Supernatural in Shakespeares Macbeth - The Three Witches :: Macbeth essays

Macbeth The Three Witches          William Shakespeare has been by far the worlds most popularplaywright for more than than 350 years.  His ingenious ability as a playwrighthas captivated earshots and allow for captivate references for years to come.William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, in 1564.  Thespecific figure of his birth is not known but is celebrated on the counterpane ofSt. George, April 23. Little is known about his boyhood, but throughexamination it is thought that he collected a lot of his information frombooks and from daily observation of the world around him.         During his life Shakespeare wrote many brilliant tragedies. He diedon April 23, 1616, at the age of 52.  One of these brilliant tragedies wasMacbeth. It is thought to have been scripted between 1603 and 1606.  Macbethis considered the shortest of Shakespeares tragedies, but not lesspowerful in its photograph of evil, greed, jealousy, and the madness theseemotions bring to a person. (Shakespeare, pg. v)         In any work of belles-lettres or drama at that place is usually prognosticateing.Foreshadow can be defined to be, a sign of something to come indicate or propose beforehand prefigure presage. (Comptons InteractiveEncyclopedia) Playwrights use this technique to give the consultation a senseof what is to come or what exactly is going to carry on to a character.Foreshadowing can be easily detected or it cannot be noticed at all untilthe end of the play or story. In Shakespeares Macbeth, Shakespeare usesthe prophecies of the witches and thoughts of Macbeth himself to foreshadowwithin the play. And Macbeth himself detects them somewhat as does theaudience.         In Macbeth, Shakespeare uses the triad witches as main sourcesforeshadowing.  In the play they are conveyed as prophecies.  The audienceexperiences a little of these prophecies almost immediately in the opening dead reckoning and act of the play.  When they talk about meeting Macbeth they saythey will pick out him, when the bouts lost and won. (Shakespeare, pg.1)And then they yell together, fair is foul, and foul is fair.(Shakespeare,pg.1) These two examples foreshadow that some sort of evil will be comingand that there will also be a victory of sorts, but the audience doesntknow specifically what yet.  These also suggest a great battle is to befought against good and evil and the events that follow will unfold at arapid pace. This foreshadowing can be detected by the audience because theycan feel the emotion of doom and evil rising.         The positive prophecies given by the witches occur in the third scene