supernatural theme

• key ideas

  • Irresistible allure of supernatural holds immense power.
  • Tempting individuals by leveraging their desire and ambitions.
  • Succumbing to this force invariably becomes a path to inevitable downfall.
  • Function as agents of the devil – employ temptation reminiscent of the serpent in the Fall of Man.
  • Exert control and amass power.
  • Antithesis associated: inherently embody duplicity – master art of deception integral to their nature.
  • More dangerous quality lies in manipulation.
• intentions

  • Shakespeare sought to appeal to King James, patron for his play.
  • Presented witches in a sadistic light – aligns with James I’s depictions of witches in Daemonologie (book he wrote).
  • Witches in Macbeth function as supernatural agents of hell.
  • Cautions audience about perilous consequences of indulging in improper celestial power – engagement with devils can lead to inevitable doom.
  • Literary portrayal of witches outlined in Daemonologie: took children, indulged in profane sex, worshipped Satan.
  • Warns about succumbing to the irresistible allure of supernatural influence – inextricable link to hell and the devil.
• macbeth - “so foul and fair a day i have not seen”

  • emulates witches paradox
  • foreshadows vessel for witches misconduct
  • emulation of paradoxical and oxymoronic phrases
  • predestined susceptibility to manipulation and deception
  • overreaching ambition causes downfall yet supernatural forces exert influence
  • catalyst for inevitable fate
  • visual image “have not seen” evokes vivid image of blindness
  • foreshadows macbeth being metaphorically blinded by irresistible allure of prophecies
  • foreshadows how his unchecked hubris is a alluring force leading him astray
• macbeth - “tell em”/“call me”


  • Macbeth’s hubris is explicit, as he speaks in imperative phrases.
  • Fueled by insatiable greed and unbridled hunger for power.
  • Deliberate engagement and encounter underscores his abandonment of resistance to evil signifying a departure from any pretence of morality.
  • imperatives embodied in command “tell” – coupled with personal pronoun “me”.
  • Authoritative demand for universal respect and obedience extends to supernatural realm.
  • Illegitimate title of king has evidently inflated sense of self-importance and hubris which has made him believe he can suppress the power of supernatural.
• banquo - “i dreamed of the 3 weird sisters last night”

  • "i dreamed of the three weird sisters last night" (banquo) "i think not of them" macbeth - act 2
  • scrupulous, pious and honest and the anti thesis to the theme
  • external demeanour aligns seamlessly with his true nature, exemplifying a stark contrast where his appearance mirrors reality
  • abstract noun "dreamed" signifies affliction he is haunted in waking moments and realm of sleep - intrusion of superstition into banquos consciousness trespassing his unconscious mind
• banquo - “look not like the inhabitants of the earth”

  • witches physiognomy exposes inhumanity and evil
  • perceptiveness in recognising depraved demeanour - historical belief he is an ancestor of king james
  • subtle form of indirect flattery aligns banquo with quality associated with monarch and reinforce sancity
  • image of “earth” cultivates a natural image and accentuates unnatural essence and attempt to subvert natural order
  • perceptiveness is unaffected by malevolent allure crafted by witches
  • testament to purity and moral integrity
  • immune to corrupting influence that engulfs macbeyh
• “come you spirits unsex me here”

  • imperative phrases “come you” - commanding familiarity with ominous supernatural realm
  • unhesitant and determined - seeks liberation from societal constraints imposed by femininity
  • androgynous nature perceived as supernatural in jacobean era
  • gender roles are rigid and a break in this shows possession
  • syntax of spirits preceding unsex - deliberate arrangement illuminated dependency on supernatural as a necessity for transcending societal norms
  • recognition on dependency shows social awareness that liberation from societal constraints imposed on her femininity necessitates as engagement with forces beyond natural order
• lady macbeth - “look like the innocent flower”

  • incorporates biblical allusion-"serpent" draws parallels to genesis narrative "fall of man"
  • Choice of diction serves to underscore her belief in effectiveness of deception - akin to serpents manipulation
  • cloaked in an "innocent" flower like façade - eases with which deceit can be orchestrated when temptation and pride are at play .
  • Witches exploit Macbeth's hubris to employ their deceptive influence.
  • Short sentences, highlighting Macbeth through a comma, signifies a targeted approach.
  • Prophecies tailored to stroke his ego and satisfy ambition, witches obscure his wisdom, making him susceptible.
• witches - “fair is foul and foul is fair”

  • Communicate in paradox - moral ambiguity - potent sense of contradiction & disorientation.
  • Foreshadows impending chaos.Prophecies and deceit leaveMacbeth bewildered and disoriented
  • Trochaic tetrameter - distinct from iambic pentameter of noble characters.
  • Eerie, songlike quality - unnatural manor compounds duplicitousness - even their speeches transcend earthly realm - easily tapping supernatural realm to successtully deploy oral deception.
  • Banquo characterises Witches as"instruments of darkness"
  • Underscores sinister musicality
  • Conflicting words possess hypnotic allure for Macbeth
• the witches - “instruments of darkness”

  • banquo act 1
  • Auditory imagery in the word “instrument” implies malevolent musicality.
  • Suggests witches’ language works like a hypnotic trance.
  • They are deliberate orchestrators of chaos.
  • Frames speech as manipulation of a melodic composition that enchants victims.
  • plosive “in darkness” creates a harsh, eerie tone.
  • Their presence foreshadows dark, ominous, and grim consequences.
  • Banquo’s discernment of “darkness” signals immunity to their hypnotic influence, unlike Macbeth.
  • His ability to perceive looming malevolence distinguishes him as a character grounded in reality.
  • Macbeth, by contrast, is easily swayed and becomes a victim of their enchantment.
• witches - “eye of newt”/“fire burn”/“hell broth”

  • act 4
  • semantic field of hell
  • strengthens idea that witches supernatural abilities are intrinsically linked to malevolence
  • agents of the devil
  • adhere to archetypal portrayal of witches outlines in “daemonologie“
  • conformity taps into audiences pre existing opinions related to witchcraft