Macbeth - supernatural Flashcards
(4 cards)
1st paragraph - the witches
The supernatural is introduced through the witches, who chant the paradox “fair is foul and foul is fair” This immediately establishes the Witches as unnatural and disturbing figures, blurring the boundaries between good and evil. Their influence quickly corrupts Macbeth as he mirrors their paradox through “such a fair and foul day I have not seen”. Though he hasn’t met them yet, his words echo their language, suggesting that his fate has already been shaped by their presence, revealing just how powerful the witches are. This would create an unsettling atmosphere for the Jacobean audience as they believed witches were malevolent creatures, born to serve the devil, therefore reinforcing the idea that Macbeth’s downfall is inevitable once he engages with them.
2nd paragraph - Macbeth’s hallucinations
The supernatural also manifests through Macbeth’s hallucinations, illustrating how the psychological consequences of uncheckered ambition. Before killing Duncan, in one of Macbeth’s soliloquys, he envisions a “dagger before [him]”, therefore blurring the line between reality and imagination. The hallucination represents his inner conflict, driven by desire yet paralysed by his conscience and also foreshadows the violence to come. Shakespeare uses this supernatural image to make Macbeth’s psychological struggle visible to audiences, suggesting that his mind is already unravelling and deteriorating. Later, the appearance of Banquo’s ghost is a manifestation of Macbeth’s overwhelming guilt. Despite achieving kingship, Macbeth cannot enjoy peace, implying that ambition born of unnatural forces leads to psychological destruction with everlasting consequences.
3rd paragraph - Lady Macbeth
This idea of severe consequences for engaging in the supernatural is furthered through Lady’s Macbeth’s character. She initially is obsessed at the idea of power and summons the witches to “unsex” her, hoping to rid her feminine weakness and kill without remorse. Soon after she gains queenship, she becomes plagued by the motif of bloody hands and cannot wash away the “damned spot!” This emphasises how Duncan’s murder has permanently stained her soul, leading to the ultimate consequence: death. Shakespeare repeatedly warns audiences that participating in the supernatural and breaking natural order leads to irreversible psychological damage.
Conclusion
Through Macbeth’s rise and fall, the play successfully delivers a powerful warning to audiences about the dangers of participating in the supernatural and how they lead to severe consequences.
