The Role of the Supernatural in Macbeth
During Shakespeare's time many people were superstitious and believed in witches, ghosts and other supernatural beings because they could not explain a lot of things that went on around them. This is greatly reflected in Shakespeare's play "Macbeth". By the late 1550's, Shakespeare had established himself as a playwright. Shakespeare and six others called themselves the "Kings Men" they called themselves this with the permission of King James 1.
The supernatural plays a very big part throughout the play. This can be first seen at the very beginning in Act one Scene one with the three weird sisters meeting on the heath. In the back round there is thunder and lightning. This symbolises that bad things that are to come. This is also where one of the most important lines in the play is said
"When the hurlyburlys done.
When the battles lost and won"
This says that every battle is lost by one side and won by the other. All winners may be victorious on the battlefield, but not off of it. This is the first observation made by the witches. It could be seen that Shakespeare is saying that, although Macbeth will win the physical battle his soul will be lost to an evil presence.
At the beginning of the play Macbeth is told that he will be king by the weird sisters. From this point on the use of the supernatural is more frequently seen because Macbeth is relying on the prophecies that are brought to him by the three weird sisters. As Macbeth is relying on the witches it seems that the sisters are capable of leading people to believe things that only they can see.
The two main characters of the play are Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, are well developed. Macbeth, at the beginning of the play is an extremely strong ambitious character when he hears the words of the sisters. Yet, throughout the play, his character deteriorates into a feeble, useless man that seems to have betrayed everyone because of what was said. This included his king to whom he was once a loyal servant. Macbeth becomes emotionally cold and even more ambitious after the murder of the king, which makes him full of fear and guilt. Which causes him to commit the murder of Banquo his closest friend and the rest of the heirs to the throne because he does not want to lose control. It seems that Macbeth is being over zealous, which in the end costs him his life.
During Shakespeare's time many people were superstitious and believed in witches, ghosts and other supernatural beings because they could not explain a lot of things that went on around them. This is greatly reflected in Shakespeare's play "Macbeth". By the late 1550's, Shakespeare had established himself as a playwright. Shakespeare and six others called themselves the "Kings Men" they called themselves this with the permission of King James 1.
The supernatural plays a very big part throughout the play. This can be first seen at the very beginning in Act one Scene one with the three weird sisters meeting on the heath. In the back round there is thunder and lightning. This symbolises that bad things that are to come. This is also where one of the most important lines in the play is said
"When the hurlyburlys done.
When the battles lost and won"
This says that every battle is lost by one side and won by the other. All winners may be victorious on the battlefield, but not off of it. This is the first observation made by the witches. It could be seen that Shakespeare is saying that, although Macbeth will win the physical battle his soul will be lost to an evil presence.
At the beginning of the play Macbeth is told that he will be king by the weird sisters. From this point on the use of the supernatural is more frequently seen because Macbeth is relying on the prophecies that are brought to him by the three weird sisters. As Macbeth is relying on the witches it seems that the sisters are capable of leading people to believe things that only they can see.
The two main characters of the play are Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, are well developed. Macbeth, at the beginning of the play is an extremely strong ambitious character when he hears the words of the sisters. Yet, throughout the play, his character deteriorates into a feeble, useless man that seems to have betrayed everyone because of what was said. This included his king to whom he was once a loyal servant. Macbeth becomes emotionally cold and even more ambitious after the murder of the king, which makes him full of fear and guilt. Which causes him to commit the murder of Banquo his closest friend and the rest of the heirs to the throne because he does not want to lose control. It seems that Macbeth is being over zealous, which in the end costs him his life.
