Supernatural Intervention in Macbeth
Supernatural intervention is most likely the biggest archetype seen in the play Macbeth. The theme of fate and trying to make things happen according to your destiny is shown time and time again in this work. In the Scottish play, our tragic hero Macbeth had a meeting of supernatural proportions with the Three Witches. These evil, magical hags and their Goddess Hectate were all knowing beings who used their power for evil. The three wanted nothing more but to mess with others' lives, even uttering "Double,double toil and trouble" (iv.i.10) as the first line of their main chant. This quote shows what was the witches true intention, to "toil and trouble" in Macbeth's life. At
the meeting, the Witches hailed to Macbeth, claiming him to be the Thane of
Cawdor and someday King of Scotland; this is something that they saw in the
prophecy. They also told Banquo his fate, saying that he will not be king, but
his children would be. From this information, Macbeth lost his head and became
extremely power hungry, while Banquo did not try to enforce his destiny, and kept his strong morals. After the meeting, a messenger from the King informed
Macbeth that he has been named the Thane of Cawdor. This gave him a faith in
the Witches' words, and an ambition to kill Duncan and capture the throne.
Without this intervention by the Witches that was designed specifically to
bring about Macbeth's fall, the newly crowned Thane of Cawdor and his wife
would have never thirsted for the crown, and eventually died because of their
evil deeds.
Click here to see this archetype displayed in "The Lion King".
Click here to see this archetype displayed in "The Lion King".