The word “weïrd” in old English does not mean odd or strange. The word’s definition is fate or destiny. Thus, the “weird sisters” in Macbeth are foretellers of the protagonist’s fate. The supernatural plays an important part of the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare. They reveal themselves to be mischievous while manipulating Macbeth’s vulnerability to do unspeakable things. In addition to the witches, the supernatural appears to the audience in varied ways – a floating dagger, a ghost, and floating apparitions. Throughout the play, Shakespeare uses the supernatural in all scenes where wickedness is present. As the story develops, the supernatural proves to be the reason for Macbeth’s downfall.
The importance of the supernatural is clear from …show more content…
The appearance of the ghost provides insight into Macbeth’s characters. It is able to show the audience the level of paranoia in Macbeth’s mind. Banquo’s ghost serves as a reminder of the horrors Macbeth commits to gain the glory of the crown and the innocent blood he has spilled. The ghost’s haunting unsettles Macbeths and shakes his conscience, “the [time] has been that, when brains were out, the man would die, and there an end. But now they rise again with twenty mortal murders on their crowns and push us from our stools.”(105), explaining that on the battlefield Macbeth had not felt guilty for the blood he spilt because his murders were justified, but now innocent blood has shed, and he feels shame. Later in the story, as Macbeth seeks the witches out to find the worst of his fate, the witches feed him riddles which show him the prophecy of his own death and downfall However, these apparitions that appear only served to feed Macbeth’s ego, yet each apparition reveals to be more and more unclear. The first apparition, an armed head, screams out: “Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! Beware MacDuff! Beware the Thane of Fife!” (125) Macbeth sees this as a warning, and thanks the witches. The second apparition, a bloody child, appears and tells Macbeth to be “bloody bold and resolute”(125) for nobody born from a woman can harm him. This praise spoils Macbeth’s ego into thinking that he is invincible and should not fear any
The importance of the supernatural is clear from …show more content…
The appearance of the ghost provides insight into Macbeth’s characters. It is able to show the audience the level of paranoia in Macbeth’s mind. Banquo’s ghost serves as a reminder of the horrors Macbeth commits to gain the glory of the crown and the innocent blood he has spilled. The ghost’s haunting unsettles Macbeths and shakes his conscience, “the [time] has been that, when brains were out, the man would die, and there an end. But now they rise again with twenty mortal murders on their crowns and push us from our stools.”(105), explaining that on the battlefield Macbeth had not felt guilty for the blood he spilt because his murders were justified, but now innocent blood has shed, and he feels shame. Later in the story, as Macbeth seeks the witches out to find the worst of his fate, the witches feed him riddles which show him the prophecy of his own death and downfall However, these apparitions that appear only served to feed Macbeth’s ego, yet each apparition reveals to be more and more unclear. The first apparition, an armed head, screams out: “Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! Beware MacDuff! Beware the Thane of Fife!” (125) Macbeth sees this as a warning, and thanks the witches. The second apparition, a bloody child, appears and tells Macbeth to be “bloody bold and resolute”(125) for nobody born from a woman can harm him. This praise spoils Macbeth’s ego into thinking that he is invincible and should not fear any