the supernatural

• "so fair and foul a day I have not seen"- Macbeth, Act 1 Scene 3


  Macbeth's first lines of the play, this is also a key quote from the witches prophecy. Implying the link between Macbeth and the witches.
• "come you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts"- Lady Macbeth, Act 1 Scene 5


  This is lady Macbeth requesting evil spirits, maybe conjoured by the witches, to aid her and Macbeth in there attempt to seize power. By killing king Duncan.
• "is this a dagger which I see before me, the handle towards my hand?"- Macbeth, Act 2 Scene 1


  This quote represents the slow decay of Macbeth's mind due to guilt. Or it may be the witches forcing the apparition to take place , to further influence Macbeth to commit more evil crimes.
• "double, double toil and trouble. Fire burn and cauldron bubble."- witches, Act 4 Scene 1


  This may be the witches performing some form of spell. The rhyming further hunts at there link to Macbeth seen as Shakespeare has him rhyme just like this through the play. Maybe used to foreshadow future evil events.
• "My wife and children's ghosts will haunt me still"- Macduff, Act 5 Scene 7


  just like Macbeth is haunted by the supernatural ghosts of Banquo, Macduff is haunted by the ghosts of his murdered family

  This supernatural encourages ambition to take revenge against Macbeth. This may be Shakespeare implying that the audience can maybe feel some empathy for Macbeth seen as he isn't the only character influenced by the supernatural.
• "Be bloody, bold, and resolute; laugh to scorn the power of man, for none of woman born shall harm Macbeth"- witches, Act 4 Scene 1


  This makes Macbeth believe that no man can of woman born can ever defeat him. Implying to Macbeth that he is invincible because everyone is off mother born. However this is proven to not be true because Macbeth is killed by Macduff who was ripped from his mother's womb (a medieval c section).
• "fair is foul and foul is fair"- witches, Act 1 Scene 1


  Implying what seems trustworthy is actually not and what seems repugnant is actually good. For example Macbeth taking power from king Duncan was good for him in the short term however it drove him mad and resulted in his death. This line exactly is also repeated by Macbeth further implying the link in between Macbeth and the witches.
• "Thunder and lightening" - act 1 scene 1

  The use of pathetic fallacy creates a sense of foreboding danger and hints at the theme of the supernatural that runs throughout the play. The fact that the play begins with a storm could represent how the changes and disturbances in the weather match with the events of the play.
• "This supernatural soliciting cannot be ill, cannot be good" - Macbeth, act 1 scene 3


  Macbeth is trying to figure out the implications of the witches prophecies. He thinks that because the witches predictions are correct, they cannot be evil but since the witches predictions are correct he becomes greedy for the throne.
• "Come you spirits that tend in moral thoughts unsex me here and fill me to the crown to the top-full of direst cruelty" - lady macbeth, act 1 scene 5


  Lady Macbeth is summoning evil spirits to replace the good in her. This could suggest she has links to the supernatural. Further more, it could be debated that she is a 4th witch