s life after the murder. Scene II and
Scene III in Act I juxtapose two different sides of Macbeth?s character. In Scene II Macbeth is
shown to be brave and good. In Scene III Macbeth is shown differently, especially as he uses ?Foul
and Fair? and interrogatives to try to get information from the witches. In this scene Macbeth is
shown to be linked to the supernatural, showing an evil side of him.
In Act IV Scene I Macbeth decides to seek out the witches for himself. He decides to do this because
of the appearance of Banquo?s ghost in Act III scene IV. The witches call up three apparitions to
predict Macbeth?s future. The first apparition warns Macbeth of Macduff?s presence. The second
apparition is ?a bloody child? telling Macbeth that, ?none of woman born shall harm him.? This
brings Macbeth confidence and he becomes sinister and evil, wanting to kill Macduff only in case of
the apparition not being correct. The third and final apparition is a ?child crowned, with a tree in his
hand.? It says, ?Macbeth shall never be vanquished until Great Birnam wood to high Dunsinane hill
come against him.? Macbeth reacts to say, ?That will never be.? He then makes a speech as if he is
casting a spell–by using

Supernatural In Macbeth Essay
The use of supernatural is very evident in the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare. Supernatural is
the extraordinary or something related with forces we don't comprehend or that can't be clarified by
science.. Readers are introduced to the world of supernatural in a number of different ways
throughout the play. From start to finish, every page, every scene, and every act has some sort of
supernatural element to it. The supernatural was used in Shakespeares Macbeth to suggest the main
characters state of mind including; madness, ambition, and guilt. From the witches to the floating
dagger, to Banquo's ghost the readers can tell that the play is full of supernatural events.
During the play, Macbeth experiences madness throughout the play with ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
The Banquet scene is the centrepiece of the play. When Banquo's ghost appears, Macbeth is
immediately terrified and scared that the ghost might punish and haunt him for the evil sins he has
committed. Macbeth refers to Banquo's ghost and says "Thou canst not say I did it! Never shake thy
gory locks at me!"(Shakespeare 3.4 61.)which shows his fear as he tries to deny the murder.
Macbeth is so terrified, he begs the ghost to leave several times, "Prithee, see there!", "Avaunt and
quit my sight!"(Shakespeare 3.4 82, 113. The fact that Macbeth can see ghosts reveals that he is
losing his state of mind and going mad as a result of his fear and guilt. The readers do not feel the
same way or have the same guilt and emotions as Macbeth does, this is because the readers cannot
see the same visions since they haven't committed Macbeth's crimes and therefore do not have the
same feelings of guilt. The tension, as the readers wait to see how Macbeth will react, creates a large
amount of excitement within the audience. Shakespeare's audiences would have been held under
suspension as they waited to find out what was happening to Macbeth since they couldn't see the
ghost. Although, towards the end of the scene they would have explained that Macbeth was
hallucinating over a guilty

Shakespeare: Magic and Supernatural Occurances Essay
Magic and supernatural occurrences in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, Richard III, and
The Tempest are used to create a surreal world to confuse and resolve conflicts in each play. Magic
provides the audience with an escape from reality and the comfort of the play's unrealistic nature. In
A Midsummer Night's Dream, a love potion from a magical flower is used and misused to provide
comic relief and resolution to love's difficulties, supernatural ghosts are used to condemn a horrific
murderer in Richard III to ensure his downfall and deserved death and finally, magic from
Prospero's book in The Tempest is used for his righteous revenge and harmony amongst the
characters. The Duke of Athens, Theseus, states, "the best in this kind ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
In Act V, scene v, the 11 ghosts whom he has murdered bombard dreaming Richard. Each ghost
stops to speak to him to condemn him for his or her death and the ghost of Buckingham tells
Richard of his soon fate of, "d[ying] in terror of thy guiltiness!" (V.v. 124). The ghosts then proceed
to sleeping Richmond, telling him that they will be by his side and he will rule England and be the
gather of a race of kings. Terrified, Richard wakes up and presents a soliloquy displaying his first
presence of humane thoughts and feelings. Revealing self doubt, conscious, and regret for his
horrendous actions, he states, "what do I fear? Myself? There's none else by. / Richard loves
Richard; that is, I am I. / Is there a murderer here? No. Yes, I am" (V.v. 136–138). Richard is seized
with the renowned horror when he realizes that he is the most dangerous person he could be left
alone with. He then recalls upon an interesting idea after he discovered a way to flee from the
situation, "Why? / Lest I revenge. Myself upon myself?" (V.v. 139–140). After second guessing
himself due to supernatural ghosts, he is visited again by a mysterious inner demon from which even
he is not safe. He then moves past this thought by stating that he loves himself, but realizes that it is
an impossible thought because he has never done any loving acts, just hateful, villainous murders. In
the first speech of the

The Supernatural Element Of William Shakespeare 's Macbeth
What is interesting is what each supernatural element represents in Shakespeare's society and in our
current society. The supernatural elements in Macbeth include fate, the witches, mythological
beings, ghosts, and apparitions. I believe that the witches in Shakespeare's time, in the play and in
real life, represent the power of choice. The power to be able to decide to commit murder or any
other heinous act or decide to let things naturally happen shows the classic choice between good and
evil, but the witches themselves are not evil. While they are viewed as treasonous in this time, that is
simply because they were believed to be associated with the devil and a threat to the king. In reality,
Macbeth is the evil one because of his actions. I would even argue that Macbeth was the one who
sealed his unfortunate fate once the king was murdered. Because of the downward spiral Macbeth,
and even Lady Macbeth, faces after the murders, his eventual insanity proves that the act he
committed was in fact evil because of the repercussions he faced. The repercussions themselves
could be viewed as evil because the "supernatural evil could prove to be a better sanctioning
mechanism than a punishing god" (Martinez, 334). I think this is comparable to our society today
because of how the belief in fate itself constitutes the belief of karma, either good or bad, in that a
person gets what he or she deserves. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, I think, got what they deserved in
the end. Moreover,

William Shakespeare Supernatural Essay
supernatural exist and actually it's a really fascinating thing because sometimes it's feel as if like
someone is watching when there's no bodys around us or someone calling your name when no one is
there millions of years ago some people must have thought or believed the idea of goblins, witches,
monsters, vampires, demons and many more . To this present day people are making fictional books,
movies, videos about them. What if there was a reason why these 'legends' are still talked about to
this day. Almost all rumours eventually die out so why do people still report so called sightings? –
maybe its a sign? Or it called be true When we were children or maybe even toddlers, how did the
idea of being afraid of the dark slip into our minds? being afraid of monsters? maybe it's because
supernatural creatures do exist? maybe it's some sort of sign from the universe? Shakespeare uses
supernatural events in his stories and plays to make his stories more believable and fascinating
because superstition held relentless sway over the popular mind and many people enjoys reading
and learning about supernatural and crime more then other movie or book generals . Back in the day
People believed in superstition on a daily activity but now days Our modern enlightenment has
driven away these creatures from their accustomed playgrounds. Witches and witchcraft were fully
believed in both by the learned and unlearned.
Many superstition was believed during Elizabeth date back

Manipulating The Supernatural : William Shakespeare 's...
Manipulating the Supernatural It is human nature to be drawn toward people that we can relate to.
Because of this Shakespeare made his characters as relatable as possible to the audience members of
the late fifteenth and early sixteenth century and their views on life so he could generate more
recognition for his plays. Throughout Shakespeare 's plays, Othello and A Midsummer Night's
Dream, he appeals to the audience by relating to their human nature. One of the major observations
of human nature that Shakespeare likely made and incorporated into his plays is the human desire to
be drawn toward the seemingly supernatural and unknown. In the first of the two plays, A
Midsummer Night's Dream, Othello sets a stage consisting of two dimensions: a typical perception
of late fifteenth century England and a supernatural fairy world that is capable of supervising the
other. The ubiquity and punctuality of all of the fairy characters as well as the presence of their
magical artifacts displays the extent of which there are supernatural aspects in play. Inversely in
Othello, there is a large presence of manipulation while still suggesting some supernatural elements
but not admitting the story to them. In both Othello and A Midsummer Night's Dream Shakespeare
suggests a connection between the conventional understanding of manipulation and the supernatural
aspects of the play by displaying the parallel outcomes of each. During the turn of Shakespeare's
success around 1595, it was his

Shakespeare's Use of the Supernatural in "Macbeth" Essay
The supernatural was a popular element in many of the plays written in Shakespeare's time
(including Hamlet) and everyone of Shakespeare's time found the supernatural fascinating. Even
King James I took a special interest in supernatural and written a book, Daemonologie, on
witchcraft. It must be remembered that, in Shakespeare's day, supernatural referred to things that
were "above Nature"; things which existed, but not part of the normal human life and unexplainable.
The play Macbeth involves many supernatural actions that act as a catalyst for suspense and thrill,
insight into character, foreshadowing of future events as well as making connections with the theme.
In the opening scene of the play, the entrance of the three witches ... Show more content on
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Scene iii. Line 58) is also an element of supernatural. Later on in the play, we found Macbeth
constantly relying on the witches' supernatural powers and their ability to call out the three
apparitions, yet another symbol of the supernatural. Over here, the calling out of the apparitions as
supernatural elements in the play could be intended to increase the thrill and suspense of the
audience. At the same time, bear in mind that Shakespeare had the play performed for King James I,
perhaps, the supernatural scenes on the witches is intended to cater to King James I's personal
interest.
It is also noted that the presence of the witches' in every scene, is often accompanied by thunder and
dark skies, as though Nature is disturbed and troubled by their presence and supernatural forces. The
disorder and disturbance of Nature in the presence of the witches' supernatural forces could also
reflect the disorder portrayed in the play as soon as the Great Chain of Being was violated when
Macbeth murdered King Duncan and assumed the throne.
Terrible and peculiar incidents of the supernatural surfaced after King Duncan was murdered. Life
literally, is turned upside down. The day was covered with darkness, and an owl; an untameable bird
of night and death kills upon a falcon, a day creature and a royal companion. Also, King Duncan's
horses became mad and ate each other. (Act II. Scene iv. Line 10–19). These supernatural surfaced
after Macbeth's act of

Natural vs. Unnatural in Shakespeare´s Macbeth Essay
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 ... Show more content on
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However, all of the deaths in Macbeth are because of murder or suicide, making them unnatural
deaths. The very first death in the play is Macbeth killing Macdonwald in battle; making his death
an unnatural death. In the lines, "Till he unseamed him from the nave to th' chops, / and fixed his
head upon our battlements." (Shakespeare 7 ln 22–23). Shakespeare shows the audience how
Macbeth murders Macdonwald during battle. The second and main death of the play is when
Macbeth and Lady Macbeth murder Duncan. Duncan does not die of old age or an illness, but by
being murdered out of pure jealousy. However, within this scene Lady Macbeth has natural human
feelings. She cannot murder Duncan because he looks too much like her father, meaning that she has
the natural human emotion of affection. This is shown when she says "Had he not resembled/ My
father as he slept, I had done't." The third death that many critics analyze is when Lady Macbeth
dies. It is thought that she commits suicide. In Act V, Macbeth says "What is that noise?"
(Shakespeare 163 ln 7). Seyton then replies, "It is the cry of women, my good lord." (Shakespeare
153 ln 8). Many critics believe that Lady Macbeth jumped from the top of the castle and Macbeth
heard her scream. In current times, there are many issues of whether or not suicide should be
considered murder. However, back during the time of Shakespeare suicide was considered a major
topic in art and theater. All–in–all, suicide is not a

Supernatural Events In William Shakespeare´S Macbeth

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Supernatural Events In William Shakespeare´S Macbeth