Shakespeare presents Macbeth and Banquo’s attitudes towards the supernatural as fear
tinged with tentative credulity. In the extract, Banquo warns Macbeth about the devious
ways of supernatural beings. Macbeth, by contrast, is excited by the prophecies. Elsewhere
in the play, Shakespeare shows how Macbeth is guided to kill Duncan by a supernatural
vision. By the end, Macbeth, poisoned by his trust in the supernatural, believes himself to be
invincible and dies a traitor’s death. Performed in an era of witch trials, the play suggests,
just as the witchfinders did, that the world of the supernatural is real but it should be
rejected and destroyed.
In the extract, Shakespeare presents contrasting attitudes to the supernatural. Banquo is
nervous and recommends that he and Macbeth be wary of the Witches’ intent, arguing that
they aim to “win us to our harm” (1.3.122) after initially beguiling them. He then
immediately moves away from where the Witches appeared, showing us that Banquo is
sensible, refusing to be taken in. Macbeth, now isolated on stage, thereby emphasising a
contrast, has a completely different attitude. Whispering to himself, he imagines himself as
king, considering the “happy prologues...of the imperial theme.” (1.3.127-128) This
metaphor seems to show Macbeth thinking of the myths that will be told after his death and
suggests he is no longer in the world of facts and reason. In fact, he then attempts to reason
with himself, wondering if these supernatural visitations “cannot be ill, cannot be good”
(1.3.130) but his arguments create a see-saw of contradictions and he is “smother’d in
surmise.” (1.3.140) This metaphor suggests that the Witches have suffocated Macbeth; they
have ‘won’ him. This depiction of the Witches reflects Jacobean attitudes: witches were
considered to be real beings who could use magic to enthral and destroy.
Later, Shakespeare presents Macbeth and Banquo continuing to respond in contrasting
ways to the supernatural. Moments before killing Duncan, Macbeth sees a vision of a bloody
dagger. He questions its existence and dismisses it as a “false creation.” (2.1.38) Despite this
apparent scepticism, however, Macbeth proceeds to kill Duncan, fulfilling the Witches’
second prophecy. This suggests that Macbeth is ready to believe in, and be guided by, the
supernatural. After Macbeth’s coronation, Banquo’s scepticism increases as he wonders, to
himself, if Macbeth “played’st most foully.” (3.1.3) This suggests that Banquo feels that
Macbeth became king as a result of regicide. Despite this, Banquo still hopes that the
Witches’ prophecy that he will be the “father of many kings” (3.1.5-6) will come true,
showing that Banquo cannot fully dismiss the Witches. This perhaps reflects the
contradictory relationship many in Shakespeare’s time would have had with the
supernatural; they believed in Protestant Christianity, which rejected the perceived
‘superstition’ of Roman Catholicism, whilst simultaneously fearing omens and persecuting
‘witches’.
By the end, Shakespeare presents Macbeth as having full confidence in the supernatural
which seems now to have taken complete control of the plot of the play. Macbeth revisits
the Witches who give him, he believes, good news: “no man of woman born shall harm
Macbeth.” (4.1.79-80) They add that Macbeth cannot be harmed until Birnham Wood move
to Dunsinane. Macbeth seems relieved as these apparent impossibilities, he believes, mean
he cannot be killed. Macbeth has clearly fallen completely under the Witches’ persuasive
spell which is presented through grotesque spectacle and other-worldly trochaic rhythm.
The audience, having heard the Witches planning “double, double toil and trouble” (4.1.10)
tinged with tentative credulity. In the extract, Banquo warns Macbeth about the devious
ways of supernatural beings. Macbeth, by contrast, is excited by the prophecies. Elsewhere
in the play, Shakespeare shows how Macbeth is guided to kill Duncan by a supernatural
vision. By the end, Macbeth, poisoned by his trust in the supernatural, believes himself to be
invincible and dies a traitor’s death. Performed in an era of witch trials, the play suggests,
just as the witchfinders did, that the world of the supernatural is real but it should be
rejected and destroyed.
In the extract, Shakespeare presents contrasting attitudes to the supernatural. Banquo is
nervous and recommends that he and Macbeth be wary of the Witches’ intent, arguing that
they aim to “win us to our harm” (1.3.122) after initially beguiling them. He then
immediately moves away from where the Witches appeared, showing us that Banquo is
sensible, refusing to be taken in. Macbeth, now isolated on stage, thereby emphasising a
contrast, has a completely different attitude. Whispering to himself, he imagines himself as
king, considering the “happy prologues...of the imperial theme.” (1.3.127-128) This
metaphor seems to show Macbeth thinking of the myths that will be told after his death and
suggests he is no longer in the world of facts and reason. In fact, he then attempts to reason
with himself, wondering if these supernatural visitations “cannot be ill, cannot be good”
(1.3.130) but his arguments create a see-saw of contradictions and he is “smother’d in
surmise.” (1.3.140) This metaphor suggests that the Witches have suffocated Macbeth; they
have ‘won’ him. This depiction of the Witches reflects Jacobean attitudes: witches were
considered to be real beings who could use magic to enthral and destroy.
Later, Shakespeare presents Macbeth and Banquo continuing to respond in contrasting
ways to the supernatural. Moments before killing Duncan, Macbeth sees a vision of a bloody
dagger. He questions its existence and dismisses it as a “false creation.” (2.1.38) Despite this
apparent scepticism, however, Macbeth proceeds to kill Duncan, fulfilling the Witches’
second prophecy. This suggests that Macbeth is ready to believe in, and be guided by, the
supernatural. After Macbeth’s coronation, Banquo’s scepticism increases as he wonders, to
himself, if Macbeth “played’st most foully.” (3.1.3) This suggests that Banquo feels that
Macbeth became king as a result of regicide. Despite this, Banquo still hopes that the
Witches’ prophecy that he will be the “father of many kings” (3.1.5-6) will come true,
showing that Banquo cannot fully dismiss the Witches. This perhaps reflects the
contradictory relationship many in Shakespeare’s time would have had with the
supernatural; they believed in Protestant Christianity, which rejected the perceived
‘superstition’ of Roman Catholicism, whilst simultaneously fearing omens and persecuting
‘witches’.
By the end, Shakespeare presents Macbeth as having full confidence in the supernatural
which seems now to have taken complete control of the plot of the play. Macbeth revisits
the Witches who give him, he believes, good news: “no man of woman born shall harm
Macbeth.” (4.1.79-80) They add that Macbeth cannot be harmed until Birnham Wood move
to Dunsinane. Macbeth seems relieved as these apparent impossibilities, he believes, mean
he cannot be killed. Macbeth has clearly fallen completely under the Witches’ persuasive
spell which is presented through grotesque spectacle and other-worldly trochaic rhythm.
The audience, having heard the Witches planning “double, double toil and trouble” (4.1.10)
