supernatural in macbeth essay grade 9

Mr Salles Teaches English

Macbeth Supernatural: Starting with the Extract

If you want grades 8 or 9, maybe don't do it.

This is the link to the guide .

This essay comes from a grade 9 student who might not get get Grade 9, because they start with the extract.

Starting with this moment in the play, explore how Shakespeare presents the attitudes of Macbeth and Banquo towards the supernatural.

In this extract, Banquo is shown to be wary of the supernatural; a feeling which would be reflected by most people watching the play. Shakespeare uses Banquo to deliver a didactic message to those who didn’t have this fear of the supernatural, explaining how the “ instruments of darkness... betray us .”The “ instruments of darkness ”refers to the witches, who at this point in the play have just been proved correct in their prediction that Macbeth would become the Thane of Cawdor. By using the metaphor of “ instruments ,” Shakespeare shows that while the supernatural can sound attractive and beautiful, their real role is to betray us to the Devil- the one who controls their movements, and in this extended metaphor “ wins ” them. The fact that the witches predicted correctly that Macbeth would become Thane of Cawdor, Banquo believes, was only an “ honest trifle ,” a small trick which in the long term meant nothing, but that could drag those who allowed it to change their perspective of life into doom. This warning reflected the writing of James I, who in “Demonology” warned of the threat that the supernatural posed to people.

In stark opposition to the clear caution that Banquo has of the witches, Macbeth is unsure of the extent of the threat that the witches pose. He says “ this supernatural soliciting cannot be ill, cannot be good .” The anaphora shows his lack of ability to decide how the supernatural should be treated. This would shock a Jacobean audience, who had been brought up to believe that witches were evil and never to be trusted. Shakespeare shows that this doubt as to whether the witches want Macbeth's good or not directly leads to his ideas about the murder of Duncan, as after seeing their prediction come true, he immediately has a “ thought ” of “ murder .”

Although the idea of murdering the King is at this point “ but fantastical ”, only an idea, even the thought of regicide would be seen as sinful by the Jacobean audience, who saw the King as directly under God in the Great Chain of Being. The fact that a “ valiant ”, “ worthy gentleman ” can be polluted by such evil thoughts as a result of one meeting with the witches is a clear message to the Jacobean audience that witches can destroy anyone, and that everyone should be on their guard and should protect themselves from the supernatural.

Later in the play, Macbeth is shown to think that he has power over the supernatural. This is seen when he commands Banquo’s ghost “ never shake thy gory locks at me! ” The exclamation demonstrates the fact that Macbeth believes that by intimidation he can control not only people, but also ghosts and spirits. However, the ghost does not respond to this demand, which shows that even those in power cannot control the supernatural. This was perhaps a message to the nobles of King James’ court. Shakespeare wanted to remind them that evil spirits- as ghosts were seen at the time- needed divine help to be cast out. Jacobean audiences would infer that Macbeth could not cast away the image of the ghost because he had left God, who alone had the power to cast out demons. This message would please King James, who had strong faith in the power of the Christian God.

After seeing Banquo’s ghost, Macbeth puts his full trust in the witches, which demonstrates that he has lost any “Christian values” that he had held previously. Despite knowing that the witches are the embodiment of spiritual darkness- which can be seen when he refers to them as “ black and midnight hags ”- he begs them to “ answer [him] … what [he] ask[s] them .” The witches agree, showing him three apparitions, the last of which comes with a message to “ Laugh to scorn, for none of woman born, shall harm Macbeth .” This lulls him into a false sense of security, which is seen when he taunts Macduff, saying “ I bear a charméd life .” Only when Macduff tells him that he was born of C-section does Macbeth lose his trust in the witches, and by then it is too late, and he dies fighting with Macduff.

Shakespeare therefore shows the audience that putting your life in the hands of the supernatural is a fatal mistake, which must be avoided at any cost.

How the Examiner Grades

This is grade 9.

“At the top of the level, a candidate’s response is likely to be a critical, exploratory, well-structured argument. It takes a conceptualised approach to the full task supported by a range of judicious references. There will be a fine-grained and insightful analysis of language and form and structure supported by judicious use of subject terminology. Convincing exploration of one or more ideas/ perspectives/ contextual factors/ interpretations.”

My Comments

This is “exploratory”. But it is unlikely to be a “well-structured argument”. It doesn’t start with a thesis statement, so that it doesn’t have 3 ideas to prove.

Because it doesn’t have a thesis statement, the conclusion makes only one point.

The point itself is weak - did Shakespeare really want to warn the nobles at court to avoid the many witches and ghosts roaming around Saint James’s Palace or around their stately manors? It’s not an insightful use of context.

It is much more likely that this will happen if you start with the extract - you zoom into some brilliant AO2 quote analysis, as this does, and you find you are half way through the question, with no time left to develop an argument. It does have a range of “judicious references”. Many of them are analysed brilliantly, so they are “fine-grained and insightful”.

Grade 7 - easy peasy, look at my quote analysis. But beyond that, you’re struggling.

It just about deals with “the full task”, but it can’t be “conceptualised” if it doesn’t have a thesis statement, strong conclusion and an argument.

Again, starting with the extract has scuppered it.

Anyway, much as I have panned the essay because it starts with the extract, I can still score it 26/30. A safe grade 8.

Mr Salles Teaches English is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts to help you get top grades, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Ready for more?

24/7 writing help on your phone

To install StudyMoose App tap and then “Add to Home Screen”

The supernatural in "Macbeth"

Save to my list

Remove from my list

The supernatural in "Macbeth". (2016, Jul 22). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/the-supernatural-in-macbeth-essay

"The supernatural in "Macbeth"." StudyMoose , 22 Jul 2016, https://studymoose.com/the-supernatural-in-macbeth-essay

StudyMoose. (2016). The supernatural in "Macbeth" . [Online]. Available at: https://studymoose.com/the-supernatural-in-macbeth-essay [Accessed: 16 Aug. 2024]

"The supernatural in "Macbeth"." StudyMoose, Jul 22, 2016. Accessed August 16, 2024. https://studymoose.com/the-supernatural-in-macbeth-essay

"The supernatural in "Macbeth"," StudyMoose , 22-Jul-2016. [Online]. Available: https://studymoose.com/the-supernatural-in-macbeth-essay. [Accessed: 16-Aug-2024]

StudyMoose. (2016). The supernatural in "Macbeth" . [Online]. Available at: https://studymoose.com/the-supernatural-in-macbeth-essay [Accessed: 16-Aug-2024]

• The importance of the witches and Supernatural to 'Macbeth' Pages: 7 (2053 words)
• Macbeth is essentially a study in the power of the supernatural Pages: 8 (2257 words)
• The theme of evil in "Macbeth": natural and supernatural sources Pages: 2 (379 words)
• The Supernatural Influence in Macbeth: Ambition, Madness, and Downfall Pages: 4 (1165 words)
• The Complexities of Lady Macbeth: Ambition, Guilt, and the Supernatural Pages: 6 (1749 words)
• Supernatural Elements And Special Style in Midsummer Night’s Dream And Macbeth Pages: 16 (4616 words)
• Macbeth is a play about the supernatural and its effects on individuals Pages: 4 (1149 words)
• Supernatural Themes in Macbeth and The Withered Arm Pages: 11 (3270 words)
• Supernatural Elements in Macbeth: Impact on Thoughts and Actions Pages: 6 (1517 words)
• Weather And The Supernatural In Macbeth Pages: 4 (1125 words)

👋 Hi! I’m your smart assistant Amy!

Don’t know where to start? Type your requirements and I’ll connect you to an academic expert within 3 minutes.

Supernatural

Arguably, the entire play rests on how you think that shakespeare is presenting the role of the supernatural. if the witches simply awaken macbeth's own ambition then their role is really quite limited. if, however, you take them as being real, magical witches - which you have to do really (their titles are, after all, "witch 1," "witch 2" and "witch 2") - then it's not unreasonable to assume that there is real magic involved in the play. and since one of the things that witches were supposed to be able to do is control men's behaviour, the play suddenly looks very different., the most important thing to remember when you're looking at any piece of literature is that you have to stay focused on the text and use the evidence you find there. as i've said before, of course there is a case for saying that macbeth was ambitious already and that all the witches did was awaken his won ambition. however, for me, there's a much stronger case for saying that shakespeare intended for the supernatural to have a much larger role....

The Sailor's Wife and the Chestnuts

During the opening of act 1 scene 3, the witches meet and discuss a recent incident: a sailor's wife refused to give one of them chestnuts, and so the witch travelled to the sailor and cast a spell which drained him of his energy but take away his ability to sleep. he would "dwindle" - which means to get weak - "peak" - which is going through fits of high energy - and "pine" - which is to long for something. finally, although she couldn't take away his "bark" she would create violent storms that would make him "tempest tossed.", this scene is generally removed from plays because it breaks up the flow of the opening, and besides an article from the british library describes is like this: shakespeare uses this passage, then, to demonstrate the witches’ vindictive nature, leaving the audience in no doubt as to their connection with the powers of evil ., given that this passage is really only there to show that the witches are horrible it's no surprise that it gets cut out so regularly. but what if the british library is wrong and this is one of the most significant sequences in the play, my argument:, in any play featuring magical characters, you need a moment of exposition to explain what the characters are capable of. before you've seen a star wars film you need some kind of explanation of the rules of the force so you can understand what a jedi can do. the same is true here: we don't know what kind of magic the witches are capable of, so shakespeare has this scene which explains what magic powers they have., my argument is simply this: if, at the beginning of a play, a group of magical character reveal what powers they have and then the rest of the play is someone going through exactly the same experience, then it's reasonable to assume that there is a connection. in short: this scene is simply the witches revealing what they are about to do to macbeth; and if that's the case then the storyline of the whole play is completely different. below you'll find the original speech describing what they did to the sailor next to how it happened to macbeth:, i will drain him dry as hay: - macbeth was constantly tired and drained, sleep shall neither night nor day, hang upon his pent-house lid; - macbeth loses the abilit y to sleep, he shall live a man forbid: - he is denied the things he reall y wants, weary se'nnights nine times nine, shall he dwindle, peak and pine: - i'm not sure how long macbeth's reign was, but he did "dwindle, peak and pine" quite a lot, though his bark cannot be lost,, yet it shall be tempest-tost. - by the end he was still shouting and screaming (his bark wasn't lost) but he had certainly been through an emotional storm, what's also essential to take away from this is that the witches are able to control other people's actions and feelings. they're not just viewers in this story; they have agency and that's essential for our understanding of the rest of the play., one of the most important parts of the witch's speech is when she clarifies that she stops the sailor being able to sleep, because this is something that happens to macbeth later in the play. often revision sites suggest that macbeth couldn't sleep because of a feeling of guilt but this doesn't really make sense, for two reasons:, firstly, the witches make it very clear that they can stop someone from sleeping and it would seem strange to have that clarified as a part of their magical tool-box, and have it happen later in the play, unless there was going to be a connection. if it was guilt that meant macbeth couldn't sleep, we really would have to assume that the witch's speech was a piece of misinformation from shakespeare, which would make no sense at all., and secondly, just after macbeth has killed duncan he doesn't just lose the ability to sleep. he finds his wife and says "methought i heard a voice cry 'sleep no more, macbeth hath murdered sleep.'" he then goes on to repeat variations on that line, but always confirming that he heard someone else say it - and shakespeare even puts the lines in speech marks ., so macbeth, having killed duncan, hears someone else say that he has murdered sleep. now you could argue that this is just him going a bit mad, but when it's combined with the understanding that this is something the witches could do it makes much more sense to argue that it was the witch's magic spell that made this happen., the most important line in the play, i've got two nominations here, though both come in the same scene., the first is macbeth's first line in the play:, so fair and foul a day i have not seen., this line paraphrases (which is an almost exact quote) the witches opening lines. so macbeth's first line in the play almost directly quotes a key line from the witches. surely this was designed to deliberately setup the idea that the witches are already in control of him i've read revision websites before that have argued that this just implies that macbeth, like the witches, is a bit evil - but he's almost quoting them surely this suggests more than just a connection, it's a control., the second one is more complex:, w hy do i yield to that suggestion, whose horrid image doth unfix my hair, and make my seated heart knock at my ribs,, against the use of nature, in a nutshell, this means: why i am i giving in to something that makes my hair stand up in horror, and my heart start to race in an uncomfortable way - and which is, most importantly: against my very nature., so, in this short speech he says that the idea of killing duncan makes him so scared that his heart races, and is against his very nature - the most fundamental part of who he is. so he's basically saying why is he starting to want to do this thing, but the key words in the speech are "yield" and "suggestion." and the fundamental question is: can you "yield" to a "suggestion" that has come from yourself, it's worth just clarifying what these words mean:, yield : to give way to arguments, demands, or pressure., suggestion : an idea or plan put forward for consideration., so: can you "give way to an argument, demand or pressure" and agree to "an idea or plan put forward for consideration" if that plan was your own, surely you can only "give in" to an "idea" that has come from someone else... and if that's the case then the idea of killing duncan didn't come from macbeth - it came from the witches., and if that's the case, then the entire play takes on a completely different meaning., was lady macbeth a witch, some people tend to find this one really obvious, other people think it's far more debatable. for myself, i think so much of her character arc is missing that i struggle to formulate a complete opinion about her. there's enough evidence of her being a witch in her opening scene to say that she's certainly established as one, but then shakespeare seems to do so little with it that i'm not sure what to think. it is worth picking up on a few key things:, come you spirits - if you watch a star wars movie and someone comes on screen dressed in a long robe and carrying a lightsaber then it's reasonable to assume they're a jedi. if almost the first thing someone does on-stage is cast a magic spell, during a play that features witches in prominent roles, then it's reasonable to assume that she's a witch. if she's not supposed to be one, then i really have no idea what shakespeare thought he was doing have her cast a magic spell straight away., hereafter - king that shalt be - hereafter - when lady macbeth comes on stage she's reading a letter from her husband, which tells her about his encounter with the witches. but: the letter misquotes the witches. macbeth says that they called him "king that shalt be" when they really said "all hail macbeth, thou shalt be king hereafter." this doesn't seem like a big deal except that when his wife meets him, she says "greater than both by the all hail hereafter." so she uses the "hail" and the "hereafter" that the witches used, even though macbeth got the quote wrong., beyond that, though, there's no real references to her being a witch or casting any magic spells at all, except perhaps one..., when she performs her original magic spell she asks that the spirits " stop up the passage to remorse " which means that the spell stops her feeling any guilt. in a3 s5 hecate, the queen of witches, becomes angry at what the witches have done and demands that they bring an end to the whole thing. just after this, we see lady macbeth and she's sleepwalking and consumed by guilt. is it possible that hecate cancelled out the magic spell that had been cast earlier on, which would have meant that lady macbeth felt her guilt all of a sudden this is possible, and it's probably the best explanation for her character flip that i've ever heard though it's still pretty thin..., seyton... or is it a coincidence, at the end of the play, macbeth does something unusual: he gives one of his servants a name. there are a number of other messengers or gentlewomen in the play - even a doctor - but they never get names., but then, for no reason, at the end of the play he calls out "seyton." now, bearing in mind that macbeth was meant to be seen and not read, it seems really strange to give a character a name that rhymes with satan, in a play about witchcraft, if that character isn't going to actually be satan., it's also doubly interesting as he says the name three times before seyton appears - twice in quick succession, and then suddenly he appears. the idea of saying someone's name three times before they appear is a reasonably classic trope, and here it is with satan., seyton --i am sick at heart,, when i behold-- seyton , i say--this push, will cheer me ever, or disseat me now., i have lived long enough: my way of life, is fall'n into the sear, the yellow leaf;, and that which should accompany old age,, as honour, love, obedience, troops of friends,, i must not look to have; but, in their stead,, curses, not loud but deep, mouth-honour, breath,, which the poor heart would fain deny, and dare not. seyton , enter seyton, given the nature of the play and its focus on witchcraft - and the fact that a few scenes earlier we'd seen the arrival of hecate, the queen of witches - it doesn't seem unreasonable that this is actually satan who's arrived., other than ranking up the supernatural elements in the play, this doesn't really have a massive impact on the play except in one key possible area., look over this section from a5 s5:.

A cry of women within

What is that noise?

It is the cry of women, my good lord.

Re-enter SEYTON

Wherefore was that cry?

The queen, my lord, is dead.

So it is Seyton who discovers the Queen's body - or, possibly, was it him or his minions who killed her?

The most common understanding is that Lady Macbeth killed herself, but bear in mind that we only assumed she did because Malcolm's says that Macbeth's "fiend-like queen, / Who, as 'tis thought, by self and violent hands / Took off her life."

So basically, it could well be that Lady Macbeth killed herself, but I'd bet there were people who left the theatre thinking that Seyton / Satan had something to do with it...

Super Stretch: Extract from the British Library

The following is an extract from an article that's been published on the british library's website, you can find the whole thing here: https://www.bl.uk/shakespeare/articles/manhood-and-the-milk-of-human-kindness-in-macbeth, the article looks at the role of masculinity in macbeth, but takes a very different slant to my interpretation. during this extract, the author argues that the witches have no real power over macbeth but only ignite his own passion. i've colour coded it and responded to his argument below. crucially though, i'd argue (without meaning to offend the author) that this passage - which is written by a very well respected professor - is entirely reliant on some quite astonishing assumptions, none of which are actually backed up by any evidence from the play., it's an interesting read as it gives some clues as to how we've come to the place we have:, it’s important to stress that macbeth’s fate is not dictated by the witches. none of the malign spells cast by the bearded handmaids of hecat, as they dance round their bubbling cauldron with its gruesome ingredients, has any power over macbeth. the weird sisters ‘can look into the seeds of time’ (1.3.58) and foretell his future in deceitful language, whose full meaning emerges only in retrospect. but they can’t compel macbeth to do anything., this section stresses that the witches have no powers over macbeth. it says they can't compel him to do anything, but then - really - if you read it, it just repeats this statement without actually referencing the text in any meaningful way. it seems like the author just ignores the power the witches had over the sailor, and ignores the fact that macbeth enters the stage almost repeating what the witches have previously said. this kind of academic writing is designed to sound clever, but it's not actually dealing with the text. you could almost say it was an example of confuscation, which is something that's made deliberately confusing, often to hide the fact that it has nothing to say., shakespeare makes that clear from the outset, when the grim trio greets macbeth with titles he has yet to acquire, and banquo sees him ‘start, and seem to fear / things that do sound so fair’, and then become strangely ‘rapt withal’ (1.3.51–2, 57). before the scene is over, macbeth’s first soliloquy leaves us in no doubt that what has startled and struck fear into him is the witches’ open voicing of the ‘black and deep desires’ (1.4.51) already brewing secretly in his heart., my ears perked up at this bit as i hoped that he would provide some evidence - he says that shakespeare makes it clear that the witches have no power. but then you read it and there's nothing there - again the fact that macbeth seemed to "fear" what the witches said, or that he then fell into a "rapt" state does not mean that the witches had no control over macbeth and where he claims "leaves us in no doubt that" i can say categorically that i had serious doubts about this interpretation. in fact, he references a soliloquy from a1 s3 but then uses a quote from the next scene, like the spirits that lady macbeth commands in the next scene to ‘unsex’ her and purge her of compassion, the witches ‘tend on mortal thoughts’ (1.5.41; my emphasis): they serve the evil thoughts they find in mortal minds, they don’t plant them there., here, he's using a quote from lady macbeth who says that the spirits she calls only "tend" on mortal thoughts, which suggests that they don't control them, they just look after them - in the way we might tend a garden or a loved one. but this is lady macbeth and not the witches, so the fact that lady macbeth has no real power over someone's behaviour says nothing about the witches. also, the use of the "like" conjunction at the beginning suggests that there will be some connection between the thoughts presented, but lady macbeth asks for the spirits to "unsex" her and take away her compassion, both of which are them doing something, not simply responding to the "evil thoughts they find in mortal minds.", and that's the end of his argument., but if i look back over his argument i see someone making a very broad statement about the play: the witches have no control over macbeth; and then backing it up with very limited evidence, that ignores significant portions of the plot, and just 'sounds' good as he uses long words and complex sentences., the fact is that if you introduce the supernatural elements of the play to the degree that they can actually control macbeth's behaviour, you end up with a play about the effects of witchcraft, which just isn't that interesting to an audience four hundred years later. i think a lot of people are working very hard to make macbeth seem infinitely more interesting and complex than it actually is..

The Supernatural

The supernatural and the mind.

Macbeth sees a dagger and Banquo's ghost among other visions. These could be hallucinations or supernatural forces at work.

• Macbeth has visions throughout the play, such as the dagger before he kills King Duncan, ‘Is this a dagger which I see before me’ (2,1).
• These could be psychological (of the mind) or they could be premonitions (feelings that something bad is going to happen) and Macbeth is experiencing the supernatural.
• Because he has interacted with the witches, the audience might think that he has made himself vulnerable to evil.

Banquo's ghost

• We could argue that this hallucination is a symptom of Macbeth’s mind becoming more and more unbalanced because of the guilt he feels, as well as the overwhelming amount of power he suddenly has.

The Supernatural and Evil

It is important to remember the context of the play for this theme: King James I believed in witches. He thought they were evil and could harm people.

Role and significance of the witches

• The witches are the first characters the audience see in the play. This shows that they are very significant for what is to come.
• They manipulate (control to their advantage) Macbeth to show the evil within himself.

Lady Macbeth and the supernatural

• Lady Macbeth calls on spirits too. She does this like the witches themselves: ‘Come, you spirits / That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here’ (1,5).
• She uses imperative language ( ‘come’ and ‘unsex’ ) which suggests that she thinks she has control over them. This labels her as an evil character who wants supernatural beings to help her.
• We don’t know whether this is something she has done before or whether the opportunity to take the crown has made her want to try to contact them. But it could just be words. Perhaps she is simply showing how far she is prepared to go.

Cause bad events

• Macbeth and Lady Macbeth only hatch the plan to kill King Duncan because the witches tell Macbeth that he will be the king one day – we could argue that, without the witches, none of the events of the play would have happened.

1 Literary & Cultural Context

1.1 Context

1.1.1 Tragedy

1.1.2 The Supernatural & Gender

1.1.3 Politics & Monarchy

1.1.4 End of Topic Test - Context

2 Plot Summary

2.1.1 Scenes 1 & 2

2.1.2 Scene 3

2.1.3 Scenes 4-5

2.1.4 Scenes 6-7

2.1.5 End of Topic Test - Act 1

2.2 Acts 2-4

2.2.1 Act 2

2.2.2 Act 3

2.2.3 Act 4

2.3.1 Scenes 1-3

2.3.2 Scenes 4-9

2.3.3 End of Topic Test - Acts 2-5

3 Characters

3.1 Macbeth

3.1.1 Hero vs Villain

3.1.2 Ambition & Fate

3.1.3 Relationship

3.1.4 Unstable

3.1.5 End of Topic Test - Macbeth

3.2 Lady Macbeth

3.2.1 Masculine & Ruthless

3.2.2 Manipulative & Disturbed

3.3 Other Characters

3.3.1 Banquo

3.3.2 The Witches

3.3.3 Exam-Style Questions - The Witches

3.3.4 King Duncan

3.3.5 Macduff

3.3.6 End of Topic Test - Lady Macbeth & Banquo

3.3.7 End of Topic Test - Witches, Duncan & Macduff

3.4 Grade 9 - Key Characters

3.4.1 Grade 9 - Lady Macbeth Questions

4.1.1 Power & Ambition

4.1.2 Power & Ambition HyperLearning

4.1.3 Violence

4.1.4 The Supernatural

4.1.5 Masculinity

4.1.6 Armour, Kingship & The Natural Order

4.1.7 Appearances & Deception

4.1.8 Madness & Blood

4.1.9 Women, Children & Sleep

4.1.10 End of Topic Test - Themes

4.1.11 End of Topic Test - Themes 2

4.2 Grade 9 - Themes

4.2.1 Grade 9 - Themes

4.2.2 Extract Analysis

5 Writer's Techniques

5.1 Structure, Meter & Other Literary Techniques

5.1.1 Structure, Meter & Dramatic Irony

5.1.2 Pathetic Fallacy & Symbolism

5.1.3 End of Topic Test - Writer's Techniques

Jump to other topics

Unlock your full potential with GoStudent tutoring

Affordable 1:1 tutoring from the comfort of your home

Tutors are matched to your specific learning needs

30+ school subjects covered

Masculinity

Supernatural in “Macbeth” Play by Shakespeare Essay

• To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
• As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
• As a template for you assignment

In William Shakespeare’s play Macbeth , the supernatural plays a crucial part in inspiring Macbeth’s actions. Supernatural elements create dramatic tension, with the witches’ predictions in Scene 3 of Act 1 as a critical instigating incident. Macbeth’s desire to replace Duncan as Scotland’s monarch is driven by otherworldly forces. The presence of the supernatural encourages the protagonists to feel superior and arrogant. The supernaturally manufactured predictions lure Macbeth and Banquo with the idea of power, leading Macbeth to plot the cruel murder of Duncan. Macbeth believes that by murdering his close friend Banquo, he will finally be able to live up to the prophecy that he will become king. At an earlier gathering that night, he had a supernatural encounter with the ghost of a recently departed friend. The prophecies of the three witches inspire Macbeth’s desire to murder Banquo, but he digs himself into a deeper hole in the process. The play’s sense of mystery is enhanced by Macbeth’s use of the bizarre (Hibbs and Hibbs 275). The play’s supernatural aspects drive the plot and elevate its tragic elements by leading the protagonist further away from the passage of the typical hero.

Any supernatural effect on his choices, particularly those involving murder, is purely voluntary. It is only fair that he takes some responsibility for the many failures and catastrophes he is brought on by depending on them. On the other hand, without the supernatural, it is unlikely that Macbeth would even have the courage to consider such notions, much alone act on them. Macbeth begins his journey of murder when he tells Lady Macbeth about the witches. He recalled how “these Weird Sisters hailed me and pointed to the advent of time with ‘Hail, the king that shalt be,’” as he put it (Shakespeare). The influence of the supernatural on his wife, Lady Macbeth, drove him to murder King Duncan; had he not informed her about his vision, events could have turned out differently. Once he reveals to Lady Macbeth the divine prophesy he got, he loses all chance of returning to his former noble life. The supernatural plays a significant role in Macbeth’s universe.

In Scene 1 of Act IV, Macbeth returns to the Weird Sisters and demands to see visions of his future. Macbeth is warned of Macduff’s vengeance by a severed warrior’s head. In the second scene, a little boy, covered in blood, promises Macbeth that no man “of woman born” can kill him. Macbeth will not be beaten in battle, the young king swears, as long as Birnam wood is physically transported to Dunsinane. Upon learning of these impossibilities, Macbeth exclaims, “reign in this kingdom?” (Schojbert 1). The witches have Banquo leading a ghostly parade of imaginary kings. This only infuriates Macbeth more, and he goes so far as to admit to the audience that he wants to murder the whole Macduff family because of his pride.

In this play, the supernatural aspect is genuine or verifiable. Since both Macbeth and Banquo see the witches, their presence is confirmed. The supernatural aspect adds to the drama by validating and concretizing the hero’s internal struggles. Therefore, Macbeth’s witches represent the guilt deep within his psyche. However, the supernatural aspect does not exert an overbearing force, and the hero is never made helpless or absolved of responsibility for his actions. Although it is only suggestive, the hero is under no obligation to act upon it. The supernatural plays a vital role in accelerating the hero’s demise and elevating the tragedy within the play but ultimately teaches the weight of responsibility for personal actions.

Works Cited

Schojbert, Haley. The Supernatural, the Demonic, and Witchcraft in Early Modern English plays: Macbeth, the Witch, the Witch of Edmonton, and Doctor Faustus . 2020. The State University of New York at New Paltz, MA thesis.

Hibbs, Thomas, and Stacey Hibbs. “ Virtue, Natural Law, and Supernatural Solicitation: A Thomistic Reading of Shakespeare’s Macbeth .” Religion and the Arts, vol 5, no 3, 2001, pp. 273- 296, Web.

Shakespeare, William. Macbeth. Wordsworth Classics, 1992.

• How to Make James Joyce's "Exiles" Play More Successful
• Witches Against Corruption in Miller's The Crucible Play
• The Story of Macbeth by W. Sheakspeare: Relationship and Strengths Between Macbeth and His Wife
• Shakespearean Macbeth as a Tragic Hero
• Dramatic Irony in Macbeth Essay
• Hamlet: A New Type of Independent Thinker
• Long Day's Journey Into Night by Eugene O'Neill
• Escapism and Fantasy in Williams' and Miller's Play
• The Plays "The Iliad," "The Odyssey," and "Agamemnon": Understanding of Leadership
• The Play "Fences" by August Wilson
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2024, January 9). Supernatural in "Macbeth" Play by Shakespeare. https://ivypanda.com/essays/supernatural-in-macbeth-play-by-shakespeare/

"Supernatural in "Macbeth" Play by Shakespeare." IvyPanda , 9 Jan. 2024, ivypanda.com/essays/supernatural-in-macbeth-play-by-shakespeare/.

IvyPanda . (2024) 'Supernatural in "Macbeth" Play by Shakespeare'. 9 January.

IvyPanda . 2024. "Supernatural in "Macbeth" Play by Shakespeare." January 9, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/supernatural-in-macbeth-play-by-shakespeare/.

1. IvyPanda . "Supernatural in "Macbeth" Play by Shakespeare." January 9, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/supernatural-in-macbeth-play-by-shakespeare/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Supernatural in "Macbeth" Play by Shakespeare." January 9, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/supernatural-in-macbeth-play-by-shakespeare/.

This discussion is now closed.

• PLS MARK THIS FOR GCSE'S: How is theme of supernatural presented in Macbeth
• How is the supernatural presented in Macbeth?
• Explore how Shakespeare presents attitudes to the supernatural
• Edexcel IGCSE English Literature Paper 2 - 20th May 2024
• A Christmas Carol Predictions 2024 AQA GCSE
• macbet practice answer
• Macbeth Supernatural Essay help
• Gcse english revision
• GCSE English Literature Macbeth Ambition essay
• english lit xmas carol analysis
• english lit macbeth aqa
• Please could someone mark this Macbeth essay, AQA mark scheme
• AQA GCSE English Literature Paper 1 (8702/1) - 13th May 2024 [Exam Chat]
• gcse aqa urgent please help
• Macbeth supernatural introduction
• AQA Macbeth 2024
• my eng literature notes (grade 7/8) (gsce 2022)
• Is there a chance that someone could mark my essay?
• Please may someone mark my Macbeth English essay
• analysis for o full of scorpions is my mind

How is the theme of supernatural presented in Macbeth? ESSAY FEEDBACK

Related discussions

Last reply 7 hours ago

Last reply 15 hours ago

Last reply 5 days ago

Last reply 1 week ago

Last reply 2 weeks ago

Last reply 3 weeks ago

Last reply 1 month ago

Last reply 2 months ago

Articles for you

How to revise for GCSE English Literature exams: AQA explains what to do

What is an EPQ and why might you want to do one?

How to revise for A-level Biology exams: AQA explains what to do

Clearing 2024: how to call universities

• International
• Education Jobs
• Schools directory
• Resources Education Jobs Schools directory News Search

Macbeth Essay Advice and Grade 9 Supernatural Essay

Subject: English

Age range: 14-16

Resource type: Worksheet/Activity

Last updated

13 March 2023

• Share through email
• Share through twitter
• Share through linkedin
• Share through facebook
• Share through pinterest

This is a guide on how to move a literature essay from a Grade 5 to a Grade 9 with practical steps and colour coded sentences.

Tes paid licence How can I reuse this?

Your rating is required to reflect your happiness.

It's good to leave some feedback.

Something went wrong, please try again later.

This resource hasn't been reviewed yet

To ensure quality for our reviews, only customers who have purchased this resource can review it

Report this resource to let us know if it violates our terms and conditions. Our customer service team will review your report and will be in touch.

Not quite what you were looking for? Search by keyword to find the right resource: