The supernatural is used to create suspicion, and add strange, unnatural twists in many different stories and plays. In William Shakespeare's Macbeth the involvement of the supernatural creates a mood of eeriness which is used to foreshadow future events where the decisions of the characters are deeply affected and influenced by these bizarre beings. Many scenes support the portrayal of these mystical occurrences. They are present to the characters of the play, mainly Macbeth and Banquo, and are found to be deceptive, powerful, and influential.
One way supernatural occurrences dictated the outcome of the play was through deceit. Macbeth was presented with many situations where the witches hinted at possible outcomes, but they never told Macbeth that something would happen for sure. They gave Macbeth suggestions and clues, and allowed him to decide how he should act in the situation. Since the witches were also referred to as "the weird sisters", they are evil and devilish.
Lady Macbeth by George Cattermole.
Macbeth Consulting the Vision of the Armed Head. B...
English: Poster of Thos. W. Keene in William Shake...They deceive Macbeth, and the acts he performs are, in all cases, evil. One example of when Macbeth is deceived by the supernatural is when he is on his way to kill King Duncan. He cannot believe what he sees in front of his face: "A dagger of the mind, a false creation/ Proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain?" (Macbeth, II, i, 50-51) This dagger may not have been the only reason for Macbeth to murder Duncan, but it reinforced his plan of action and the supernatural deceived him into killing Duncan. Macbeth is more obviously deceived when he calls to see the witches again later in the play and they summon the apparitions. The First apparition warns Macbeth of Macduff. This startles Macbeth mildly, but he resolves his fear himself falsely when the second apparition appears and says: "... for none of...