The supernatural

• In Jacobean England, there was still a widespread belief in witches and witchcraft
• They were seen as agents of Satan, and many women were executed on suspicion of being witches
• Jacobean audiences – and King James I himself – were fascinated by the presentation of witches on stage, but would know to distrust them
• The witches in Macbeth, therefore, should be seen as untrustworthy and malevolent
• The first scene of the play

  • Involves an ominous setting and three witches, foreshadowing future evil acts
• The witches


  • Are shown to be capable of affecting the weather, creating spells and committing evil acts against ordinary people
• Macbeth


  Should know better, but his ambition means he trusts the witches
• Banquo


  Represents societal norms and rightly does not trust the witches
• The witches


  • Are seen as disruptive characters throughout: they are a negative influence on Macbeth and mislead him with their prophecies
• The supernatural


  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 I, Scene V)
• Macbeth


  • Returns to the witches a second time in desperation (Act IV, Scene I)
• Shakespeare could be suggesting that the witches are just a symbol of the temptations all humans have to wrestle with
• Alternatively, they can be seen as agents of fate: they just encourage Macbeth to act upon his true nature