The Natural and Supernatural Theme in Shakespeare’s Macbeth

The Natural and Supernatural Theme in Shakespeare’s Macbeth

Natural and Supernatural

Shakespeare makes nature go haywire in Macbeth to emphasize Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s unnatural behavior involved with murdering Duncan. Incredible storms rage, the earth tremors, and horses go crazy and eat each other. The unnatural events of the physical world highlight the horror of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s acts, and mirrors the warping of their souls by ambition.

BANQUO How far is't call'd to Forres? — What are these So wither'd and so wild in their attire, That look not like the inhabitants o' the earth, And yet are on't? Live you? or are you aught That man may question? You seem to understand me, By each at once her choppy finger laying Upon her skinny lips: you should be women, And yet your beards forbid me to interpret That you are so.

- Act 1, Scene 3

Old Man  'Tis unnatural,  Even like the deed that's done. On Tuesday last,  A falcon, towering in her pride of place,  Was by a mousing owl hawk'd at and kill'd.  Ross And Duncan's horses—a thing most strange and certain— Beauteous and swift, the minions of their race,  Turn'd wild in nature, broke their stalls, flung out,  Contending 'gainst obedience, as they would make War with mankind. Old Man 'Tis said they eat each other.

- Act 2, Scene 4

MACBETH There's comfort yet; they are assailable;Then be thou jocund: ere the bat hath flownHis cloister'd flight, ere to black Hecate's summonsThe shard-borne beetle with his drowsy humsHath rung night's yawning peal, there shall be doneA deed of dreadful note.

- Act 3, Scene 2

ALL Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn, and caldron bubble.  2 WITCH  Fillet of a fenny snake,     In the caldron boil and bake;     Eye of newt, and toe of frog,     Wool of bat, and tongue of dog,     Adder's fork, and blind-worm's sting,     Lizard's leg, and owlet's wing,—     For a charm of powerful trouble,     Like a hell-broth boil and bubble.      ALL  Double, double toil and trouble;     Fire burn, and caldron bubble.    3 WITCH Scale of dragon; tooth of wolf;     Witches' mummy; maw and gulf    

Of the ravin'd salt-sea shark;     Root of hemlock digg'd i the dark;     Liver of blaspheming Jew;     Gall of goat, and slips of yew     Sliver'd in the moon's eclipse;     Nose of Turk, and Tartar's lips;     Finger of birth-strangled babe     Ditch-deliver'd by a drab,—     Make the gruel thick and slab:     Add thereto a tiger's chaudron,     For the ingrediants of our caldron.

       ALL.  Double, double toil and trouble;     Fire burn, and caldron bubble.

- Act 4, Scene 1

DoctorA great perturbation in nature, to receive at once the benefit of sleep, and do the effects of watching!

- Act 5, Scene 1

Natural vs Supernatural - Then

Natural vs Supernatural - Now