Theme: The Supernatural

Theme: The Supernatural

Overview

The Supernatural plays a significant role in ‘Macbeth’ by William Shakespeare. It is depicted in various forms influencing the actions of several main characters, stimulating the plot and reinforcing the dominant themes of the play.

Manifestation

  • Witches: The play opens with the three witches; an embodiment of the supernatural. They offer prophesies that ignite Macbeth’s ambition and entice him along a dangerous path.
  • Ghost and Apparitions: The appearance of Banquo’s ghost and the apparitions shown by the witches further illustrate the theme of the supernatural.

Role and Influence

  • Prophesies: The witches’ prophesies function as stepping stones to Macbeth’s ambition, enticing him towards the throne and ultimately, his downfall.
  • Guilt & Fear: The supernatural enhances characters’ guilt and fear. The appearance of the dagger spectral vision and Banquo’s ghost intensify Macbeth’s guilt and fear, driving his murderous actions.

Psychoanalysis of Macbeth

  • Supernatural vs Reality: Macbeth’s interaction with the supernatural can reflect his mental instability. The spectacle of the dagger and Banquo’s ghost can be seen as delusional episodes indicating Macbeth’s psychological deterioration.

The Supernatural and the Themes of the Play

  • Fate and Free Will: The witches’ prophesies question the balance between fate and free will. Although they predict Macbeth’s future, it is his free will that drives his actions.
  • Moral Corruption and Ambition: The supernatural often presents itself after acts of moral corruption, suggesting its role as a reminder and symbol of Macbeth’s overwhelming ambition and moral downfall.

Symbolism

  • Witches: The witches represent dark and destructive forces in nature. They symbolise the evil that can stem from unchecked ambitions.
  • Apparitions: The three apparitions that the witches conjure act as symbols of deception, misleading Macbeth into a false sense of security.

Relation to Setting

  • Nature vs Unnatural: The theme of the supernatural disrupts the established natural world in the play. This contrast illustrates the unnaturalness of Macbeth’s regicidal act.
  • Darkness and Night: Darkness and night, traditionally suggestive of evil and the supernatural, act as the backdrop of the majority of the play. This setting enhances the foreboding atmosphere and the uncanny events that take place.