William Shakespeare was a master of the English language and is considered one of the greatest authors of all time. His works have been translated into many languages and performed all over the world. Many of his plays contain supernatural elements, which were often used to create suspense or convey a message.
Some examples of supernatural elements in Shakespeare’s plays include witches, ghosts, fairies, and prophecies. These elements added an element of mystery and intrigue to the story. In some cases, they were used to foreshadow events that would occur later in the play.
While some people may find the supernatural elements in Shakespeare’s plays to be confusing or even scary, they are actually an important part of what makes his works so great. Without them, many of his plays would lose some of their impact.
Few people would dispute that William Shakespeare is a genuine genius when it comes to developing legendary figures who transcend the bounds of ordinary supernatural beings, yet most literary students would concur that his utilization of the supernatural was not only a product of his fertile imagination. Every person, woman, and child is affected by their generational era in some way, and Shakespeare was no exception.
His writing is saturated with the religious and spiritual convictions of his era. In this paper, we will explore how supernatural elements are used in three of Shakespeares most popular plays; Macbeth, Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet.
The Three Witches in Macbeth are perhaps the best example of supernatural elements in Shakespeare’s work. The witches prophesize that Macbeth will become Thane of Cawdor and then King of Scotland. Their prophecies come true and their powers are displayed throughout the play.
His use of supernatural components in his works reveals the Elizabethans interest in mythical beliefs, as well as his attitude toward them over time. Shakespeare was able to create masterpieces that critics and readers throughout the world respect because of his profound understanding of people’s attitudes at the time. The idea that something exists outside of nature, which may influence human life in a significant manner, was prevalent at this period. It defined customs, determined behavior.
The supernatural was thought to be everywhere, and it was considered a part of the natural order of things. William Shakespeare drew upon this popular belief and wove it into the plots of his plays.
There are many references to supernatural activity in Shakespeares works. Ghosts, witches, fairies, and other magical creatures appear often. Sometimes these creatures are used for comic relief, but often they are used to symbolize something else. In Macbeth, for example, the three witches are a symbol of fate and destiny. They tell Macbeth what is going to happen and he cannot escape his fate. In A Midsummer Nights Dream, the fairies are mischievous but also helpful. They help Bottom get his head back on straight after he is turned into a donkey.
Shakespeare also uses supernatural activity to create suspense and tension in his plays. In Hamlet, for example, the ghost of Hamlets father appears to him and tells him to revenge his murder. This sets the whole play in motion and creates a great deal of suspense. In Julius Caesar, a soothsayer warns Caesar to beware the ides of March. This warning creates a sense of foreboding that something bad is going to happen.
The supernatural elements in Shakespeares plays reveal a great deal about the beliefs of his time. They also reveal his attitudes toward these beliefs at different points in his writing career. Whether he is using them for comic relief or creating suspense, Shakespeare always does so with a deep understanding of the beliefs of his time.
In many of Shakespeare’s works, supernatural features are important. Ghosts haunt political settings and people’s minds; witches predict the future and wreak havoc in the present; fairies interfere with love affairs and a magus summons a storm from the elements.
This paper will explore the function of the supernatural in Shakespeare’s dramas, considering both its thematic import and its impact on the audience.
Shakespeare’s fascination with the supernatural is evident from the earliest of his plays. In Richard III, the ghost of Richard’s victim appears to Buckingham to recount the murder and demand justice. This use of ghosts as a means of conveying history and imparting a moral lesson would be echoed in later plays such as Macbeth, where the murdered Banquo returns as a ghost to torment Macbeth.
Ghosts are often used to create an eerie sense of suspense and to underscore the dramatic stakes of a scene. In Hamlet, for example, Hamlet’s encounter with the ghost of his father leads him to vow revenge on Claudius.
Witches are another common motif in Shakespeare’s plays, and they are often used to create a sense of dread and suspense. In Macbeth, for instance, the witches foretell Macbeth’s future and drive him to murder in order to gain power. In Julius Caesar, Calpurnia has a nightmare in which she sees Brutus’ assassination at the hands of a statue of Caesar with her own husband’s head. This use of supernatural visions to convey character inner thoughts and fears would be developed further by Shakespeare in plays such as Hamlet and Othello.
In addition to ghosts and witches, Shakespeare also uses fairies as a means of exploring the supernatural. Fairies are often associated with enchantment and mischief, as in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, where Titania is bewitched by Oberon’s love potion. Fairies can also be used to convey a sense of otherworldliness and to hint at hidden secrets, as in The Tempest, where Prospero employs spirits to perform his magic.
Supernatural elements are thus an essential part of Shakespeare’s dramatic world and contribute to the richness and complexity of his plays. They create an eerie atmosphere that heightens the suspense and fascination of the audience while also providing insight into the characters’ inner thoughts and fears.
