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English ENG3UI
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Macbeth Essay:
The Influences of Supernatural
According to the Merriam-Webster’s dictionary, supernatural is of relating to an order of existence beyond the visible observable universe. This word generates an image of magical ideations in a reader’s mind. However, the play Macbeth, composed by the very famous Shakesphere implies a rather divergent view of the supernatural, being an “agency above or outside the forces of nature.” The role of supernatural in Macbeth is of strong significance to the story as it greatly enhances the acts and behavior of the tragic hero. It has been said by Joseph Conrad; “The belief in a supernatural source of evil is not necessary. Men alone are quite capable of every wickedness”. I disagree with this quote, as although many evils may be caused due to men, women are equally capable of being the root cause of evil. Evil isn’t evoked by a certain gender, but from within a person and his/her ambitions. There are numbers of eminent scenes in this play which capture the overall essence of the supernatural such as before and after Macbeth plays a hand in the murder of the two significant characters of the play. The application of supernatural elements is found when Macbeth is tempted by the foreshadowing of the so-called “supernatural witches”. Another form of the supernatural is the air-drawn dagger which leads Macbeth to his victim. The ghost of Banquo acts as a phantom which represents the supernatural symbol of the acts that Macbeth committed and also the other, more peaceful path that Macbeth could’ve chosen. The prophetic apparitions are another attribute of supernatural in the play, such as Macbeth’s head being cut-off and shown to the crowd, he being told that he cannot be harmed by any person a woman gave birth to, and the child with the...