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  • Great fear of magic and witchcraft
  • Witches were blamed for unexplainable events i.e plague, poor harvest or crop, deaths etc.
  • Resulted in witch hunts and trials
  • Used torturous methods to decide if the accused was innocent or guilty
  • Wise women (women who knew how to use herbs) were prosecuted
  • Women who kept pets were investigated as well

Superstitions in Modern Days

Superstitions in Modern Days Continued

  • When umbrellas were used as protection from the sun; opening one inside was an insult to the sun god who would then curse you with bad luck.
  • You cannot sweep dirt out of a new house (or apartment) with a new broom unless you sweep something in first.
  • Crossing your fingers helps prevent bad luck
  • 13 is an unlucky number - cursed and is a source of ill fortune
  • Saying "bless you" is more than a gesture of politeness.
  • If a bird poops on you, your car or your property, it is a sign of good luck
  • If you open an umbrella indoors you are asking for bad luck to “rain on you”.

Introduction

  • Superstition: a belief that is not based on reason or knowledge but rather a belief in supernatural influences
  • Avoid doing certain activities to prevent a bad outcome
  • Do certain activities because they think it will bring good luck
  • Many of the superstitions that are popular today originated in the Elizabethan Era

Supernatural Elements

The Elements found in Macbeth

The Role of Supernatural Elements in Macbeth

  • Completes plot
  • Helps interest audience
  • Gives insight on characters
  • Causes impact on key scenes and dominates in Macbeth
  • Influences character's actions
  • develop different atmospheres and give different emotions to audience (Fear)

Witches

  • symbolize evil
  • interest audiences with prophecies
  • adds to theme and atmosphere

Floating Dagger

  • Demonstrates Macbeth's change in character
  • It reveals Macbeth is a victim
  • Intrigues audience with questions on whether Macbeth is innocent or bad?

Superstitions in Elizabethan Era

  • Origins are based on trust in magic or chance
  • Saying “bless you” after someone sneezed – Elizabethans believed that the devil can enter the body when you open your mouth to sneeze
  • Touch wood to guard against bad luck
  • Do not walk under ladders
  • Shoes on a table invites imminent death
  • Spilling salt or pepper was bad luck
  • All of these are examples of the superstitions they believed in

Superstitions in the Elizabethan Era & Supernatural Elements in Macbeth

Witchcraft and Persecution of Women

  • The accused was majority women
  • Out of the 270 recorded witch trials 247 women were tried
  • Old, poor women or widows were usually prosecuted

Why the Superstitions

  • Weird sisters song
  • More Swordplay
  • Theaters in debt
  • Rumors of Globe Theater being burned down
  • First Actor of Macbeth died
  • Lady Macbeth died during play
  • Macbeth cursed by angry witches
  • Real witchcraft preformed in the play

Elements found in Macbeth Continued

Ghosts & Apparitions

  • Reveals Macbeth's state of mind
  • Path Macbeth chose and his mistakes
  • Reveals Macbeth's ambition
  • Causes fright to the audience

Protective Elements

Superstitions Surrounding Macbeth

  • Avoid saying Macbeth at all times
  • Refer to it as "Scottish play"
  • Never practice lines before performance
  • Openly speaking of play outside of theater is fine
  • The following steps must be preformed if an actor says Macbeth in the theater

-Leave building

-Spin around three times

-spit

-curse

-knock to be allowed back in

  • Charms were used to ward off witches and ghosts
  • Flowers were carried in pockets, scented wood was burned and bouquets were carried to protect against plagues
  • Horseshoes were used to ward off demons
  • Cream was left out to please fairies
  • Spitting in fire was suppose to bring good luck

Work Cited

Smith P. Jeremy. " Macbeth curses and superstitions very much alive". The Western Star. www.thewesternstar.com. Web. February 28, 2014

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