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, Banquos 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†¦show more content†¦Come, you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here. Come to my womans 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 marshalst me the way that I was going; and such an instrument I was to use. Theres 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 Duncans 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 Banquos prophecy of being father of kings come true because he thinks he has put a great effort to reach theShow MoreRelatedThe Ultimate Downfall of Macbeth Due to Guilt 842 Words   |  3 PagesIn 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 supernaturalRead MoreMacbeth Themes899 Words   |  4 Pages â€Å"What are the major themes in Macbeth† By Connor Maguire William Shakespeare’s Macbeth a play complete with many themes and viewpoints. 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