The Supernatural
English Lit: AQA GCSE Macbeth, topic 1.1.2
The Supernatural
Supernatural events are things that happen which cannot be explained. For example, in Macbeth there are ghosts, a floating dagger and powerful witches who make prophecies (predictions about the future).
Witches in the 17th Century
- In the 17th century, people were very fearful of witchcraft and the supernatural, especially the king himself, James I.
- Witchcraft was seen as responsible for everything bad that happened in life (e.g. if crops didn’t grow or if there was an outbreak of disease).
- The belief was that people who gained these supernatural powers had made a pact with the Devil.
James I and witches
- James I himself was especially superstitious and fearful of witches – he was known as a witch hunter and saw hundreds of people burnt at the stake for witchcraft whilst he was King of Scotland.
- He called witchcraft “high treason against God”.
- When he took the throne of England, James I insisted on hanging witches – even people who were just accused of the crime or just had a strange mark on their body.
Test yourself on The Supernatural
Which of these are true of witches and witchcraft in the 17th century?