Shakespeare's Use of the Supernatural

In many of Shakespeare’s plays he uses the supernatural to continue the plot in the direction he wants. Many of his plays contain magic and mystical creatures or use dreams, nightmares, or curses to foreshadow future events. It is how the characters in the play respond to the supernatural elements in the play that determine the direction of the play.

In Richard III, Margaret curses the royal family for murdering her family, causing her great pain and anguish. This curse foreshadows the upcoming action that destroys Richard’s family. Another example in this play is Clarence’s dream. As he went to save Richard from falling of the boat, Richard accidentally pushed him in, causing him to drown. As he was under water, he saw the treasure of the deep and then he saw ghosts of the previous royal family (Margaret’s family). His dream not only foreshadows his death, by showing the old royal family, it relates back to Margaret’s curse. Clarence does not ignore his dream, asking the lieutenant to stay the night with him, but it is of no use. In Act V, scene v, as Richard is dreaming, the ghosts of those he has murdered visit him in his sleep, telling him that he will die in battle. Richard awakes terrified and for the first time he is scared for his life. The ghosts’ curses inspire Richard to look inside and he realizes that he despises himself. He loses his confidence and is unable to motivate his troops to get ready to fight.

Shakespeare uses magic and mythical creatures in his play to cause confusion and propel the action forward. In A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the action revolves directly around the use of magic and the fairies. If Puck had charmed Demetrius instead of Lysander, the play would not contain any drama. It is by charming Lysander so he loves Helena that the true action of the story begins. Another Shakespeare play that features magic and mythical creatures is The Tempest. This story is completely based around Prospero’s use of magic and control of the spirits on his island. Prospero becomes somewhat of a playwright during the play, in the sense that the story would not continue with out the use of his magic.

Shakespeare uses the supernatural in many of his plays to push the plot forward. It gives his plays more of a dramatic element by taking the characters’ destinies out of their control.