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Essay / Unnatural Symbolism in Shakespeare's Macbeth
“But in a sieve I will sail there,/And like a rat without a tail,/I will do, and I will, and I will” (1.3.8-10) . Shakespeare's Macbeth was filled with similar supernatural spells, as well as supernatural creatures and apparitions. In the play, Macbeth is characterized as an evil and vindictive tyrant. Macbeth's brutality towards those close to him, including: Lady Macduff, Banquo and Dunacn; initiate and continue the frequency of physical evil that disrupts the natural world. The supernatural theme of Macbeth is extremely important throughout the play. Shakespeare's use of supernatural overtones is used to create a strange and disturbing motif. While Unnatural Events were hugely admired due to their strangeness, Shakespeare used Banquo's ghostly appearance and the presence and involvement of the witches. The supernatural theme of Macbeth emphasizes and defines the symbolism as well as its meaning. The unnatural events of Macbeth have usually been briefly summarized to foreshadow future events. Although these occurrences in Macbeth were used as techniques of foreshadowing, they were important and prominent symbols. The disruptions in the world that followed Duncan's murder were created to represent and manifest the abstract evil that was actually being introduced into the world. This also adequately describes the chaos and disorder created by Macbeth's actions by disrupting the balance of good and evil, as well as the natural order. Banquo's ghostly appearance denoted the ill-conceived feelings of guilt that resided within Macbeth. During Banquo's visit to Macbeth, Macbeth was experiencing intense regret regarding his consciousness of having murdered his closest friend. Macbeth's strange sisters were used to physically illustrate the evil darkness festering inside Macbeth. The appearances of the Gnarled Sisters were a visual representation of the similar lack of humanity between the witches and Macbeth. While Macbeth's supernatural was used to create strange and eye-catching details in Macbeth, their main purpose was to be used as symbolism for abstract and concrete evil in the world.