The sense of supernatural encourages Macbeth and Lady Macbeth to be led into dangerous events. Macbeth's character completely changes from the valiant soldier to the wicked king. Lady Macbeth's character also changes from being a loving wife to madwoman. The use of supernatural also makes the play intriguing to the audience, and which also makes Macbeth an interesting play to study. The use of supernatural occurs at the beginning of the play, with three witches predicting the fate of Macbeth. "When the battles lost and won", indicates Macbeth's fate is that he will win the battle, but will lose for the war of his soul. This part also makes us intrigued to know more about the play.
In Shakespearean times people believed that the devil had the knowledge of the future. The witches are very demonic. Macbeth is good until he meets the witches; when they tell Macbeth their prophecies, Macbeth starts thinking about murder. The witches are old women in a group of three (which was thought to be a magical number) with beards, and no eyes. These features and the use of disturbing weather when the witches appear in the play make them very unnatural. Banquo likens the witches to “Instruments of Darkness” which means he thinks the witches are in a league with the Devil. The witches also speak in shorter and punchier lines that rhyme – unlike other characters; this makes them strange and unique also scary!
The supernatural also occurs in Lady Macbeth's soliloquy (Act 1 Scene 5).
"Come, you spirits. Unsex me here and fill me of direst cruelty. Come to my woman's breasts for gall",
She calls upon evil spirits to give her power to plot the murder of Duncan without any remorse. This shows that she is relying on the supernatural spirits asking to get rid of her feelings and make her evil.
On the night Macbeth and Lady Macbeth plan to kill Duncan, nature is acting weirdly. Owls keep screeching and the abnormal behaviour of the horses where they eat each other, suggests an odd madness the night when Duncan is killed. Also an Owl kills a Falcon, which is also considered as unusual. This behaviour in nature shows the existence of supernatural and it creates a perfect scene for the killing of Duncan.
As Macbeth waits for the signal to make his way up to the stairs, he sees a floating dagger. Here, Macbeth begins to question whether his mind is playing tricks on him. Is there really a dagger in front of him or is he just imagining it?
“Is this a dagger which I see before me, the handle toward my hand? Come let me clutch thee: to have thee not, and yet I see thee still.” (Act 2 Scene 1).
This shows that there is intervention of supernatural spirits that lead Macbeth towards Duncan's room to do the murder. When Macbeth kills Duncan is it a spell or was just an idea that was put into his head and was then lead on by the witches? The audience could make up its own mind about this. Some members of the audience would think, is Macbeth going mad? Throughout the play Shakespeare keeps the audience guessing about what will happen next, it keeps their interest in the play so that the audience does not get bored and leave.
After Duncan is murdered, Macbeth becomes king and starts to become greedier by again, plotting a murder, but this time he plots to murder none other than his friend Banquo. When Macbeth is notified of Banquo’s murder he is seated at a meal. Soon after he has been told of Banquo’s murder, he sees Banquo but in the form of a ghost. This makes Macbeth act in a strange way. When Macbeth sees Banquo’s ghost he nearly gives away that he had him murdered. Although Lady Macbeth covers up for Macbeth, people are becoming increasingly suspicious of Macbeth. Lady Macbeth orders all the thanes to leave Macbeth alone, as he sometimes gets ill like this. The ghost then disappears and Macbeth returns to normal. No one appears to se Banquo’s ghost apart from Macbeth, is it real? Macbeth is in a room full of Thanes and no one else can see Banquo, does this mean that he is just imagining it? Or if witches and ghosts do exist, they could choose who sees them and who doesn’t. Shakespeare emphasises the supernatural in this scene further.
As the witches are preparing a magic portion in a cauldron, Macbeth enters and demands they answer him. Therefore, the witches show him three apparitions. The first apparition is a head wearing a helmet. It says:
"Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! Beware Macduff! Beware Thane of Fife." (Act 4 Scene 1).
This apparition warns Macbeth to beware of Macduff. This drives Macbeth to hate Macduff more and on learning that Macduff has escaped before he can have him murdered, Macbeth immediately decides to murder his whole family. This shows Macbeth as an evil king, he decides the murder because he can do it.
The second apparition is a child covered in blood who tells him that
"For none of woman born shall harm Macbeth." (Act 4 Scene 1).
This apparition tells Macbeth he will not be killed by anyone who was born by woman. This convinces Macbeth that he has so much supernatural power that he cannot be harmed by anyone.
The third apparition is a child he says,
"Macbeth shall never vanquished be until Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill shall come against him." (Act 4 Scene 1).
It shows that Macbeth feels completely certain that no man can kill him and he will not be defeated until a forest uproots itself and moves.
All of these apparitions show the meddling of supernatural spirits that tell Macbeth of his fortune. These apparitions are good news for Macbeth and encouraged him to believe he is resistant and indestructible. Having heard the apparitions he has confidence that he can never be harmed. The audience are not so sure after Hecate appear and demands that the witches should even out what they have done by causing Macbeth grievance.
From reading the points made above, Shakespeare uses the supernatural to create a suspense and intrigue to the play. He does this to keep the audience intrigued and interested. He also does this to get the audience involved with the play, so that certain parts within the play stand out more. I also feel that the supernatural helps the play to progress and keeps the audiences interest. The first prophecies led Macbeth to the throne. Lady Macbeth relied on supernatural in her soliloquy. The illusion of the dagger also shows the intervention spirits that leads Macbeth to Duncan's room. Therefore, the supernatural is used wisely in Macbeth. You can make the supernatural come alive and encourages the audience to feel the supernatural. Words and visual effects let people experience the supernatural on a deeper level of emotion. Evil deeds are always committed in the dark whereas good happens when it is light. Also the visual effects of the dagger, the apparitions and Banquo’s ghost help people to understand what the character is feeling and why they are acting the way they are. Seeing the supernatural in a play shows how realistic it can be and also how powerful the supernatural really is. I think that without the clever use of the supernatural in Macbeth it would not be as fascinating and thought provoking as it is.
Bibliography:
Macbeth – Hilary Burningham
CGP – GCSE Text guide
Complete play of Macbeth
Oxfordshire school, Shakespeare - Macbeth