Macbeth -SupernaturalTheme

Macbeth -SupernaturalTheme

1. 'Fair is foul, and foul is fair'.This is said at the beginning of the play by all three of the witches. This is then later repeated by Macbeth just before meeting the witches which show the reader that the witches have already started influence Macbeths actions and words

2. Supernatural characters: The 3 Witches, The Ghost of Banquo, Hecate and the prophecies

   • Macbeth was written during the reign of King James I. King James was a very superstitious man and believed highly in witches, and because of this, he had written books based on the supernatural. The 1600's were also a very superstitious time and believed that witches/warlocks were behind all the problems England was facing at the time.

3. First Witch All hail, Macbeth! hail to thee, thane of Glamis! Second Witch All hail, Macbeth, hail to thee, thane of Cawdor! Third Witch All hail, Macbeth, thou shalt be king hereafter!

   • This is very important for the rise and downfall of Macbeth as he is already the Thane of Glamis but will soon become the Thane of Cawdor as King Dunan gves this appointment to him as part of the reward of defeating the old Thane of Cawdor in the opening battle of the act. As these two prophecies come true Macbeth takes matters into his own hands and murders Dunacn to become king and fufill the prophecy.
     • After the prophecies are given the audience know that Macbeth will become the Thane of Cawdor due to the conversation between King Duncan and his sons. This is dramatic irony as the audience knows what is going to happen before the character does.

4. The ghost of Banquo is part of the supernatural theme because he is invisible to the rest of the characters. The ghost is a physical representation of Macbeth's guilt towards killing his best friend as well as all the terrible deeds he has done in order to gain the crown.