Q) Explore the role of the supernatural in Shakespeare's play "Macbeth"
"Macbeth" was a tragedy written by William Shakespeare in 1606. Five years after the death of Elizabeth 1st and the accession of James 1st, also James Vi of Scotland. The play shows the defeat of a man who has many fine qualities, but commits murder as a result of his ambition to become a king influenced by a prophecy of the supernatural witches.
The first scene shows the witches planning to meet Macbeth. The setting of this scene is very important; they meet on a moor in thunder and lightning. The surroundings portray an evil image. The moor is a very lonely, barren and bleak place, while thunder and lightning are associated with evil. The witches´ language includes rhyming couplets that contradict each other and sound very powerful. "Fair is foul, and foul is fair: Hover through the fog and filthy air" This quote tells us about the witches´ hatred for all things good, and their love for things that are evil. Shakespeare adds rhyme and rhythm to the witches´ language to emphasize their wickedness. The second part of this quote adds to their image of wickedness and would have created tension among the audience.
Most of Shakespeare's audience believed in the supernatural as they were discovering the origin of life. Some critics say that the witch made Macbeth commit the murder, but was this entirely true or was it Macbeth's wife who persuaded him into doing so? How much influence did the supernatural have on Macbeth? These are just some of the questions that I will be exploring within this essay.
"Macbeth" was a tragedy written by William Shakespeare in 1606. Five years after the death of Elizabeth 1st and the accession of James 1st, also James Vi of Scotland. The play shows the defeat of a man who has many fine qualities, but commits murder as a result of his ambition to become a king influenced by a prophecy of the supernatural witches.
The first scene shows the witches planning to meet Macbeth. The setting of this scene is very important; they meet on a moor in thunder and lightning. The surroundings portray an evil image. The moor is a very lonely, barren and bleak place, while thunder and lightning are associated with evil. The witches´ language includes rhyming couplets that contradict each other and sound very powerful. "Fair is foul, and foul is fair: Hover through the fog and filthy air" This quote tells us about the witches´ hatred for all things good, and their love for things that are evil. Shakespeare adds rhyme and rhythm to the witches´ language to emphasize their wickedness. The second part of this quote adds to their image of wickedness and would have created tension among the audience.
Most of Shakespeare's audience believed in the supernatural as they were discovering the origin of life. Some critics say that the witch made Macbeth commit the murder, but was this entirely true or was it Macbeth's wife who persuaded him into doing so? How much influence did the supernatural have on Macbeth? These are just some of the questions that I will be exploring within this essay.