Use of the Supernatural in Shakespeares Macbeth Essay

Use of the Supernatural in Macbeth In Shakespeares play The Tragedy of Macbeth, Shakespeare uses an underlying motif of the supernatural to control the characters and add a new dimension to the play. Shakespeare uses a large motif of light vs. darkness throughout the play to present moral choices and religious ideas. When the play opens, there is thunder rolling around and the witches on stage. The thunder is symbolic of darkness and gives the audience the first impression that the play will not be ordinary. The witches who only appear in darkness, elements of the supernatural, are one of Shakespeares classic ways of catching the audiences attention and of also setting the mood for the play. Another motif present in†¦show more content†¦If the dagger is a hallucination, then Macbeth has some subconscious urge to take Duncans life. If the dagger is from the witches, then the witches want to entice Macbeth with a little something to make him contemplate beforehand what he may be doing. The witches know that Macbeth will not talk himself out of killing Duncan until after the fact. A recurring theme in Macbeth is that of sleeplessness. The first time that sleeplessness is introduced by the witches is when the first witch is discussing an encounter with a sailor amongst the coven. She states that because the sailors wife would not give her a chestnut, she made it so he could not sleep for nine times nine days. The witch also chopped off the sailors thumb to show her savagery and a bit of cunning. Sleeplessness is brought up again after Macbeth murders Duncan. Macbeth says that he hears that Glaims shall sleep no more therefore Cawdor will not sleep. This could also be appearance vs. reality because did Macbeth hallucinate those messages or were they whispered far away and sent by the witches? The heaven vs. hell motif of Macbeth is made very apparent also. All throughout the play, King Duncan is seen as a saint. Duncan is portrayed as an almost perfect man that has done nothing evil to deserve an early death. After Macbeth murders Duncan and Macduff finds Duncan, Macduff makes the metaphor that someone has broken Gods anointed temple and stole the life from the building. ThisShow MoreRelatedShakespeares Use of the Supernatural in Macbeth Essay1249 Words   |  5 PagesShakespeares Use of the Supernatural in Macbeth When Shakespeare wrote Macbeth in the early 1600s the King of England was James I. James was king of Scotland too. He ruled in Scotland before coming king in England in 1603 as well. James was supposed to have descended from the real Banquo. Some people often think that Shakespeare wanted to flatter James I by writing this play by showing James that he was nothing like Macbeth. 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