Discuss the importance of the theme of the supernatural in William Shakespeare's "Macbeth"

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Discuss the importance of the theme of the supernatural in William Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”

The supernatural in Elizabethan times was seen as a very real threat to society. The public thought that there were such things as witches who could perform acts of the supernatural such as turning humans into animals and causing changes in the weather. Any mention of the supernatural in these times scared the public and many people, mainly women, were executed on the thought that they were witches.

        In the beginning of the play, as the 3 witches meet, they suggest another time. “When shall we three meet again? In thunder lighting or in rain?” In this they suggest 3 weather states that represent darkness and which are usually associated with scary strange happenings and are often something to do with the paranormal.

             In act 2 scene 1 Macbeth hallucinates and an image of a dagger appears before his eyes, “ is this a dagger, which I see before me? Art thou not a fatal vision?” Here the supernatural is represented in the form of non-realistic images appearing before Macbeth as the witches have had an affect on him maybe causing the hallucinations by creating false imprints on his mind. When Macbeth sees the dagger his use of language refers to death which relates directly do the witches as they are associated with killing and intent to harm humans. The picture that they have created in his mind is to kill the king therefore they could be using Macbeth to perform one of their acts of evil.

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        In act three scene 4 Banquo’s ghost starts haunting Macbeth in the middle of a banquet after Macbeth has just recently ordered for the murder of Banquo and his son Fleance. “Avaunt, and quit my sight, let the earth hide thee.” Macbeth has seen the ghost of Banquo and cannot believe his eyes, he believes that it is a figment of his imagination as Banquo is dead “Thy bones are marrowless, thy blood Is cold”. Macbeth is trying to convince himself that it is not the ghost of Banquo but his imagination and is trying to back up is views ...

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