1. The Supernatural In Macbeth, the supernatural is an integral part of thestructure of the plot. It provides a catalyst for action, aninsight into character, and augments the impact of manykey scenes. The supernatural appears to the audience in many variedforms - not only does a ghost appear bu alsot a floatingdagger, witches, and prophetic apparitions makeappearances. Shakespeares contemporaries believed in thesupernatural very strongly and a majority of them werefrightened of it, including the king of that time, KingJames I.

2. The Witcheshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DorcFBk4sf8 3. The Witches The witches were a symbol of evil, and Shakespeare uses thisfear of the devil to give his plays an additional eerieatmosphere and haunting effect. They intrigue the audience to see if they are correct in theirprophecies. The witches are the most striking voice of unnaturalness anddisorder. Lady Macbeth offers no comment on the witches, themetaphysical aid, who promise so much to her husband. It is Macbeth who needs the witches to tell him what is in hisown mind, but is too afraid to acknowledge he refers to themas instruments of darkness 4. Floating Daggerhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pusU90ov8pQ Another form of the supernatural is the air- drawn dagger which leads Macbeth to his victim. When the dagger appears to him, Macbeth finally becomes victim to the delusions of his fevered brain. The dagger points to Duncans room and appears to be covered in blood. 5. Floating Dagger This dagger encourages or Even if we decide the daggerpushes Macbeth to commitcomes sent from thethe crime. Although it is meant supernatural realm, is it sentto encourage Macbeth to dofrom heaven or hell? Does itthe murder, it is at the same encourage or discourage thetime, showing the audiencedeed? Does the blood it bearsthat what Macbeth is about to seek to appall or enthral? Thedo, although it being obvious,text, it seems, provides nois evil. Shakespeare uses the definitive answer, and from thissupernatural to guide the we are probably to feel theaudience to show what evil is.same duality, the sameYou begin to notice, as you uncertainty, as Macbeth.read through the play, thatsupernatural is used in allplaces where evil is present. 6. Ghost of Banquo The appearance ofBanquos ghost providesinsight into Macbethscharacter. It shows the levelthat Macbeths mind hasrecessed to. When he seesthe ghost he reacts withhorror and upsets theguests. Banquos ghost is thesupernatural symbol of theacts that Macbethcommitted and also theother, more peaceful paththat Macbeth could havechosen. 7. Ghost of Banquo Banquos ghost serves to show Blood hath been shed erethe path that Macbeth couldnow, i th olden time, / Erehave chosen as well as serving human statute purged theas a reminder of Macbeths gentle weal: / Ay, and sincedeeds. It is in this way thattoo, murders have beenBanquo haunts Macbeth in two performed / Too terrible for theways. Banquos ghost servesear. The time has been/as a reminder of the horrors That, when the brains wereMacbeth committed to gain theout, the man would die, /Andcrown and the innocent blood there an end. But now they risehe spilled. Banquos hauntingagain/ With twenty mortalunnerves Macbeth and murders on their crowns/ Andunsettles his conscience:push us from our stools. This is more strange/ Than such a murder is. (3.4.75-83) 8. Prophetic Apparitions http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vr8b9SQ68sw The first apparition is Macbethsown head (later to be cut off byMacduff) - confirming his fears ofMacduff. The second apparition tellsMacbeth that he can not be harmedby no one born of woman - thisknowledge gives Macbeth a falsesense of security because hebelieves that he is somewhatinvincible A child with a crown on his head,the third apparition, representsMalcolm, Duncans son. Thisapparition also gives Macbeth afalse sense of security because it isfollowed by the Birnam Woodprophecy. 9. Macbeths Reaction to the Supernatural http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_T0BSZ3J_c So far the witches have told Macbethtwo things that came true, so it seemslike this will culminate in himbecoming king. This supernatural temptation doesntseem like it can be a bad thing, but itcant be good either. Macbethbelieves that if its a bad thing, whywas he promised a promotion thatturned out to be true? He is asking himself why he iscontemplating on murdering the king.The dangers that actually threatenhim now frighten him less than thehorrible things Im imagining. 10. Effect on the Play Each of the instances of the supernatural in Macbeth cause actionor are the results of an action. The witches and their prophesy setthe plot in motion and Lady Macbeths commitment to thesupernatural leads her to push Macbeth to fulfill the prophesy.When Macbeth murders the king, strange phenomena occur anddisrupt the land. When Macbeth murders Banquo, Banquos ghosthaunts Macbeth. Each incident is driven by the supernatural. Thesupernatural is at the very essence of the play. In most of Shakespeares plays, the use of the supernatural isused to give another great effect to the plot of the story. InMacbeth, the supernatural abilities of the three witches and thedevilish fiends of lady Macbeth are essential to the plot. Withoutthe pressure of his wife Macbeth would never have been alteredinto a corrupt and ungodly man. 11. Contextual Points The expression, the weird When the second witch issisters, used from the 1400s asked where she had been shemeans fatal sisters. The wordreplies, killing swine, thisweird in the old English formimplies she enjoys beingwas a noun meaning fate. devilish. The witches describe The impression the audiencethemselves as fore-tellers ofgets of the witches is that theydestiny the weird sisters are hideously evil.hand in hand In Shakespeares time, witches At times, the weird sisterswere seen to haveseem to represent generalsupernatural powers, theyanxieties about the unknown. could transform themselvesThey also seem to representinto other shapes, usuallyfears of powerful women whoanimals.invert traditional gender roles.