Supernatural Intervention In H. P. Lovecraft's Dagon

Macbeth, a tragedy, a well-known work of Shakespeare filled with physiological challenges, supernatural events, and even death, is a part of many superstitions. There is a theatrical superstition, called the Scottish Curse that says it is considered bad luck to say the name Macbeth inside a theater because it will cause the performance to end in disaster. Some people say that the supernatural events in the play Macbeth can only truly be seen as supernatural; others say the events are just a product of insanity. Many supernatural events in Macbeth such as his encounter with the witches, are a product of the insanity of the one and only Macbeth, himself. The results of Macbeth’s insanity originate from the true supernatural events, the actions of his wife, Lady Macbeth, and all of the murder he commits.

In the times that Shakespeare lived ghosts were a readily accepted idea, but one had to be wary of them because it was difficult to decipher a good ghost from a bad one.

The supernatural has always fascinated and continues to intrigue mankind. In many of Shakespeare’s plays, he uses the supernatural to strengthen a particular scene or to influence the impression the audience has about someone or something. This was not strange or uncommon in Shakespeare’s time. In fact, during the 1500s, many people still believed in witches and witchcraft. Even in today’s society, with such advanced science and technology, many people are still influenced, if not dictated by the supernatural. For example, religious people have the belief that their saviour, Jesus Christ was a man of many miracles; one of which was he turned water into wine. Despite the fact that it

    The aura of darkness, deception, and horror present in William Shakespeare's tragedy, Macbeth, envelopes the entire play and is created mainly by the sense of violence and foreboding that is evoked by the imagery.  The dominant images of nature and the supernatural contribute to the atmosphere of this tragedy.  The predictions of the weird sisters, along with natural forces and supernatural images, have lead to chaos in Scotland due to their impact on the characters of the play, which brings about many delusions and deaths.

In William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, there are many fascinating sections which could be focused on due to the suspense and the connection of the supernatural. The supernatural is what causes conflict in the play and the prophecies from the witches in act one scene three is the inciting action in the piece. The supernatural causes the forthcoming conflict by inspiring Macbeth to execute Duncan so he could become king of Scotland. Through temptation, the supernatural stimulates Macbeth to contemplate arrogantly and for his own advantage. The supernatural in Macbeth presents prophecies which tempt Macbeth with the idea of power. This leads Macbeth to contradict his faithful and courageous nature by planning an assassination on King Duncan with the egotistical intention of becoming king and later annihilating other characters in the play with the determination of retaining his own powers. Macbeth was tempted by the original prophecies and showed clear motivation to act upon them.

In this essay I am going to explore the use of the supernatural in the

In William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the supernatural and the role they play in motivating characters is apparent throughout the duration of the play. The supernatural is what causes conflict in the play and the prophecies from the witches in act one scene three is the inciting action in the piece. The supernatural causes the future conflict by motivating Macbeth to kill Duncan so he could become king of Scotland. Through temptation, the supernatural motivates characters to think arrogantly and for their own benefit. The supernatural in Macbeth presents prophecies which tempt Macbeth and Banquo with the idea of power. This leads Macbeth to contradict his loyal and courageous personality by planning a treacherous murder on Duncan with the

Act 5, Scene 1 is the famous sleepwalking scene. While Lady MacBeth is sleepwalking she makes many references to the evil deeds that Macbeth and herself have committed, most of which include references to blood. In Act 5, Scene 1, Line 31, She goes through the motions of washing her hands saying "Out damned spot! Out, I say" in reference to the blood that stained her hands after smearing it all over the servants after assisting MacBeth in the treasonous murder of MacBeth. This also represents her guilt of the murder. In Act 5, Scene 1, Line 38 she makes another reference to the guilt saying, "What, will these hands ne'er be clean?" The last reference she makes to the blood being on her hands representing her guilt is in Act 5, Scene 1, Lines 44-45, "Here's the smell of the blood still. All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this hand." All these references are to murder, death, treason, and guilt.

In Shakespeare's play The Tragedy of Macbeth, Shakespeare uses an underlying motif of the supernatural to control the characters and add a new dimension to the play.

The supernatural was a popular element in many of the plays written in Shakespeare's time (including Hamlet) and everyone of Shakespeare's time found the supernatural fascinating. Even King James I took a special interest in supernatural and written a book, Daemonologie, on witchcraft. It must be remembered that, in Shakespeare's day, supernatural referred to things that were "above Nature"; things which existed, but not part of the normal human life and unexplainable. The play Macbeth involves many supernatural actions that act as a catalyst for suspense and thrill, insight into character, foreshadowing of future events as well as making connections with the theme.

In Act Five Scene One, Lady Macbeth says, “What, will these hands ne’er be clean?” (Line 38) She has been driven to the point of insanity where she paces and talks in her sleep while constantly rubbing her hands in a scrubbing motion in order to “clean” them of the nonexistent blood. The blood she imagines on her hands represents the horrible deed she knows she assisted in committing, making her want to clean her hands so she doesn’t have to live with the constant reminder that she killed Duncan. This insanity ultimately drives her to death, as Seyton says to Macbeth, “The queen, my lord, is dead.”

One of the main factors that influenced Macbeth’s transformation was the impact the witches and the super natural world had on him. It is an important theme as in Shakespeare’s day, the audience strongly believed in the existence of witches, the power they contained, and the substantial evil intentions they had. “I’ll drain him dry as hay, Sleep shall neither night nor day”. The weird sisters were the creatures that created the concept of a supernatural world, and their absence in

with the power of the audience in the play as well as the story seems

Act 2 scene 1, Macbeth talks to the ground, as if it could hear him,

The use of supernatural has always been a popular yet successful choice of film makers and writers. In Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Macbeth, the ghost imitates the feelings of the protagonists for the audience as well. Shakespeare’s tragedies include supernatural in order to catch interest of a reader which consists heroes with desires of the supernatural ending up in a tragedy. Through their use of ghost and the supernatural, we can see the similarities and differences of the plays that will help effectively for a wider understanding of the plays and its themes. Shakespeare starts Macbeth with a supernatural scene with 3 witches as the evil. Hamlet on the other hand, starts with a similar style of use by including ghost of Hamlet’s father in its story. However, in both plays, differentiating between good and evil of the supernatural was not sure of the protagonists. Moreover, the supernatural lead the heroes into pitfall of characters in both.