William Shakespeare Macbeth Essay - Tragedy within a Supernatural World

first draft

Tragedy within a Supernatural world

 

William Shakespeare’s play, ‘Macbeth’, written in 1606, presents tragedy and turmoil that exists in a supernatural world. Supernatural and unnatural behaviour contrasted with nature and human nature, are represented in the text and are constructed by the ideological assumptions that underpin the play ‘Macbeth’.

These representations are exemplified through the characters of the witches, the horrid deeds or violations of nature within the text and the binary oppositions of chaos/disorder versus order. Shakespeare uses the underlying theme of the Supernatural to control the characters or to evoke a response from the audience; he effectively does this with his characters of the three witches or three weird sisters who are the epitome darkness.

 

The Three Witches

 

In ‘Macbeth’ Shakespeare effectively uses the three Witches to control the protagonist - Macbeth, and bring out his inner evil.  A witch is a symbol for darkness or evil, as is magic. William Shakespeare uses the Witches as the focal point for the beginning of ‘Macbeth’, suggesting that the play is riddled with evil.

The ‘Witches’, through foreseeing Macbeths future, prompt him to fulfill his fate early and lead him to his demise.

Determinism is foregrounded within ‘Macbeth’, the ‘Witches’ being able to see the future and Macbeths fate as well as control the balance of good and evil making them seem all powerful.

The play opens with the use of the supernatural when the ‘three witches’ encounter Macbeth and Banquo on their way home from battle and proceed to predict Macbeth’s future. This gives the audience a glimpse of path the play will follow (Macbeths ultimate demise) and questions Macbeth morality.

 

First witch: Lesser than Macbeth, and greater.

Second Witch: Not so happy, yet much happier.

Third Witch: Thou shalt get Kings, though thou be / none./So all hail, Macbeth and Banquo!

(Act 1, Scene 3, line 65-69)

 

The witches, through foretelling Macbeth’s future, plant the idea of Kingship in his mind prompting him to fulfill the prophecy and take fate into his own hands; going against the concept of determinism.

This also positions the audience to believe that Macbeth is influenced by the supernatural or the Witches, therefore succumbing to evil and immoral behaviour.

 

In act one scene one, the Witches conspire to meet Macbeth and add �"

 

Fair is foul, and foul is fair:/ Hover though the fog and filthy air. (Act one, Scene one, line 10-11)

 

Meaning that all is not what it seems, and what is ‘fair’ or moral may seem ‘foul’ or immoral and what is ‘foul’ or immoral may be ‘fair’ and desirable. This imbalance can also be used when referring to Macbeth; for he seems moral and fair in the beginning of the play however inwardly he is ‘foul’ or filled with evil.

This is exemplified through his actions after the prediction of his Kingship and his immoral behaviour, which results in a ‘horrid deed’ and the violation of nature in the form of King Duncan’s death.

 

The Order and Balance

 

The Cosmic balance and violations of nature play a pivotal role in ‘Macbeth’, linking with the Supernatural and unnatural.

In Elizabethan times, or the time of Shakespeare, the public believed that there was a universal balance set down by God and that the King was chosen by God himself to represent his kingdom and maintain a balance, this was called the ‘divine right of kings’. The Supernatural was considered to be evil and unnatural and created an unbalance within the universe.

Therefore, if a King was murdered it was considered a violation of nature and the balance would be altered.

In the play, Macbeth considers killing King Duncan to let himself ascend to the throne and fulfill the three witches prophecy, letting the supernatural or evil enter his thoughts and start an unbalance disturbing the harmony that depends of everything staying at it own level.  

 

This supernatural soliciting/ cannot be ill, cannot be good...I am Thane of Cawdor./ If good, why do I yield to that suggestion/ whose horrid image doth unfix my hair, / and make my seated hear knock at my ribs, / Against the use of nature? Present fears/ are less than horrible imaginings: My thought, whose murder is yet fantastical...

 

(Act one , Scene three, Lines 130 �" 140)

 

 

The thought of killing King Duncan to Macbeth is unsettling until the prospect of Kingship overcomes his moral judgment and he murders the King.

 

In the beginning of “Macbeth”, King Duncan and all of his men have an elated view of Macbeth, trusting him in battle and in life. King Duncan believes that Macbeth is loyal and trustworthy, even though inwardly Macbeth is plotting against him. Duncan states �"

 

There’s no art/ to find the mind’s construction in the face: / He was a gentleman on whom I built/ an absolute trust. (Act one, Scene four, Lines 12 �" 16)

 

To the audience this statement is ironic, as inwardly Macbeth is immoral and un-trustworthy and is deceiving the King in his bid to gain power.

At the end of the scene ‘we have a repetition of the same kind of dramatic irony as Duncan exults Macbeth for being a “valiant” man in whose commendations he is fed. Again, the irony derives from the juxtaposition of the good in appearance with the bad in reality.’ (Rosen, William)   

King Duncan through trusting Macbeth, ultimately loses his life destroying the natural hierarchy or universal balance and creating chaos and disorder.  

 

 

Oppositional Discourses �" Chaos/Disorder VS. Order

 

In the text ‘Macbeth’, the audience is presented with the struggle between order and chaos, Macbeth being at the forefront of this struggle. Chaos/disorder verse order and Light verse darkness imagery are the pivotal oppositional discourses within Macbeth and contrasted give the play effect and illustrate to the audience the balance between harmony and disharmony.

 

The audience first witness chaos/disorder when the ‘Thane of Cawdor’, before Macbeth tries to unhinge King Duncan’s rule, however chaos/disorder is only momentary for the Thane is killed in battle and order is restored.

 

Ross: ...Call thee thane of Cawdor;/ in which addition, hail, most worthy Thane,/ For it is thine./

Banquo: What, Can the devil speak true?/

Macbeth: The Thane of Cawdor lives. Why do you dress/ me/ in borrowed robes?

Angus: Who was the Thane lives yet,/ but under heavy judgment bears that life/ which he deserves to lose. Whether he was/ combined with those of Norway...have overthrown him.

(Act one, Scene three, Lines 105 -117)

However, order does not remain and chaos takes its place as Macbeth plots to kill King Duncan in order to gain the throne. After the murder darkness overthrows the play and chaos ensues.  

 

...The night has been unruly. Where we lay,/ our chimneys were blown down and, as they say,/ Lamentings heard i'th'air, strange screams of death/...

(Act two, Scene three, Lines 53 �" 56)

 

The use of light and darkness within ‘Macbeth’ assists Shakespeare in constructing representations of good and evil and oppositional discourses of chaos/order and disorder. Macbeth although he is the plays ‘hero’ ultimately succumbs to the darkness and evil, inevitably becoming insane.

 

 

Through exploring particular representations of the Supernatural world and unnatural behaviour contrasted with nature and human nature it is evident that ‘Macbeth’ is constructed by the ideological assumptions that underpin the text. Shakespeare’s characters of the witches produce elements of darkness and the supernatural, while particular events in the text bring forth violations of nature and horrid deeds and oppositional discourses of chaos/disorder and order foreground the unsettling events and keeping of the order. ‘Macbeth’, although it exerts an underlying theme of darkness and evil presents a well-crafted tragic tale incorporating elements of history.   

 

Written by �" Mary-Clare. M

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

Author's Note

First draft essay