Macbeth Key Theme: The Supernatural (Edexcel GCSE English Literature)
Revision Note
Written by: Nick Redgrove
Reviewed by: Kate Lee
Supernatural mind map
The key supernatural elements in each act of Macbeth:
Act | Quote | Summary |
|---|---|---|
1 | “Fair is foul and foul is fair” – The Witches | The witches’ prophecies start to corrupt Macbeth and disrupt the natural order |
2 | “A dagger of the mind” – Macbeth | Macbeth experiences supernatural visions |
3 | “gory locks” — Macbeth | Banquo’s ghost symbolises Macbeth’s guilt and paranoia |
4 | “Something wicked this way comes” - The Second Witch | Macbeth has been changed by the dark, supernatural forces |
5 | “Out, damned spot!” - Lady Macbeth | Lady Macbeth’s hallucinations reflect her guilt |
The supernatural theme in each act of Macbeth
What are the supernatural elements in Macbeth?
The supernatural elements in the play include:
The three witches: Shakespeare creates a supernatural atmosphere through their rituals and prophecies
Unnatural or supernatural events: Shakespeare refers to storms, day darkening to night and animals behaving strangely (such as horses eating each other)
Apparitions: The witches summon a severed head, a bloody child and a crowned child in Act 4, Scene 1
Visions and hallucinations: Shakespeare uses a dagger, Banquo’s ghost and imaginary bloodstains to sustain the supernatural atmosphere and add to the horror throughout the play
The impact of the supernatural on characters
Through his use of ghostly visions and hallucinations, Shakespeare shows his audience the lasting, transformative effect of the supernatural elements on his central protagonists, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth.
These elements contribute to the dramatic tension and the atmosphere of evil and uncertainty in the play, but also symbolise the characters’ guilt, fear and paranoid by representing the psychological effect of their murderous actions.
Character | Impact |
|---|---|
Macbeth | Macbeth experiences two ghostly visions, the dagger and the ghost of Banquo, as well as auditory hallucinations when he comments: “Methought I heard a voice cry, 'Sleep no more: / Macbeth does murder sleep” (Act 2, Scene 2):
|
Lady Macbeth | Lady Macbeth also experiences hallucinations (spots of blood on her hands in Act 5, Scene 1):
|
Why does Shakespeare use the theme of the supernatural in his play?
1. Setting and atmosphere
Creates the superstitious, medieval Scottish setting
Establishes an ominous, foreboding atmosphere
2. Plot driver
Influences Macbeth's actions through prophecies and visions
Propels the narrative from the opening scene to the final act
3. Audience appeal
Reflects the Jacobean audience's fear and fascination with witchcraft
Aligns with his patron King James I's interest in the supernatural (author of Daemonologie)
4. Dramatic device
Shakespeare starts and ends the play with supernatural elements (opens with “weird sisters” and closes with the fulfilment of the witches’ prophecies)
Adds dramatic tension and spectacle
Exam-style questions on the theme of the supernatural
Try planning a response to the following essay questions as part of your revision of the supernatural theme:
Explore how Shakespeare presents the attitudes of Macbeth and Banquo towards the supernatural elements in the play. (You could start with Act 1, Scene 3.)
How does Shakespeare present the supernatural elements as changing the character of Macbeth? (You could start with Act 2, Scene 1.)
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