The supernatural is the force responsible for many of theevents of Macbeth Essay Example for Free

The supernatural is the force responsible for many of theevents of Macbeth Essay The supernatural is the force responsible for many of the events of Macbeth. How far do you agree with this statement? Throughout the play Macbeth goes through many changes, but the question is what is responsible for these changes? Responsible means to have control over something or someone something definitely has control over Macbeth, whether he himself has this control or the supernatural or even Lady Macbeth does I will be discussing in this essay. I will also decide what I think is responsible for the actions that Macbeth takes in the play. The supernatural may not be completely responsible for Macbeths actions but they almost certainly play an important part in the development of Macbeths character. Because the supernatural was a force that was believed in by everyone at that time Macbeth is willing to deem what they say: Macbeth: Into the air; and what seemd corporal melted As breath into the wind. Would they have stayed. Banquo: Were such things here as we do speak about? Or have we eaten on the insane root That takes the reason prisoner? This extract is taken from after the witches first appearance in the play. Banquo is interested as to what they are, whereas Macbeth is intrigued about what they said. This could be the turning point for Macbeths development, the witchs predict that he will become King so maybe Macbeth thinks that he should help things along and that by killing the present King it wouldnt be disrupting the great chain of being because he would have become King anyway. In the first scene when the witchs first appear they immediately overturn ideas of good into bad with an incantation, Fair is foul and foul is fair. This could be responsible for Macbeth turning from a kind-hearted, considerate man into an insensitive, callous man. But this could be because of how Macbeth interprets their predictions, the witchs never actually told Macbeth to go and kill the king, they just said All hail Macbeth, that shalt be King hereafter! The witchs said no more about him becoming king or how he would become king. Banquo realises that they are a temptation and does not believe them, however they told Macbeth what he wanted to hear so they ratified his thoughts. But Macbeth never admits to acting on the basis of what they told him, damned all those that trust them Macbeth says this quite near to the end, after he has killed Duncan, Banquo and just before he has Macduffs family killed. Him having Macduffs family killed is also because of the witches, Macbeth, Macbeth, Macbeth, beware Macduff. This was the witchs first apparition in their second appearance in the play (they appear three times in total because three is a magical number and it sets the supernatural atmosphere that is the theme of Macbeth.) Soon after, Macbeth decides to have Macduffs family killed as a reprisal. I think that the witchs manage to have Macbeth put under their spell after the first prediction comes true He bade me, from him, call thee Thane of Cawdor. This gives Macbeth proof that the witchs know his future and what lies in store for him. The dagger can be interpreted in two ways; either as a hallucination or a real dagger the witchs made in an incantation to tempt Macbeth further. Firstly I will talk about the dagger as a hallucination. Macbeth is a tragic hero and every tragic has a fatal flaw; Macbeths fatal flaw is ambition. Throughout the play he lets his ambition get the better of him and this ambition could be what drives him into hallucinating about the dagger because at this early point in the play Macbeth is still unsure of whether he should be killing the king or not, so he could be looking for encouragement a dagger pointing the way that he wants to go definitely is a good source of encouragement. But even Macbeth is unsure if it is real. Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible To feeling as to sight? Or art thou but A dagger of the mind, a false creation, Proceeding from the heart-oppressed brain? He debates in his mind for a while whether he is seeing it as a hallucination to reinforce his will to commit regicide. The other reason about the existence of the dagger is that it could be a creation made by the witchs. The witchs main role throughout the play is to violate Gods natural order and encourage Macbeth to overturn the great chain of being. So if the dagger is one of the witchs creations then they are certainly fore filling their role. Macbeth interprets the dagger as a sign that he must commit regicide (overturning the great chain of being) and so he does. Either way, the dagger is partly responsible for the continual trip that Macbeth takes down the path of evil. Although Banquo proves to be immune to the temptation of the witchs themselves, he is not immune to their prophecies. By Act III, two of the three prophecies have come true; the only one left is that Banquos offspring will in future become kings. This is a threat to Macbeth because he has gone through so much for him to become king and therefore his offspring to follow; he doesnt want these sacrifices he has made to be futile. Banquo also starts to infer that Macbeth is not the rightful king. This is why Macbeth decides to have Banquo killed. However, when Banquo is murdered Fleance escapes, thus making Macbeths conscience and fear of the truth come into play again. When Macbeth is at the feast, he sees the ghost of Banquo, but nobody else there does. This can also be interpreted in two ways, either the ghost was created by the witchs or it is Macbeths conscience making him hallucinate. If the ghost is real, he could be trying to warn Macbeth that what he is doing is wrong and he must turn back, however this is unlikely because there havent been any other events which have warned Macbeth that he is doing bad things this could mean that every event could be traced back to the witchs because they wouldnt want to discourage Macbeth, especially with their aim being to overturn the ideas of good into bad. However, if he is real and is going against what the witchs want it could be showing the disorder that Macbeth and his activities have brought into society. There are many other influences that could be responsible for Macbeths actions, one of which is Lady Macbeth. Macbeths role is to play the tragic hero whose fatal flaw is ambition. But he isnt the only one to be ambitious; Lady Macbeth is the dominant person in their relationship and her ambition for Macbeth shines through in the course of events. It is her that first plants the idea of killing Duncan in Macbeths head and it is her that provides the encouragement for Macbeth that he needs for confidence. She could easily be judged as selfish and manipulative because she got Macbeth to do the dirty work. Her role could be described as vital but still supplementary to the witches. Lady Macbeth manipulates Macbeth by questioning his manhood; he could be seen as a feeble if he isnt willing to kill Duncan for his and her future. With a mixture of ambition and Lady Macbeths manipulative and encouraging characteristics there is definitely reason to doubt that the supernatural are responsible for Macbeth and his behaviour. The audience is immediately plunged into a mystical atmosphere because the first scene is with the witchs performing an incantation; this helps the audience to view the play from a spiritual view. The supernatural element does not only make itself known through the witchs, there are also references made to prayer, sanctity and cleansing. Another important aspect of the atmosphere of the play is the importance of dark and light. He witches are introduced to the play in foul weather they speak of thunder, lightning, fog, and filthy air this sets the play as one that the theme of evil is central. The witchs also say Fair is foul and foul is fair this shows how things are overturned in this play. The ironic part of that line is that when Macbeth himself enters; his first line is So foul and fair a day I have not seen.