Ghost Of Banquo And The Apparitions Macbeth example essay topic

Macbeth Essay The term supernatural means above what is normal. Anything that is considered to be of unnatural origins or above and beyond what is natural would be considered, supernatural. The people in Elizabethan times had a much stronger belief in the supernatural. Therefore William Shakespeare's use of witches, ghosts and apparitions in the play, Macbeth, was a very effective way to get the audience involved in the play and stimulate their senses. The supernatural aspects of the play have a major part in the plot and setting up of Shakespeare's story. This essay will discuss three ways the supernatural are used in, Macbeth, based upon the witches, the ghost of Banquo, and the apparitions Macbeth is shown by the witches.

The witches in Macbeth are used as prophets for Macbeth, or maybe, foreshadower's of bad things to come. The witches appear to belong to some type of cult and cults are not well known to produce positive effects in society. The first seen of the play begins with the three witches, who are sometimes referred to as, the Weird Sisters, planning to meet with Macbeth. They are talking about thunder, lightning and hourly burly.

Also they chant together eerily: "Fair is foul, and foul is fair, hover through the fog and filthy air". This starts off the play on a dark note, foreshadowing that evil is to come. The main purpose of the weird sisters is foreshadowing. Macbeth has Banquo, his old best friend, murdered in the third act of the play.

Banquo's ghost appears at Macbeth's banquet but only Macbeth can see him. This makes the other nobles nervous; they start to think Macbeth may be having guilt-induced visions after just killing his former ally. When the ghost was present Macbeth seemed to lose all touch with reality. The ghost is used to show Macbeth's involvement with Banquo's murder to the guests at the Banquet. Macbeth's deteriorating sanity is also shown to his guests and the audience of the play.

Macbeth's actions throughout the play are based on the predictions of the witches. Macbeth makes a third and final visit to the witches and it is now that the witches conjure up the apparitions. Some of the images are disturbing to Macbeth: "Filthy hags, why do you show me this?" Most of all though, the apparitions speak crafty words, which give Macbeth a false sense of security: "Laugh to scorn the power of man, for none of woman born shall harm Macbeth". This line is very important because it causes Macbeth to believe he is completely invincible against any man on earth. He does not prepare for battle and is not worried about being killed and therefore is not ready when Malcolm and Macduff arrive with the English forces.

The supernatural definitely plays a major role in Macbeth in the witches prophecies of the future, through the doubt placed in the mind of some of Macbeth's "loyal" nobles by Banquo's ghost, and through the false self confidence and security instilled in Macbeth by what he hears from the apparitions. These three uses of the supernatural are crucial to the plot of William Shakespeare's final tragedy, Macbeth.