grade 9 essay on supernatural macbeth

Supernatural in “Macbeth” Play by Shakespeare Essay

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In William Shakespeare’s play Macbeth , the supernatural plays a crucial part in inspiring Macbeth’s actions. Supernatural elements create dramatic tension, with the witches’ predictions in Scene 3 of Act 1 as a critical instigating incident. Macbeth’s desire to replace Duncan as Scotland’s monarch is driven by otherworldly forces. The presence of the supernatural encourages the protagonists to feel superior and arrogant. The supernaturally manufactured predictions lure Macbeth and Banquo with the idea of power, leading Macbeth to plot the cruel murder of Duncan. Macbeth believes that by murdering his close friend Banquo, he will finally be able to live up to the prophecy that he will become king. At an earlier gathering that night, he had a supernatural encounter with the ghost of a recently departed friend. The prophecies of the three witches inspire Macbeth’s desire to murder Banquo, but he digs himself into a deeper hole in the process. The play’s sense of mystery is enhanced by Macbeth’s use of the bizarre (Hibbs and Hibbs 275). The play’s supernatural aspects drive the plot and elevate its tragic elements by leading the protagonist further away from the passage of the typical hero.

Any supernatural effect on his choices, particularly those involving murder, is purely voluntary. It is only fair that he takes some responsibility for the many failures and catastrophes he is brought on by depending on them. On the other hand, without the supernatural, it is unlikely that Macbeth would even have the courage to consider such notions, much alone act on them. Macbeth begins his journey of murder when he tells Lady Macbeth about the witches. He recalled how “these Weird Sisters hailed me and pointed to the advent of time with ‘Hail, the king that shalt be,’” as he put it (Shakespeare). The influence of the supernatural on his wife, Lady Macbeth, drove him to murder King Duncan; had he not informed her about his vision, events could have turned out differently. Once he reveals to Lady Macbeth the divine prophesy he got, he loses all chance of returning to his former noble life. The supernatural plays a significant role in Macbeth’s universe.

In Scene 1 of Act IV, Macbeth returns to the Weird Sisters and demands to see visions of his future. Macbeth is warned of Macduff’s vengeance by a severed warrior’s head. In the second scene, a little boy, covered in blood, promises Macbeth that no man “of woman born” can kill him. Macbeth will not be beaten in battle, the young king swears, as long as Birnam wood is physically transported to Dunsinane. Upon learning of these impossibilities, Macbeth exclaims, “reign in this kingdom?” (Schojbert 1). The witches have Banquo leading a ghostly parade of imaginary kings. This only infuriates Macbeth more, and he goes so far as to admit to the audience that he wants to murder the whole Macduff family because of his pride.

In this play, the supernatural aspect is genuine or verifiable. Since both Macbeth and Banquo see the witches, their presence is confirmed. The supernatural aspect adds to the drama by validating and concretizing the hero’s internal struggles. Therefore, Macbeth’s witches represent the guilt deep within his psyche. However, the supernatural aspect does not exert an overbearing force, and the hero is never made helpless or absolved of responsibility for his actions. Although it is only suggestive, the hero is under no obligation to act upon it. The supernatural plays a vital role in accelerating the hero’s demise and elevating the tragedy within the play but ultimately teaches the weight of responsibility for personal actions.

Works Cited

Schojbert, Haley. The Supernatural, the Demonic, and Witchcraft in Early Modern English plays: Macbeth, the Witch, the Witch of Edmonton, and Doctor Faustus . 2020. The State University of New York at New Paltz, MA thesis.

Hibbs, Thomas, and Stacey Hibbs. “ Virtue, Natural Law, and Supernatural Solicitation: A Thomistic Reading of Shakespeare’s Macbeth .” Religion and the Arts, vol 5, no 3, 2001, pp. 273- 296, Web.

Shakespeare, William. Macbeth. Wordsworth Classics, 1992.

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Mr Salles Teaches English

Macbeth Supernatural: Starting with the Extract

If you want grades 8 or 9, maybe don't do it.

This is the link to the guide .

This essay comes from a grade 9 student who might not get get Grade 9, because they start with the extract.

Starting with this moment in the play, explore how Shakespeare presents the attitudes of Macbeth and Banquo towards the supernatural.

In this extract, Banquo is shown to be wary of the supernatural; a feeling which would be reflected by most people watching the play. Shakespeare uses Banquo to deliver a didactic message to those who didn’t have this fear of the supernatural, explaining how the “ instruments of darkness... betray us .”The “ instruments of darkness ”refers to the witches, who at this point in the play have just been proved correct in their prediction that Macbeth would become the Thane of Cawdor. By using the metaphor of “ instruments ,” Shakespeare shows that while the supernatural can sound attractive and beautiful, their real role is to betray us to the Devil- the one who controls their movements, and in this extended metaphor “ wins ” them. The fact that the witches predicted correctly that Macbeth would become Thane of Cawdor, Banquo believes, was only an “ honest trifle ,” a small trick which in the long term meant nothing, but that could drag those who allowed it to change their perspective of life into doom. This warning reflected the writing of James I, who in “Demonology” warned of the threat that the supernatural posed to people.

In stark opposition to the clear caution that Banquo has of the witches, Macbeth is unsure of the extent of the threat that the witches pose. He says “ this supernatural soliciting cannot be ill, cannot be good .” The anaphora shows his lack of ability to decide how the supernatural should be treated. This would shock a Jacobean audience, who had been brought up to believe that witches were evil and never to be trusted. Shakespeare shows that this doubt as to whether the witches want Macbeth's good or not directly leads to his ideas about the murder of Duncan, as after seeing their prediction come true, he immediately has a “ thought ” of “ murder .”

Although the idea of murdering the King is at this point “ but fantastical ”, only an idea, even the thought of regicide would be seen as sinful by the Jacobean audience, who saw the King as directly under God in the Great Chain of Being. The fact that a “ valiant ”, “ worthy gentleman ” can be polluted by such evil thoughts as a result of one meeting with the witches is a clear message to the Jacobean audience that witches can destroy anyone, and that everyone should be on their guard and should protect themselves from the supernatural.

Later in the play, Macbeth is shown to think that he has power over the supernatural. This is seen when he commands Banquo’s ghost “ never shake thy gory locks at me! ” The exclamation demonstrates the fact that Macbeth believes that by intimidation he can control not only people, but also ghosts and spirits. However, the ghost does not respond to this demand, which shows that even those in power cannot control the supernatural. This was perhaps a message to the nobles of King James’ court. Shakespeare wanted to remind them that evil spirits- as ghosts were seen at the time- needed divine help to be cast out. Jacobean audiences would infer that Macbeth could not cast away the image of the ghost because he had left God, who alone had the power to cast out demons. This message would please King James, who had strong faith in the power of the Christian God.

After seeing Banquo’s ghost, Macbeth puts his full trust in the witches, which demonstrates that he has lost any “Christian values” that he had held previously. Despite knowing that the witches are the embodiment of spiritual darkness- which can be seen when he refers to them as “ black and midnight hags ”- he begs them to “ answer [him] … what [he] ask[s] them .” The witches agree, showing him three apparitions, the last of which comes with a message to “ Laugh to scorn, for none of woman born, shall harm Macbeth .” This lulls him into a false sense of security, which is seen when he taunts Macduff, saying “ I bear a charméd life .” Only when Macduff tells him that he was born of C-section does Macbeth lose his trust in the witches, and by then it is too late, and he dies fighting with Macduff.

Shakespeare therefore shows the audience that putting your life in the hands of the supernatural is a fatal mistake, which must be avoided at any cost.

How the Examiner Grades

This is grade 9.

“At the top of the level, a candidate’s response is likely to be a critical, exploratory, well-structured argument. It takes a conceptualised approach to the full task supported by a range of judicious references. There will be a fine-grained and insightful analysis of language and form and structure supported by judicious use of subject terminology. Convincing exploration of one or more ideas/ perspectives/ contextual factors/ interpretations.”

My Comments

This is “exploratory”. But it is unlikely to be a “well-structured argument”. It doesn’t start with a thesis statement, so that it doesn’t have 3 ideas to prove.

Because it doesn’t have a thesis statement, the conclusion makes only one point.

The point itself is weak - did Shakespeare really want to warn the nobles at court to avoid the many witches and ghosts roaming around Saint James’s Palace or around their stately manors? It’s not an insightful use of context.

It is much more likely that this will happen if you start with the extract - you zoom into some brilliant AO2 quote analysis, as this does, and you find you are half way through the question, with no time left to develop an argument. It does have a range of “judicious references”. Many of them are analysed brilliantly, so they are “fine-grained and insightful”.

Grade 7 - easy peasy, look at my quote analysis. But beyond that, you’re struggling.

It just about deals with “the full task”, but it can’t be “conceptualised” if it doesn’t have a thesis statement, strong conclusion and an argument.

Again, starting with the extract has scuppered it.

Anyway, much as I have panned the essay because it starts with the extract, I can still score it 26/30. A safe grade 8.

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Supernatural

Arguably, the entire play rests on how you think that shakespeare is presenting the role of the supernatural. if the witches simply awaken macbeth's own ambition then their role is really quite limited. if, however, you take them as being real, magical witches - which you have to do really (their titles are, after all, "witch 1," "witch 2" and "witch 2") - then it's not unreasonable to assume that there is real magic involved in the play. and since one of the things that witches were supposed to be able to do is control men's behaviour, the play suddenly looks very different., the most important thing to remember when you're looking at any piece of literature is that you have to stay focused on the text and use the evidence you find there. as i've said before, of course there is a case for saying that macbeth was ambitious already and that all the witches did was awaken his won ambition. however, for me, there's a much stronger case for saying that shakespeare intended for the supernatural to have a much larger role....

The Sailor's Wife and the Chestnuts

During the opening of act 1 scene 3, the witches meet and discuss a recent incident: a sailor's wife refused to give one of them chestnuts, and so the witch travelled to the sailor and cast a spell which drained him of his energy but take away his ability to sleep. he would "dwindle" - which means to get weak - "peak" - which is going through fits of high energy - and "pine" - which is to long for something. finally, although she couldn't take away his "bark" she would create violent storms that would make him "tempest tossed.", this scene is generally removed from plays because it breaks up the flow of the opening, and besides an article from the british library describes is like this: shakespeare uses this passage, then, to demonstrate the witches’ vindictive nature, leaving the audience in no doubt as to their connection with the powers of evil ., given that this passage is really only there to show that the witches are horrible it's no surprise that it gets cut out so regularly. but what if the british library is wrong and this is one of the most significant sequences in the play, my argument:, in any play featuring magical characters, you need a moment of exposition to explain what the characters are capable of. before you've seen a star wars film you need some kind of explanation of the rules of the force so you can understand what a jedi can do. the same is true here: we don't know what kind of magic the witches are capable of, so shakespeare has this scene which explains what magic powers they have., my argument is simply this: if, at the beginning of a play, a group of magical character reveal what powers they have and then the rest of the play is someone going through exactly the same experience, then it's reasonable to assume that there is a connection. in short: this scene is simply the witches revealing what they are about to do to macbeth; and if that's the case then the storyline of the whole play is completely different. below you'll find the original speech describing what they did to the sailor next to how it happened to macbeth:, i will drain him dry as hay: - macbeth was constantly tired and drained, sleep shall neither night nor day, hang upon his pent-house lid; - macbeth loses the abilit y to sleep, he shall live a man forbid: - he is denied the things he reall y wants, weary se'nnights nine times nine, shall he dwindle, peak and pine: - i'm not sure how long macbeth's reign was, but he did "dwindle, peak and pine" quite a lot, though his bark cannot be lost,, yet it shall be tempest-tost. - by the end he was still shouting and screaming (his bark wasn't lost) but he had certainly been through an emotional storm, what's also essential to take away from this is that the witches are able to control other people's actions and feelings. they're not just viewers in this story; they have agency and that's essential for our understanding of the rest of the play., one of the most important parts of the witch's speech is when she clarifies that she stops the sailor being able to sleep, because this is something that happens to macbeth later in the play. often revision sites suggest that macbeth couldn't sleep because of a feeling of guilt but this doesn't really make sense, for two reasons:, firstly, the witches make it very clear that they can stop someone from sleeping and it would seem strange to have that clarified as a part of their magical tool-box, and have it happen later in the play, unless there was going to be a connection. if it was guilt that meant macbeth couldn't sleep, we really would have to assume that the witch's speech was a piece of misinformation from shakespeare, which would make no sense at all., and secondly, just after macbeth has killed duncan he doesn't just lose the ability to sleep. he finds his wife and says "methought i heard a voice cry 'sleep no more, macbeth hath murdered sleep.'" he then goes on to repeat variations on that line, but always confirming that he heard someone else say it - and shakespeare even puts the lines in speech marks ., so macbeth, having killed duncan, hears someone else say that he has murdered sleep. now you could argue that this is just him going a bit mad, but when it's combined with the understanding that this is something the witches could do it makes much more sense to argue that it was the witch's magic spell that made this happen., the most important line in the play, i've got two nominations here, though both come in the same scene., the first is macbeth's first line in the play:, so fair and foul a day i have not seen., this line paraphrases (which is an almost exact quote) the witches opening lines. so macbeth's first line in the play almost directly quotes a key line from the witches. surely this was designed to deliberately setup the idea that the witches are already in control of him i've read revision websites before that have argued that this just implies that macbeth, like the witches, is a bit evil - but he's almost quoting them surely this suggests more than just a connection, it's a control., the second one is more complex:, w hy do i yield to that suggestion, whose horrid image doth unfix my hair, and make my seated heart knock at my ribs,, against the use of nature, in a nutshell, this means: why i am i giving in to something that makes my hair stand up in horror, and my heart start to race in an uncomfortable way - and which is, most importantly: against my very nature., so, in this short speech he says that the idea of killing duncan makes him so scared that his heart races, and is against his very nature - the most fundamental part of who he is. so he's basically saying why is he starting to want to do this thing, but the key words in the speech are "yield" and "suggestion." and the fundamental question is: can you "yield" to a "suggestion" that has come from yourself, it's worth just clarifying what these words mean:, yield : to give way to arguments, demands, or pressure., suggestion : an idea or plan put forward for consideration., so: can you "give way to an argument, demand or pressure" and agree to "an idea or plan put forward for consideration" if that plan was your own, surely you can only "give in" to an "idea" that has come from someone else... and if that's the case then the idea of killing duncan didn't come from macbeth - it came from the witches., and if that's the case, then the entire play takes on a completely different meaning., was lady macbeth a witch, some people tend to find this one really obvious, other people think it's far more debatable. for myself, i think so much of her character arc is missing that i struggle to formulate a complete opinion about her. there's enough evidence of her being a witch in her opening scene to say that she's certainly established as one, but then shakespeare seems to do so little with it that i'm not sure what to think. it is worth picking up on a few key things:, come you spirits - if you watch a star wars movie and someone comes on screen dressed in a long robe and carrying a lightsaber then it's reasonable to assume they're a jedi. if almost the first thing someone does on-stage is cast a magic spell, during a play that features witches in prominent roles, then it's reasonable to assume that she's a witch. if she's not supposed to be one, then i really have no idea what shakespeare thought he was doing have her cast a magic spell straight away., hereafter - king that shalt be - hereafter - when lady macbeth comes on stage she's reading a letter from her husband, which tells her about his encounter with the witches. but: the letter misquotes the witches. macbeth says that they called him "king that shalt be" when they really said "all hail macbeth, thou shalt be king hereafter." this doesn't seem like a big deal except that when his wife meets him, she says "greater than both by the all hail hereafter." so she uses the "hail" and the "hereafter" that the witches used, even though macbeth got the quote wrong., beyond that, though, there's no real references to her being a witch or casting any magic spells at all, except perhaps one..., when she performs her original magic spell she asks that the spirits " stop up the passage to remorse " which means that the spell stops her feeling any guilt. in a3 s5 hecate, the queen of witches, becomes angry at what the witches have done and demands that they bring an end to the whole thing. just after this, we see lady macbeth and she's sleepwalking and consumed by guilt. is it possible that hecate cancelled out the magic spell that had been cast earlier on, which would have meant that lady macbeth felt her guilt all of a sudden this is possible, and it's probably the best explanation for her character flip that i've ever heard though it's still pretty thin..., seyton... or is it a coincidence, at the end of the play, macbeth does something unusual: he gives one of his servants a name. there are a number of other messengers or gentlewomen in the play - even a doctor - but they never get names., but then, for no reason, at the end of the play he calls out "seyton." now, bearing in mind that macbeth was meant to be seen and not read, it seems really strange to give a character a name that rhymes with satan, in a play about witchcraft, if that character isn't going to actually be satan., it's also doubly interesting as he says the name three times before seyton appears - twice in quick succession, and then suddenly he appears. the idea of saying someone's name three times before they appear is a reasonably classic trope, and here it is with satan., seyton --i am sick at heart,, when i behold-- seyton , i say--this push, will cheer me ever, or disseat me now., i have lived long enough: my way of life, is fall'n into the sear, the yellow leaf;, and that which should accompany old age,, as honour, love, obedience, troops of friends,, i must not look to have; but, in their stead,, curses, not loud but deep, mouth-honour, breath,, which the poor heart would fain deny, and dare not. seyton , enter seyton, given the nature of the play and its focus on witchcraft - and the fact that a few scenes earlier we'd seen the arrival of hecate, the queen of witches - it doesn't seem unreasonable that this is actually satan who's arrived., other than ranking up the supernatural elements in the play, this doesn't really have a massive impact on the play except in one key possible area., look over this section from a5 s5:.

A cry of women within

What is that noise?

It is the cry of women, my good lord.

Re-enter SEYTON

Wherefore was that cry?

The queen, my lord, is dead.

So it is Seyton who discovers the Queen's body - or, possibly, was it him or his minions who killed her?

The most common understanding is that Lady Macbeth killed herself, but bear in mind that we only assumed she did because Malcolm's says that Macbeth's "fiend-like queen, / Who, as 'tis thought, by self and violent hands / Took off her life."

So basically, it could well be that Lady Macbeth killed herself, but I'd bet there were people who left the theatre thinking that Seyton / Satan had something to do with it...

Super Stretch: Extract from the British Library

The following is an extract from an article that's been published on the british library's website, you can find the whole thing here: https://www.bl.uk/shakespeare/articles/manhood-and-the-milk-of-human-kindness-in-macbeth, the article looks at the role of masculinity in macbeth, but takes a very different slant to my interpretation. during this extract, the author argues that the witches have no real power over macbeth but only ignite his own passion. i've colour coded it and responded to his argument below. crucially though, i'd argue (without meaning to offend the author) that this passage - which is written by a very well respected professor - is entirely reliant on some quite astonishing assumptions, none of which are actually backed up by any evidence from the play., it's an interesting read as it gives some clues as to how we've come to the place we have:, it’s important to stress that macbeth’s fate is not dictated by the witches. none of the malign spells cast by the bearded handmaids of hecat, as they dance round their bubbling cauldron with its gruesome ingredients, has any power over macbeth. the weird sisters ‘can look into the seeds of time’ (1.3.58) and foretell his future in deceitful language, whose full meaning emerges only in retrospect. but they can’t compel macbeth to do anything., this section stresses that the witches have no powers over macbeth. it says they can't compel him to do anything, but then - really - if you read it, it just repeats this statement without actually referencing the text in any meaningful way. it seems like the author just ignores the power the witches had over the sailor, and ignores the fact that macbeth enters the stage almost repeating what the witches have previously said. this kind of academic writing is designed to sound clever, but it's not actually dealing with the text. you could almost say it was an example of confuscation, which is something that's made deliberately confusing, often to hide the fact that it has nothing to say., shakespeare makes that clear from the outset, when the grim trio greets macbeth with titles he has yet to acquire, and banquo sees him ‘start, and seem to fear / things that do sound so fair’, and then become strangely ‘rapt withal’ (1.3.51–2, 57). before the scene is over, macbeth’s first soliloquy leaves us in no doubt that what has startled and struck fear into him is the witches’ open voicing of the ‘black and deep desires’ (1.4.51) already brewing secretly in his heart., my ears perked up at this bit as i hoped that he would provide some evidence - he says that shakespeare makes it clear that the witches have no power. but then you read it and there's nothing there - again the fact that macbeth seemed to "fear" what the witches said, or that he then fell into a "rapt" state does not mean that the witches had no control over macbeth and where he claims "leaves us in no doubt that" i can say categorically that i had serious doubts about this interpretation. in fact, he references a soliloquy from a1 s3 but then uses a quote from the next scene, like the spirits that lady macbeth commands in the next scene to ‘unsex’ her and purge her of compassion, the witches ‘tend on mortal thoughts’ (1.5.41; my emphasis): they serve the evil thoughts they find in mortal minds, they don’t plant them there., here, he's using a quote from lady macbeth who says that the spirits she calls only "tend" on mortal thoughts, which suggests that they don't control them, they just look after them - in the way we might tend a garden or a loved one. but this is lady macbeth and not the witches, so the fact that lady macbeth has no real power over someone's behaviour says nothing about the witches. also, the use of the "like" conjunction at the beginning suggests that there will be some connection between the thoughts presented, but lady macbeth asks for the spirits to "unsex" her and take away her compassion, both of which are them doing something, not simply responding to the "evil thoughts they find in mortal minds.", and that's the end of his argument., but if i look back over his argument i see someone making a very broad statement about the play: the witches have no control over macbeth; and then backing it up with very limited evidence, that ignores significant portions of the plot, and just 'sounds' good as he uses long words and complex sentences., the fact is that if you introduce the supernatural elements of the play to the degree that they can actually control macbeth's behaviour, you end up with a play about the effects of witchcraft, which just isn't that interesting to an audience four hundred years later. i think a lot of people are working very hard to make macbeth seem infinitely more interesting and complex than it actually is..

This discussion is now closed.

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The Supernatural

The supernatural and the mind.

Macbeth sees a dagger and Banquo's ghost among other visions. These could be hallucinations or supernatural forces at work.

• Macbeth has visions throughout the play, such as the dagger before he kills King Duncan, ‘Is this a dagger which I see before me’ (2,1).
• These could be psychological (of the mind) or they could be premonitions (feelings that something bad is going to happen) and Macbeth is experiencing the supernatural.
• Because he has interacted with the witches, the audience might think that he has made himself vulnerable to evil.

Banquo's ghost

• We could argue that this hallucination is a symptom of Macbeth’s mind becoming more and more unbalanced because of the guilt he feels, as well as the overwhelming amount of power he suddenly has.

The Supernatural and Evil

It is important to remember the context of the play for this theme: King James I believed in witches. He thought they were evil and could harm people.

Role and significance of the witches

• The witches are the first characters the audience see in the play. This shows that they are very significant for what is to come.
• They manipulate (control to their advantage) Macbeth to show the evil within himself.

Lady Macbeth and the supernatural

• Lady Macbeth calls on spirits too. She does this like the witches themselves: ‘Come, you spirits / That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here’ (1,5).
• She uses imperative language ( ‘come’ and ‘unsex’ ) which suggests that she thinks she has control over them. This labels her as an evil character who wants supernatural beings to help her.
• We don’t know whether this is something she has done before or whether the opportunity to take the crown has made her want to try to contact them. But it could just be words. Perhaps she is simply showing how far she is prepared to go.

Cause bad events

• Macbeth and Lady Macbeth only hatch the plan to kill King Duncan because the witches tell Macbeth that he will be the king one day – we could argue that, without the witches, none of the events of the play would have happened.

1 Literary & Cultural Context

1.1 Context

1.1.1 Tragedy

1.1.2 The Supernatural & Gender

1.1.3 Politics & Monarchy

1.1.4 End of Topic Test - Context

2 Plot Summary

2.1.1 Scenes 1 & 2

2.1.2 Scene 3

2.1.3 Scenes 4-5

2.1.4 Scenes 6-7

2.1.5 End of Topic Test - Act 1

2.2 Acts 2-4

2.2.1 Act 2

2.2.2 Act 3

2.2.3 Act 4

2.3.1 Scenes 1-3

2.3.2 Scenes 4-9

2.3.3 End of Topic Test - Acts 2-5

3 Characters

3.1 Macbeth

3.1.1 Hero vs Villain

3.1.2 Ambition & Fate

3.1.3 Relationship

3.1.4 Unstable

3.1.5 End of Topic Test - Macbeth

3.2 Lady Macbeth

3.2.1 Masculine & Ruthless

3.2.2 Manipulative & Disturbed

3.3 Other Characters

3.3.1 Banquo

3.3.2 The Witches

3.3.3 Exam-Style Questions - The Witches

3.3.4 King Duncan

3.3.5 Macduff

3.3.6 End of Topic Test - Lady Macbeth & Banquo

3.3.7 End of Topic Test - Witches, Duncan & Macduff

3.4 Grade 9 - Key Characters

3.4.1 Grade 9 - Lady Macbeth Questions

4.1.1 Power & Ambition

4.1.2 Power & Ambition HyperLearning

4.1.3 Violence

4.1.4 The Supernatural

4.1.5 Masculinity

4.1.6 Armour, Kingship & The Natural Order

4.1.7 Appearances & Deception

4.1.8 Madness & Blood

4.1.9 Women, Children & Sleep

4.1.10 End of Topic Test - Themes

4.1.11 End of Topic Test - Themes 2

4.2 Grade 9 - Themes

4.2.1 Grade 9 - Themes

4.2.2 Extract Analysis

5 Writer's Techniques

5.1 Structure, Meter & Other Literary Techniques

5.1.1 Structure, Meter & Dramatic Irony

5.1.2 Pathetic Fallacy & Symbolism

5.1.3 End of Topic Test - Writer's Techniques

Jump to other topics

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Home — Essay Samples — Literature — Macbeth — Supernatural Powers In The Play “Macbeth” By William Shakespear

Supernatural Powers in The Play "Macbeth" by William Shakespear

• Categories: Macbeth William Shakespeare

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Miss Huttlestone's GCSE English

Because a whole class of wonderful minds are better than just one!

Category: Macbeth

A super handy ‘macbeth’ 5:1 analysis – lady macbeth focus.

Drop into Macbeth 5.1

Macbeth by act 5…

There is no doubt that Macbeth is numbed by his many ‘bloody’ experiences. Famously, his response to the news of his ‘dearest’ wife’s death is that she ‘should have died hereafter’. Although such a response is ambiguous, I think it captures the undeniable reality that Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are now living in two separate worlds:

Macbeth’s is a hellish present, eternal day, where he must see through his fall from grace, despite knowing that it is ultimately futile.

Lady Macbeth (before her suicide), is trapped in an eternal night, haunted by the past.

Macbeth’s haunting, rhythmic line: ‘tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow’, with its polysyndeton, illustrates how weighed down he is by the burden of regicide. He sees only meaningless succession in the days that might follow, each one stretching into eternity, never punctuated by happiness. The futility of exitance replaces his former excitement for the future.

Time is slow as treacle too, with Macbeth wishing the ‘candle’ of life to be ‘out’. In many senses this is Macbeth’s final ‘proper’ speech – a culmination of his thoughts before his inevitable death (the flawed tragic hero must fall).

A critic, David Garrick, said in 1744 that his death is not nearly as dramatic or as elegant as it should be for a tragic hero. But what is your reaction to his death?

Personally, I see it as tragic but inevitable. In subverting the Great Chain of Being and thus God/nature he MUST go punished (James I would not have allowed otherwise!). Macbeth too allowed space for female power – something Shakespeare’s audience deeply feared. In subverting gender norms and sometimes being feminised, he has gone accept society’s expectations. Aligned with the witches, he must be ‘trialed’ and ‘executed’.

There isn’t much cheer therefore at his death – we have followed him throughout after all.

‘Big Ideas’ in your Literature texts

Having pre-planned ‘big ideas’ that can function as top band essay introductions is a productive use of your time ahead of the Literature exams over the next two weeks. I sat down and had a go for ‘A Christmas Carol’ and ‘An Inspector Calls’. One of my year 11 students also came up with three superbly perceptive ‘big ideas’ for ‘Macbeth’, also displayed below. No matter the focus, knowing your concept, your way in before you enter the exam hall is excellent preparation and a HUGE time saver.

Many of Shakespeare’s critics, Bloom among them, have argued that Macbeth and Lady Macbeth may be Shakespeare’s most authentic couple out of all of his plays, this is due to the deep devotion and passion they demonstrate to each other. However, if we observe their marriage at a microscopic level throughout the play, we can see how it fluctuates and slowly decays at the hands of their unchecked ambition and hubris.

In Shakespeare’s eponymous play, ‘Macbeth’, our tragic hero and his wife are both riddled with unchecked ambition and often take radical measures to accomplish their ultimate goal: kingship. While this ruthless thirst for power is seemingly prosperous at first, it hastily crumbles to nothing as guilt plagues their minds full of “scorpions”. Macbeth transforms from a “brave” and noble warrior to a guilt-ridden and despised “butcher”, while Lady Macbeth’s stoic and transgressive persona deteriorates into a pitiful and anxious version of her former self.

‘Macbeth’ Grade 9 Example Response

Grade 9 – full mark – ‘Macbeth’ response

Starting with this extract (from act 1 scene 7), how does Shakespeare present the relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth?

In Shakespeare’s eponymous tragedy ‘Macbeth’, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s relationship is a complex portrait of love, illustrating layers of utter devotion alongside overwhelming resentment. Though the couple begins the play unnaturally strong within their marriage, this seems to act as an early warning of their imminent and inevitable fall from grace, ending the play in an almost entirely different relationship than the one they began the play with.

In the exposition of the play, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth initially appear immensely strong within their marriage, with Macbeth describing his wife as ‘my dearest partner of greatness’ in act 1 scene 5. The emotive superlative adjective ‘dearest’ is a term of endearment, and acts as a clear depiction of how valued Lady Macbeth is by her husband. Secondly, the noun ‘partner’ creates a sense of sincere equality which, as equality within marriage would have been unusual in the Jacobean era, illustrates to a contemporary audience the positive aspects of their relationship. Furthermore the lexical choice ‘greatness’ may connote ambition, and as they are ‘partner(s)’, Shakespeare suggests that Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are equal in their desire for power and control, further confirming their compatibility but potentially hinting that said compatibility will serve as the couple’s hamartia.

However, the strength of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s relationship falls into a rapid downward spiral in the subsequent scenes, as a struggle for power within the marriage ensues. This is evidenced when Macbeth, in act 1 scene 7, uses the declarative statement ‘we will proceed no further in this business’. Here, Macbeth seems to exude masculinity, embracing his gender role and dictating both his and his wife’s decisions. The negation ‘no’ clearly indicates his alleged definitive attitude. However, Lady Macbeth refuses to accept her husband’s rule, stating ‘when you durst do it, then you were a man’. She attempts to emasculate him to see their plan through. The verb ‘durst’ illustrates the risk taking behaviour that Lady Macbeth is encouraging; implying an element of toxicity within their relationship, and her harsh speech makes the cracks in their relationship further visible to the audience. It is also probable that a contemporary audience would be made severely uncomfortable in the presence of Lady Macbeth’s unapologetic display of power, and it is possible that Shakespeare attempts to paint Lady Macbeth as the villain of the play, playing upon the audience’s pre-determined fears of feminine power. Though Lady Macbeth appears to be acting entirely out of self-interest, another reader may argue that she influences her husband so heavily to commit the heinous act of regicide, as she believes that he crown may as a substitute for the child or children that Shakespeare suggests she and Macbeth have lost previously, and in turn better Macbeth’s life and bring him to the same happiness that came with the child, except in another form.

As the play progresses, Shakespeare creates more and more distance between the characters, portraying the breakdown of their relationship as gradual within the play but rapid in the overall sense of time on stage. For example, Lady Macbeth requests a servant ‘say to the king’ Lady Macbeth ‘would attend his leisure/ for a few words’. Here she is reduced to the status of someone far lesser than the king, having to request to speak to her own husband. It could be interpreted that, now as king, Macbeth holds himself above all else, even his wife, perhaps due to the belief of the divine right of kings. The use of the title rather than his name plainly indicated the lack of closeness Lady Macbeth now feels with Macbeth and intensely emotionally separates them. This same idea is referenced as Shakespeare develops the characters to almost juxtapose each other in their experiences after the murder of Duncan. For example, Macbeth seems to be trapped in a permanent day, after ‘Macbeth does murder sleep’ and his guilt and paranoia render him unable to rest. In contrast, Lady Macbeth takes on an oppositional path, suffering sleepwalking and unable to wake from her nightmare; repeating the phrase ‘to bed. To bed’ as if trapped in a never-ending night. This illustrates to the audience the extreme transformation Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s relationship undergoes, and how differently they end up experiencing the aftermath of regicide.

In conclusion, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth begin the play almost too comfortable within their marriage, which seems to invite the presence of chaos and tragedy into their relationship. Their moral compositions are opposing one another, which leads to the distancing and total breakdown of their once successful marriage and thus serves as a warning to the audience about the effects of murder, and what the deadly sin of greed can do to a person and a marriage.

Ambition: a corrupting influence in ‘Macbeth’

Whilst it is certainly true that “without ambition one starts nothing… the prize will not be sent to you. You have to win it.” (Ralph Waldo Emerson), the Macbeths certainly start something, a terrible feat of violence they cannot draw to a close. In Macbeth’s own deeply unsettling words:

‘things bad begun, make strong themselves by ill’.

In other words, when one malevolent act is set in motion others are bound to follow. One cannot commit regicide and expect subsequently to live holily. Duncan’s murder is but, to use a time honored cliched, the tip of the ice-burg. Violence inevitably follows violence and thus to retain his kingship Macbeth is forced to utilize violence directly and indirectly. His butcher-like qualities readily escalate as the action of the play heightens. 

But back to ambition – an integral theme that examiners are especially fond of- it spurs our protagonists on from the very opening of the play in act 1. When exploring this theme ask yourself why ambition becomes the Macbeth’s hamartia. After all, having some semblance of ambition is neither immoral nor troublesome. The true trouble occurs when ‘vaulting ambition’ is given full sway, is nurtured at the expense of morality.

The witches are certainly catalysts for Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s unchecked ambition. When they grant partial access into the ‘seeds of time’ (Banquo 1:3), Macbeth is catapulted into fancies he has probably never truly entertained, to be ‘king hereafter’. Perceptive audience members may well acknowledge Macbeth’s emerging ambition when he employs the imperative ‘stay you imperfect speakers’. He is undoubtedly intrigued and somewhat intoxicated by the prophecy, wishing to hear the elaborate and fine details of his supposed ascension. Furthermore, the fact that he utilities an aside in disclosing his ‘black and deep desires’, underscores his early contemplation of regicide. His ambition accelerates at such a pace that audiences are left contemplating his soul’s imminent corruption.

In the rising action of the play within the 1st of Macbeth’s sprawling soliloquies, he demonstrates palpable fears, doubts and conflicting emotions. Macbeth attempts to suppress his ambition, or at least avoid the malevolent thoughts it has recently awoken within him. Despite momentarily wrestling with his ambition and winning, Lady Macbeth is instrumental in granting his ambition full sway (‘when you durst do it, then you were a man’).

When Lady Macbeth hears of her partner’s recent interaction with the weird sisters, she acknowledges that he is ‘not without ambition’ yet to her dismay, ‘without the illness’ required to usurp Duncan from his throne. As an 11th century woman, in a society dominated by the violence of hyper-masculinity, she knows better than anyone that to attain power one must transcend societal expectation. When Lady Macbeth calls to the spirits to ‘unsex her’ she desires a divorcing from all cultural limitations, as a woman repressed within the domestic sphere with no dealings in the political andocentric world of men. It is likely Lady Macbeth’s ambition is a mirror image of Macbeth’s. After all, all she does it for him, her life is lived through him.  

So for now, in the early moments of the play, ambition is already instrumental in guiding our protagonists, in encouraging them to ‘o’erleap’ their positions in the hierarchy and to subvert the natural order. 

Keep a close eye on this theme and its dire consequences on morality, relationships and nature.

Like and comments if you found this helpful or have any questions! – Miss Huttlestone

Duncan’s kingship example paragraph

Throughout the entirety of Act I, Duncan is on the throne and he is consistently represented as a virtuous ruler, cherished by his subjects. First of all, he is generously full of praise for other characters, ironically calling Lady Macbeth ‘honour’d hostess’ immediately after she has rather dishonourably plotted to murder him. Even when Macbeth is likewise preoccupied with the murder plot in Act 1 Scene 7, he acknowledges that Duncan has been ‘So clear in his great office’, suggesting his authority has widely been respected as strong and just. This is further exaggerated when he imagines that, due to Duncan’s imminent death, ‘tears shall drown the wind’, hyperbolically predicting that the collective mourning of his subjects will be even more noisy than stormy weather. James I was believed to be in the first audience in 1606, so Shakespeare may have expected the public to link the strengths of Duncan to him and thus understand that it is a mistake to in any way question the the authority of a so-called divinely appointed monarch let alone usurp one.

The Supernatural and its influence in ‘Macbeth’

I mentioned before that I have a feeling regarding the witches/ the supernatural for the summer exam.

With this inclination in mind, here’s a fabulous podcast that explores the supernatural’s influence throughout the play:

http://sccenglish.podbean.com/e/macbeth-revision-v-the-witches-and-the-supernatural/

It covers the witches but also the relationship between the supernatural and the human world e.g. the influence it wields over Macbeth and Lady Macbeth and those it doesn’t entirely (Banquo).

Lady Macbeth Postcard – everything key on one side!

Print off and use for last minute cramming!

10 minute ‘macbeth’ revision activities.

‘Macbeth’ insights on Twitter (bite sized nuggets of revision)

Follow for excellent, manageable ‘macbeth’ revision:.

So what is Macbeth is about? If you had to summarise its main idea in a GCSE-friendly way. I think it's about a wrongful king. It's about a usurper. Shakespeare explores the consequences in both directions: both for the nation and for the usurper himself. 1/ — GCSE MACBETH (@GCSE_Macbeth) April 25, 2018

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ALEVELENGLISHLANGANDLIT

• alevelenglish
• Dec 29, 2020

AQA Full Mark Macbeth Answer

Starting with this moment in the play, explore how Shakespeare presents the attitudes of Macbeth and Banquo towards the supernatural.

In the play, Shakespeare presents the supernatural as to something which inverts and subverts morals through the use of manipulation, and an understanding of the weaknesses of their specific interlockers, and overall as a catalyst for what causes the protagonist’s downfall.

In the extract, the audience is immediately made aware of Banquo’s doubts towards the supernatural, making a remark of how ‘tis strange’. The use of this immediate doubt from Banquo signifys to the audience perhaps his persception for hinesight. This is further amplified by the objectification of the witches as those of ‘instruments’, perhaps a foreshadow of later in the play, where it is clear the witches essentially act as ‘pupeteers’ towards the protagonists. This is further accentuated by using the objectification in relation to ‘darkness’, allowing the audience to understand the underlying evil of the supernatural, alternatively this could be a remark on Shakespeare’s attitude towards the supernatural, or what he is trying to convey throughout the play: the supernatural may tempt those, but ultimately humans are free to resist.

In terms of Macbeth in this extract, in relation to the supernatural being a catalyst for guilt, we are immediately made aware of his eagerness towards the witches’ prophecies, and arguably the naïve reaction. Within the extract we notice a semantic field of contrasting language between the mention of the advantages that come from the supernatural contrasted with the mention of potential consequences as a result. This can be seen through elaborating on the supernatural, mentioning ‘cannot be ill, cannot be good’. This quote ultimately reflects ‘fair is foul and foul is fair’, a paradox used initially in the novel by the witches, establishing the way they subvert morality, whilst also noting on the key theme throughout the novel of appearance versus reality, of which the supernatural play a huge role in. This relation by Macbeth in regards to the prophecies establishes to the reader the inherit traits of the supernatural, how those willing will immedietly begin to revert to their traits, how those willing to be tempted will consumed, of which explains how the supernatural impregnates Macbeth with the traits of ambition, and guilt of which lead directly to his demise.

This notion is accentuated by how Banquo ultimately rejects the prophecies, arguing how there will be ‘deepest consequences’, portraying to the audience how the supernatural can only impregnate those who are consumed by the temptation, not those who reject this.

The quick consumption by tempt seen in Macbeth is further portrayed by questioning ‘against the use of nature’. This is a literal indication of how he will go against nature later in the novel, by murdering Duncan he is commiting a crime so great, against the Diving Right of Kings and ultimately God. The fact Shakespeare foreshadows this, with use of Macbeth questioning the idea portrays to the audience how Macbeth is naïve to what he is capable of, he is naïve to the transition he is about to embark on as a result of the manipulating and tempt inflicted on him by the witches.

In the play as a whole, we immedietly notice Shakespeare’s use of the supernatural, and Banquo’s and Macbeth’s reaction to these, to evoke a reaction from the audience. The play begins with the witches stating “When shall we three meet again”, the structural device of the audience being unaware of what has come prior will quickly interest the audience. Further more, the Jacobean audience was highly superstitious, and had much interest in the concept of witches. It could be argued Shakespeare began his play with the supernatural in attempt to convey his attitudes towards society at the time, his use of supernatural throughout the play acts as a catalyse towards those downfalls, perhaps Shakespeare is trying to warn the audience, or alternatively criticise the notion of those who are ‘inherently evil’ instead suggesting those who are tempted, but we as a race are free to resist the power of evil, perhaps hinting at the Christocentric society.

When the audience first encounter the meeting between Banquo, Macbeth and the witches, Banquo remarks on their appearance, questioning “You are woment, yet your beards forbid me to interpret you so”, we know Shakespeare consistently had the roles of the witches played by elderly males. This highlighted to the audience the power of women, but through how to be powerful, their appearance must hint of those in power, arguably the use of this could be to criticise the society at the time, how if we continue to deprive women of education, and fester within inequality, women will have to revert to the supernatural to exert power on others.

Alternatively, this notion could be undermined by the description of the witches as “the weird sisters, hand in hand”. The use of the witches being descriped as to be ‘hand in hand’ suggests women are reliant on each other, perhaps indicating a misogynistic point of view, as opposed to one for equality of women.

In terms of the supernatural exerting power on others, we can see this explicitly through the protagonist. Macbeth is utterly consumed by the manipulation of the witches, yet his attitude continues to portray a high level of trust. We are aware of the witches sparking the ambition in Macbeth, but what is particularly captivating for the audience is his denial of their wrong-doing. When in panic in the midst of his tyrannous leadership, he reverts to the witches for their apparitions, here exerting one of the crucial examples of appearance vs. reality. The witches state ‘none of women born shall harm Macbeth’, this immedietly lulls Macbeth into a false sense of security, the witches appear to be stating Macbeth is indefeatable, of which is a key attitude he portrays towards the supernatural, as when reverting back for a sense of security, Macbeth states ‘Deny me of this and I will curse light on you’, effectively this makes apparent to the audience how Macbeth believes he has literally inherited the witche’s powers, of which is further portrayed in Lady Macbeth stating “Thick night (could not) peep through the blanket of the dark” after calling on “spirits that tend mortal thoughts”. We can see quite the sheer impact the supernatural has on both of the protagonists in terms of the ‘appearance’ of being secure in their right minds, but in reality, Macbeth’s weakness of consuming ambition and the attitude of being indestructable as a result if the supernatural, and Lady Macbeth impregnated with guilt, leading to both of their mutual demise. (MacDuff born of C-Section).

In co nclusion, it is clear to the audience the supernatural is used in different impacts to different characters, Macbeth being consumed, and Banquo doubtful and therefore not impacted, that the supernatural is their to manipulate, but they don’t physically make one do an action, and we are free to resist.

Mark: 30/30 SPAG:4/4

Examiner Comments:

This is a powerfully conceptualised response. The candidate opens with their thesis and then uses the essay to explore and exemplify their ideas (in relation to the specifics of the task). This candidate clearly has a forensic knowledge of the play and this enables them to select with precision and focus judiciously on the moments that help to support their concept. Some of the contextual knowledge is particularly impressive, rooted as it is in the text itself rather than being extraneous ‘historical’ information. This is a response at the very top of what could feasibly be expected from performance at GCSE, and in fact is worth more marks than the mark scheme is able to award.

It's important to not that examiners are not shy to dish out full marks. There's a feeling that it's unobtainable, but if the examiners feels your response justifies full marks, they will not shy away from awarding so.

Remember that some teachers mark harsher, sometimes by a whole grade or two. It's vital you continue to read examiner reports as well as exemplar resources marked by the exam board as this gives you the best indication of how grade 9 is possible.

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Grade 9 response to attitudes to supernatural in Macbeth

Subject: English

Age range: 14-16

Resource type: Lesson (complete)

Last updated

13 September 2024

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A lesson aimed at preparing students on how Shakespeare presents Macbeth’s and Banquo’s attitudes to the supernatural.

It includes an exam question and a grade 9 model answer.

To start with, the PowerPoint annotates the set extract and then annotates 7 quotes from outside the extract that link to the supernatural. There is also a slide explaining how to link to context for A03.

I have also added a writing frame to help mid-ability students a coherent response that explores a theme in an extract and the play as a whole.

Also includes a timeline tracing the supernatural across the play.

Other popular Macbeth resources include: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/macbeth-revise-20-extracts-11868136 Revision cards https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/macbeth-theme-revision-cards-ambition-supernatural-guilt-violence-deceit-courage-11868831 Grade 9 model ansers https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/macbeth-6-grade-7-9-model-responses-12187985 Knowledge organisers https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/macbeth-character-revision-sheet-quotations-themes-context-aqa-9-1-11868119 https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/how-is-lady-macbeth-presented-in-act-5-scene-1-worksheets-and-a-model-response-11422450

Tes paid licence How can I reuse this?

Get this resource as part of a bundle and save up to 82%

A bundle is a package of resources grouped together to teach a particular topic, or a series of lessons, in one place.

Contains ready to teach lessons on over 20 scenes, revision cards, grade 9 model answers, revision resources on quotations, along with strategies for planning and approaching exam questions. The bundle offers much better value than buying the resources separately. Look through the extensive previews to appreciate the wide range of resources on offer. Other popular Macbeth resources include: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/macbeth-revise-20-extracts-11868136 Revision cards https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/macbeth-theme-revision-cards-ambition-supernatural-guilt-violence-deceit-courage-11868831 Grade 9 model ansers https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/macbeth-6-grade-7-9-model-responses-12187985 Knowledge organisers https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/macbeth-character-revision-sheet-quotations-themes-context-aqa-9-1-11868119 https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/how-is-lady-macbeth-presented-in-act-5-scene-1-worksheets-and-a-model-response-11422450

Macbeth 2023 Bundle

An updated collection of my top 20 most popular resources on Macbeth updated for the 2023 exam. Check out the wide range of previews. Includes the following: * 9 high grade model answers to GCSE questions. * 104 slide PowerPoint providing annotations for every scene of the play * 20+ lessons covering almost all scenes in the play. * 100 question Knowledge quiz with answers * various revision/quotation knowledge organisers * Various revision cards * 20 key extracts revision booklet * Revision of big ideas in the play * 7 writing frames for 7 exam-style questions * 50 key quotation task with answer question * Scene plot questions with answer sheet * Sample exam-style questions * Quotation revision game

9 High Grade Macbeth Model Responses

9 High level Macbeth responses to a range of GCSE style questions. Includes essays on guilt, Macbeth, Banquo, women, Lady Macbeth, witches. All responses have been designed to reflect the realistic achievements of the highest achieving students in Year 11. Some responses are clearly grade 9. Others you may feel could be grade 8 depending on the grade boundaries in any particular year but all have moments of critical exploration required for the top band.

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Daisy279609

What a superb and concise resource! I have bought many off here that were a waste of money but this one is spot-on if you are looking at teaching higher ability pupils about the supernatural. Thanks!

HMBenglishresources1984

Thanks for your review.

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