Supernatural Aspects of the Characters and Settings in Macbeth Essays

Supernatural Aspects of the Characters and Settings in Macbeth The supernatural has always intrigued mankind. People gather around to hear ghost stories and see please medallions. Shakespeare realized peoples fascination with the supernatural and used it in many of his tragedies. Macbeth is one of William Shakespeares tragedies about a man, Macbeth, who wishes to become king of Scotland after being told, by one-third witches, that his destiny is to rule Scotland. Macbeths ambition overtakes him so much that he goes on a killing spree. Macbeth ends up killing the king, Duncan his friend, Banquo and rival, Macduff in his pursuit of procuring the crown and memory it. In the end, richesousness does triumph over evil, but not without interactions between the characters and the supernatural. Most of the characters are somehow connected to the supernatural, either by choice or by fate. In Macbeth, Shakespeare uses an underlying motif of the supernatural to control the characters and ad d a new dimension to the play. The motif of faint versus murky is the most prominent etymon throughout Macbeth. The opening scene is dark and desolate with Thunder and lightning and An open place in the stage directions. The thunder and lightning conveys a sense of darkness with an come on storm. The open place shows that the witches prefer to meet in a place free from society where no one can eaves drop on them. The light of day before Macbeths final battle is the major factor that predicts its outcome (Watson 144). Siward states, The day almost itself professes yours, / And little is to do (V. vii. 27-28). Because the battle is fought on a fair day, Macduffs powers are strengthened by the light, and Macbeths pow... ...tson, Robert. Thriftless Ambition Foolish Wishes, and the Tragedy of Macbeth. Modern Critical Interpretations Macbeth. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York. Chelsea House Publishers, 1987. 133-168. Supernatural Aspects of the Characters and Settings in Macbeth Thesis In Macbeth, Shakespeare uses an underlying motif of the supernatural to control the characters and add a new dimension to the play. I. Light vs. Dark A. Scenes 1. Opening 2. Closing B. Lady Macbeth 1. Starts as dark 2. Ends as light II. Sleeplessness A. Sleeplessness is sign of doom 1. Macbeth 2. The sailor B. Witches control sleep 1. The sailor 2. Lady Macbeth III. Heaven vs. Hell A. Inverness is hell 1. excoriate 2. Duncans murder B. Duncan and Macduff are related to heaven 1. Gods servant 2. No faults