Supernatural In Macbeth Essay

In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, there are many aspects of the supernatural throughout the play, all of which influence the central character-- Macbeth. Various supernatural factors alter Macbeth’s morals and deteriorate his mental state until he is consumed by the evil that was formerly contained within himself. Powers of darkness such as witches, prophecies, and ghosts, push Macbeth onto and along the road to destruction. The chaos begins when three witches appear to Macbeth and his compatriot, Banquo, and they proclaim, “All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, thane of Cawdor! ...that shalt be king hereafter!” (I, iii, 50-51), which leaves Macbeth perplexed because, to his knowledge, the thane of Cawdor is still alive, and it’s impossible for him to become king. The witches also report that Banquo’s descendants will be kings. Afterward, …show more content…
They show him prophecies that declare that he should fear Macduff, that no man born from a woman shall harm him, and that he will not be defeated until the forest marches up the hill to the castle. Of course, these prophecies only strengthen Macbeth’s confidence that he will not lose the throne. However, the witches then show him a vision of a line of kings, with one displaying a mirror showing many more, and with Banquo following them. Although he is upset by this vision, he remains confident because “None of woman born, / Shall harm Macbeth” (IV, i, 82-83). This new knowledge causes him to be overzealous in that he firmly believes he cannot possibly be defeated. Due to his overconfidence, he throws caution to the wind, and doesn’t worry at all about Macduff, who was able to kill him because he was born via C-section. Ultimately, the powers of darkness that Macbeth interacted with brought out the evil within himself and drove him insane with overconfidence and greed for power, which eventually led to his