In this episode, we’ll explore the concept of the supernatural in Shakespeare’s Macbeth and its significance in the play. We’ll discuss 17th-century attitudes towards witchcraft, including the widespread fear and its association with misfortune and pacts with the Devil. We’ll examine King James I’s intense fear of witchcraft and his role in the persecution of those accused, both in Scotland and later in England. Finally, we’ll consider how these historical beliefs influenced Macbeth and its portrayal of the supernatural.

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