Supernatural in Shakespeare's Plays
... of the cliff². The conversation between the ghost and Hamlet serves as a catalyst for Hamletıs later actions and provides insight into Hamletıs character. The information the ghost reveals incites Hamlet into action against a situation he was already uncomfortable with, and now even more so. Hamlet is not quick to believe the ghost, ³The spirit that I have seen may be a devil... and perhaps out of my weakness and my melancholy..abuses me to damn me², and thus an aspect of Hamletıs character is revealed. Hamlet, having no suspicion of the ghost after the production by the players, encounters the ghost next in his motherıs room. In this scene the ghost makes an appearance to ³whet² Hamletıs ³almost blunted purpose². Hamlet is now convinced of the ghost and he no longer harbors any suspicion. He now listens to it, ³Speak to her, Hamlet². In Hamlet, the supernatural is the guiding force behind Hamlet. The ghost ask Hamlet to seek revenge for the Kingıs death and Hamlet is thus propelled to set into action a series of events that ends in Hamletıs death. The supernatural occurs four times during the course of Macbeth. It occurs in all the appearances of the witches, in the appearance of Banquoıs 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 Macbethıs evil ambitions. They are the catalyst which unleash Macbethıs 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 Macbethıs 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 Macbethıs 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 Macbethıs downfall. A child with a crown on his head, the third apparition, represents Malcolm, Duncanıs son. This apparition also gives M...