The Supernatural

• • In Jacobean England, there was a widespread belief in witches and witchcraft
  • They were seen as agents of Satan, many women were executed in suspicion of being witches
  • King James and Jacobean audiences were fascinated by the presentation of witches on stage, but would know to distrust them.
  • The witches should then be seen as untrustworthy and malevolent
  • The witches are also shown to be capable of affecting the weather, creating spells and committing acts against ordinary people
• • Macbeth should know better but his ambition means he trusts the witches
  • Banquo - who represents societal norms - rightly does not trust the witches
  • The witches are seen as disruptive - they are a negative influence on Macbeth
  • The supernatural also acts as an aid to characters wishing to gain or retain power
  • Lady Macbeth calls on evil spirits to help her achieve her ambitions (Act 1 , Scene 5)
  • Macbeth returns to the witches a second time (Act 4, Scene 1)
• Shakespeare's intentions

  • Shakespeare could be suggesting that the witches are just a symbol of the temptations humans have to deal with
  • Alternatively, they can be seen as agents of fate : they encourage Macbeth to act upon his true nature