Shakespeare used elements of the supernatural in many of
his plays. In Shakespeare's day, belief in the supernatural, from witches and ghosts to
goblins and fairies was common.
Without the ghost in
Hamlet, we would not have a play. The ghost of Hamlet's dead
father tells him that he did not die of natural causes but was murdered by Claudius, his
brother and Hamlet's uncle, now step-father. As his son, it is his duty to avenge his
father's death. One of Hamlet's dilemmas is whether or not to believe the ghost. It
could be the devil come to tempt him into committing murder and thus lose his
soul.
In A Midsummer Night's Dream,
Shakespeare explores the world of Fairy Land ruled by the powerful Oberon, King of
Fairies and Titania, Queen of the Fairies who are quarrelling. The result of their
argument affects Fairy Land and the non magical world of ordinary human beings, several
of whom find themselves in Fairy Land for a magical evening. It is only when they
resolve their differences that balance is restored in both
worlds.
Oberon and Puck, his assistant, encounter four
young lovers. Oberon decides to magically help Helena and sends Puck to take care of
it. But there is a series of mistaken identify and lovers. Ultimately, again through
magic, the proper set of lovers are paired.
Titania, under
a magic spell, "falls in love" with Bottom, one of the craftsmen who has come into the
forest to rehearse a play. Puck, observing the rehearsal follows Bottom off stage and
transforms his head into the head of an ass. In her own right, Titania shows her power
in seducing the clueless Bottom.
The supernatural worlds of
strange happenings and worlds of fantasy fascinate us today. The supernatural was good
box office in Shakespeare's day, it still sell tickets today.
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