. What Evidence Is There To Suggest That Macbeths Murder Of King Duncan Is The Result Of Demonic Possession Or It Simply The Result Of Evil Ambition?
A. The play Macbeth was written by William Shakespeare in the period 1606-1611 along with other titles such as Twelfth Night, Hamlet and King Lear. He was aged in his 40's when he wrote these prolific plays.
At this time in history (early 1600's) many people believed in the Supernatural and Witchcraft. People believed Witches possessed magic powers that came from the devil and therefore when watching Macbeth they would be genuinely scared of the witches and the many spells and sayings they cast. People believed Witches could predict the future, fly, sail in sieves, cause frogs and kill animals. It was a common belief that knowledge of the future could only come from the devil. A quote in the play shows this:
Act 1, Scene 3 line 106
Banquo: What! Can the devil speak true?
Banquo is saying this after the witches prediction of Macbeth becoming Thane of Cawdor becomes true when Ross comes to tell Macbeth he is Thane of Cawdor.
In Shakespeare's day it would have been perfectly natural for people to believe that Macbeth was under the spell of demons. There is much evidence in the play to suggest that this is true but there is also a lot of evidence that would suggest that Macbeth was driven to murder the King by other influences and his own greed and ambition.
In the play Shakespeare uses Witchcraft to structure the early scenes of Macbeth. The first scene is set upon a heath and it is very descriptive giving an intense, dark, evil setting. The three witches open the play with the lines:
First Witch: When shall we three meet again?
In thunder, lightning, or in rain?
Second Witch: When the hurly-burly's done,
When the battle's lost and won.
Third Witch: That will be ere the set of sun.
First Witch: Where the place?
Second Witch: Upon the heath.
Third Witch: There to meet Macbeth.
First Witch: I come, Graymalkin.
Second Witch: Paddock...
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