Реферат: Super Natural In Shakespeare

supernatural is the guiding force behind Hamlet. The ghost ask Hamlet to seek

revenge for the King¹s death and Hamlet is thus propelled to set into action a

series of events that ends in Hamlet¹s death. The

supernatural occurs four times during the course of Macbeth. It occurs in all

the appearances of the witches, in the appearance of Banquo¹s ghost, in the

apparitions with their prophesies, and in the ³air-drawn² dagger that guides

Macbeth towards his victim. Of the

supernatural phenomenon evident in Macbeth the witches are perhaps the most

important. The witches represent Macbeth¹s evil ambitions. They are the

catalyst which unleash Macbeth¹s evil aspirations. Macbeth believes the witches

and wishes to know more about the future so after the banquet he seeks them out

at their cave. He wants to know the answers to his questions regardless of

whether the consequence be violent and destructive to nature. The witches

promise to answer and at Macbeth¹s choice they add further unnatural

ingredients to the cauldron and call up their masters. This is where the

prophetic apparitions appear. The first apparition is Macbeth¹s own head (later

to be cut off by Macduff) confirming his fears of Macduff. The second

apparition tells Macbeth that he can not be harmed by no one born of woman.

This knowledge gives Macbeth a false sense of security because he believes that

he cannot be harmed, yet Macduff was not of woman born, his mother was dead and

a corpse when Macduff was born. This leads to Macbeth¹s downfall. A child with

a crown on his head, the third apparition, represents Malcolm, Duncan¹s son.

This apparition also gives Macbeth a false sense of security because of the

Birnam Wood prophesy. The appearance

of Banquo¹s ghost provides insight into Macbeth¹s character. It shows the level

that Macbeth¹s mind has recessed to. When he sees the ghost he reacts with

horror and upsets the guests. Macbeth wonders why murder had taken place many

times in the past before it was prevented by law -²statute purged the gentle

weal²- and yet the dead are coming back. The final form