How is the theme of the supernatural presented in macbeth? In Macbeth Shakespeare portrays these witches as the supernatural beings who are classified to be the ‘agents of the devils’. The supernatural are to be seen as a paradoxical catalyst throughout the play as they give Macbeth cryptic prophecies, foreshadowing him being ‘king of crawdor’ then leading to his downfall as a consequence. In the Jacobean audience the view of the supernatural was negative as it was widespread, Shakespeare uses witches, hallucinations and negative imagery to convey the supernatural as a consequence of suffering, manipulation and corruption. The supernatural act as a catalyst throughout the play as they state in 3 ‘fair is foul and foul is fair’ this conveys Macbeth who will once be a powerful respective hero leading to his downfall as he becomes a deceitful tyrannical man. Shakespeare refers the witches to ‘weird sisters’ which in old english would have connotations of ‘wired; meaning ‘fate’ in old english, therefore associating with their speech prophecy. The witches could refer to 3 fates from classical mythology, representing past, present and future, reflecting onto the predictions they gave to macbeth as they claim to ‘spin the threads of life’, The supernatural have 3 main roles, one cuts, one measure and one spins. Shakespeare suggests that theyre in control of events that take place as they decide on the fates and the destines of men. Furthermore in the play, Shakespeare uses the character of the witness in order to appeal to the current monarch James I , who has passion in looking through witchcraft, having any association with the agency of devils could lead to a result in suffering and severe consequences. The witches state ‘ sleep shall neither night or day, hang upon his penthouse lid’ this is inferring that the witches are preventing Macbeth from sleep as itll cause macbeth to waste away and deteriorate as a result of curse. The supernatural are seen as machiavellian as they are the devil's influence on earth using clever but dishonest ways to deceive people, they carry out work that is beyond his capability, Hence regicide is the work of the devil. James I also created a book named ‘Daemonologie’ which refers to the acts of witches and their evil wrong-doings, Shakespeare is stating that the doings of the witches and their witchcraft are absolute infernal as you could end up doing things that arent morally right. James I passions for witches was clearly evident as he had many trials bought up for him, as he took part in interrogating witches and how they tried to kill him while they was interrogating him, therefore the portrayal of the witches are inherently evil and agents of satan which appealed to James I. In Macbeth the witches say ‘ For none of woman born shall harm Macbeth’ This is another apparition of the witches, The Witches are tricking Macbeth into making him think that he is invincible, however he is not, The witches never wanted Macbeth to become king, but they stayed to encourage his evil actions so he could go out of his way as his hubristic egotistical self took over him as he thinks that everyone will be inferior to him, however this will lead him to consequences as his harmatia will soon be over and his unchecked ambition will lead to a downfall. The Bible also forms a great deal of references made in macbeth, the witches subvert holiness in christianity, In the Bible there is ‘The holy trinity’ However for the witches, they form an ‘anti-Trinity’ as they always appear as 3 forming a trinity of evil. Macbeth turns to them in times which he is desperate and in need of something, he turns to them for advice and comfort instead of turning to God, the one who created him, he transitions into a hero to tyranny, Good to bad which connotes to the quotation ‘Fair to Foul’ foreshadowing his sad downfall. The phrase ; double double foil and trouble fire burn and cauldron bubble’ this mimics the rhyming of chanting which can be associated with the supernatural witches as they often speak like this when they know something evil is going to happen.