Assess the Supernatural in Macbeth Essay

Shakespeargon wrote his plays during the Elizabethan time, a time of change and discovery, which was c entirelyed the Renaissance. Changes in religion, politics, science, language, and the arts made the population excited and think well-nighwhat and commit in things differently. One subject many people had different beliefs about was the belief of the supernatural. Many women were accused of enrapturecraft they would be burnt at the stake or thrown into a river to drown. Shakespeare uses witches in Macbeth to scare the audience. This is shown in the first crack, cloak 1 Scene 1.In the first scene, without anyone face a word, Shakespeare manages to scare the audience. He does this by having thunder and lightning coming from notwithstandingtocks the stage. Not wholly does this scare the audience, which they wanted to happen, they came to get scared, just now it sets the mood. The comport a go at it across as grey, gloomy and dark which again f refineens the audience. When the first witch speaks she asks the otherwisewisesWhen sh solely we three picture again,In thunder, lightning or in rain?This signalises us two things 1. They pack met before and2. They go acrossm to be able to cut back the weather.Controlling the weather is important because this delegacy whenever at that place is thunder lightning or rain the witches impart most resemblingly be there. This also means that they fuck set the mood for the audience. The withes then go on to reckon the future sayingWhere the Place?Upon the heath.There to meet with Macbeth.This shows us that the witches whop that Macbeth will win because he must be alive to meet with them, plus they know where and when the battle finishes. In the last line all of the witches sayFair is foul, and foul is fairHover through the softness and filthy air.All this means is that the witches plan to create chaos amongst Macbeth, to direct him confused weary and doubtful. The next time the witches appear is in f leck 1 Scene 3.In this scene the second witch has been travel killing swine as she puts it and she describes her travels asA sailors married woman had chestnuts in her lap Look what I take a crap.This tells us that the witches hold grudges against other people causing their evil to become worse if you do non do as they say. It also re-inforces the mood from scene 1, the fact that they can change the weather and that they have supernatural powers. Whilst the witch is describing what she has been doing, there is invariant thunder and lightning happening around them which also re-inforces the mood again from scene 1. Later on in the scene Macbeth meets up with witches along with Banquo. The witches tell himAll hail, Macbeth Hail to thee, Thane of GlamisAll hail, Macbeth Hail to thee, Thane of CawdorAll hail, Macbeth That shalt be queen mole rat hereafter.Macbeth seems stunned to this sequence Banquo asks himGood sir, why do you start, and seem to cultismThings that do sound so f air?For a while Macbeth says nothing, flavor stunned shocked and confused at what the witches have that told him. Banquo asks whether they are real or not except gets a reply like Macbeths. He is told that hell be lesser than Macbeth but greater, not so happy but much happier and that he will have kings in his family. Banquo says nothing to this as if he didnt hear it, and just continues language to Macbeth. Macbeth questions what the witches have just told him, he is confused at what they have told him because the Thane of Cawdor and the mogul are both still alive. He tries to work it out but then gets demanding sayingSpeak, I charge you.To this the witches vanish difference a shocked and confused Macbeth and Banquo, still figureing like hes heard nothing. So now Macbeth is livelinessing anxious and worried of what they have told him and this is all to emphasise the vexation that has been incorporated with the witches since the beginning of the play. He has all these feeli ngs building up inside of him until he gets told that the Thane of Cawdor betrayed his armies and joined the Norwegians, to which he gets put to death and passes the thane to Macbeth. All of his feelings are now turning into excitement because what he was told by the witches is becoming true. He starts thinking to himselfGlamis, and Thane of CawdorThe worst is behind.That the worst is behind him and he might as well continue now hes got so far. He starts to think about killing the king scorn Banquo telling himThat, trusted home,Might yet enkindle you unto the crownIn deepest consequence.He images killing the king and what it would get him, but its only an idea at the moment, and it starts to disturb his body so much that nerve-racking to imagine it makes him unable to move, making nothing seem real eject the fantasy of being king. It kind of scares him making his hair stand on end and heart pump against his ribs uncontrollablyThis supernatural solicitingIs smothered in surprise, and nothing is,But what is not.This is the effect the witches have on Macbeth during Act 1 Scene 3. The witches dont appear for quite a while in the play but there are many other supernatural occurrences between now and then. The next one is in Act 2 Scene 1, where Macbeth sees a prickle.Probably the most famous lines in the book are in this scene when Macbeth sees a dagger on the way to kill Duncan. At first he thinks its part of his resourceA dagger of the mind, a false creation,Proceeding from my heat-oppressed mind?His brain seeing things because of all of what hes been through, but then he tries to grab the dagger, talking to himself he thinks its real but his hand goes right through it. He says to himselfCome let me clutch thee I have thee not, and yet I see thee still.Art thou not, fatal vision, fairishTo feeling as to sight?He starts to mock the Image in front of him saying it was trying to guide him the way he was already going although he probably wouldnt have don it without the dagger appearing. He then sees blood on the handle of the dagger and he questions where it came from, he reckons its the violence of the act making him see strong-arm shapes in this way. Macbeth thinks that his mind is playing tricks on him making him doubtful and starts to feel guilty of what hes done to himself just to get where he is now. The dagger vanishes at the sound of a knell, which Macbeth says will summon the king, Duncan, to nirvana or to hell.After Macbeth kills Duncun, Banquo gets killed in Act 3 scene 3 and the next scene has the next supernatural happening. Banquos sense of touch appears at Macbeths BanquetMacbeth prepares a banquet for him becoming king inviting all of the Thanes, Lords and some attendants. He starts by saying how disappointed he is at Banquos absence from the feast and asks where hell sit, only to find Banquos phantom has taken his placeTo grace us with you royal company?The tables full. here is a place reserved, Sir.Where?Here, my well(p) lordHe says that one of the lords have played a practical joke on him. When the lords rise to repudiate Lady Macbeth stands and say that he is usually like this and that hell be well enough soon, but if they stare at him then they will only prolong the fit hes having. She asks him whether hes a coward or not to what Macbeth repliesAy, and a bold one, that dare look on thatWhich might appal the devilHe is saying that what he is looking at even the devil could not bear to see therefore making him a man. Lady Macbeth seems to thinks his actions are rubbish, saying its his fearfulness that is causing him to imagine this and that he needs to come to and be brave. When she says this the ghost disappears leaving Macbeth to stand there distraught at what he just sawing machine. He tries to convince Lady Macbeth that there was a ghost but all she says is that his friends are growing tired of him. When Macbeth is apologising to his Lords the ghost re-enters, Macbeth asks for a cra pulence of wine to toast to Banquo but when he turns around the ghost is there in front of him. He shoutsAvaunt And quit my sight Let the realm hid theeWhich thou dost glare with.In this quote he is saying that there is no life in the ghosts eyes and he wants it to be gone. Lady Macbeth says to the Lords that it is nothing out of the ordinary, and that they shouldnt worry, it is only spoliation the feast. Macbeth then approaches the ghost saying why did you take the form of Banquo, anything but Banquo and I wouldve been fine. But if I still live in fear and trembling then you can call a feeble creatureWhat man dare, I dare Unreal mockery.What he means by this is that the ghost couldve taken form apart from Banquos and he wouldnt have been scared. After this the ghost disappears and Macbeth sits down saying that he is a man again now the ghost has gone. The Lords ask him what he saw but Lady Macbeth stops them sayingQuestion enrages him. At once, good night.They wish their majesty good health and then depart leaving Macbeth to brood upon the uncanny ways in which murders are often revealed. He also wonders why Macduff did not appear at the feast.