four times during the course of Macbeth. It occurs in all the appearances of the witches, in the appearance of Banquos ghost, in the apparitions with their prophesies, and in the air-drawn dagger that guides Macbeth towards his victim. Of the supernatural phenomenon evident in Macbeth the witches are perhaps the most important. The witches represent Macbeths evil ambitions. They are the catalyst which unleash Macbeths evil aspirations. Macbeth believes the witches and wishes to know more about the future so after the banquet he seeks them out at their cave. He wants to know the answers to his questions regardless of whether the consequence be violent and destructive to nature. The witches promise to answer and at Macbeths choice they add further unnatural ingredients to the cauldron and call up their masters. This is where the prophetic apparitions appear. The first apparition is Macbeths own head (later to be cut off by Macduff) confirming his fears of Macduff. The second apparition tells Macbeth that he can not be harmed by no one born of woman. This knowledge gives Macbeth a false sense of security because he believes that he cannot be harmed, yet Macduff was not of woman born, his mother was dead and a corpse when Macduff was born. This leads to Macbeths downfall. A child with a crown on his head, the third apparition, represents Malcolm, Duncans son. This apparition also gives Macbeth a false sense of security because of the Birnam Wood prophesy. ...
