Name ________________________
English 10H
Superstition and the Supernatural Surrounding Macbeth
James Stow after Richard Westall. Macbeth. 1.3. The Three Witches. Engraving. 1798.
Both within the story and throughout its performance history, Macbeth is a play that
evokes thoughts of superstition and the supernatural. AT the time that Shakespeare
wrote Macbeth, Scotland was caught up in a cultural phenomenon of witch craze. King
James I himself was avidly interested in witchcraft and was thought to be the instigator
of a witch hunt in 1590. Under his rule, many harsh laws were passed against the
practice of witchcraft. The time seemed right for Shakespeare to write a play about
witches, magic, and the power of evil.
Many people believe that evil transcends the story and that the play itself is
cursed; there is a fear that uttering its name in the theatre will bring about bad luck.
Thus, Macbeth is often referred to as ‘The Scottish Play,’ ‘MacB,’ or even ‘The
Comedy of Glamis.’ Legend has it that if the word “Macbeth” is even spoken inside the
theatre, the offender must exit the theatre, turn around three times, and spit or curse, which then eliminates the
effects of the curse. The origin of the ‘curse’ is unclear. Some say that the spells that Shakespeare used in his
original production of Macbeth were taken directly from an actual black-magic ritual and were thus unlucky to use
out of context. Others link it to the overall sinister nature of the play, it being the only one of Shakespeare’s to rely
on black magic and witches as primary plot devices.
Even though it is certain that the witches are a catalyst to the circumstances in Macbeth, it is debatable
whether or not the events that follow are carried out by Macbeth through an act of fate or his own personal
choice. Upon reading Macbeth’s account of the witches, Lady Macbeth muses that she will persuade her husband
to do whatever must be done to become king, “which fate and metaphysical aid doth seem to have thee crowned
withal” (Macbeth 1.5.32-33). This suggests that, for at least Lady Macbeth, some supernatural power had
inevitably predetermined Macbeth’s rise to the throne as part of his destiny. However, the role of the witches may
also be seen merely as ‘tricksters’ who can only tempt others toward recklessness. This view leaves Macbeth
responsible for his own actions and his decisions as acts of free will.
Shakespeare seems to leave the role of the witches deliberately unclear, and the question of fate versus
choice is open-ended. What do you think? Do the witches hold power over the circumstances of Macbeth’s life,
or are they merely tricksters? Who is responsible for the actions of the characters in Macbeth?
After reading the above text on superstition and the supernatural, relate the ideas to 1.3 of Macbeth by answering
the following questions:
1. What do you think the purpose of the witches is in scene 1.3?
2. What affect do the witches have on Macbeth and Banquo? Explain.