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Everyone has a slightly different interpretation of the supernatural but the interpretation which we can start with is Shakespeare’s. Everyone of Shakespeare’s time found the supernatural fascinating. Shakespeare interpreted the supernatural as witches, magic, unnatural and evil and he expressed his beliefs in the play, “Macbeth” very clearly, as he portrayed the three deformed women with their ability to control the weather and predict the future. These three evil witches with magical powers were the creation of Shakespeare’s interpretation of the supernatural. Shakespeare’s contemporaries believed in the supernatural very strongly and a majority of them were frightened of it, including the king of that time, King James I of England. Since it was an interesting issue which many people of Shakespeare’s time felt they were affected by, Shakespeare wrote about it. “Macbeth” with its supernatural theme was the 17th century’s equivalent to the modern day horror movie.
The play begins with the three witches meeting and giving the reader many clues as to who they are or what they have control over stating, “when will we three meet again in thunder, lighting or in rain?….When the battle’s lost and won….That will be ere the set of sun….There to meet with Macbeth.”
This dark and dreary scene sets the atmosphere for the rest of the play. Certainly, Shakespeare chose to open with this scene for good reason. If this scene was not the opening to the play, it would be difficult for the audience to understand how later scenes are linked or how these three women can tell Macbeth’s future. Also if the same elements of the supernatural were not used in Act 1 Scene 1, as they were, the witches would not as easily be shown as such sinister and evil characters. These two elements of horror, “sinister” and “evil” would later be used to explain the cause of the three witches’ behavior.
As the play continues the supernatural is increasingly emphasized. Act...