INTRODUCTION I propose to understand a close raeading of the three Shekspearean plays that use a supernatural framework as their dramatic structure. These are: The Tempest, Hamlet, and Macbeth.The plays lend themselves to this grouping as in each ,the supernatural,in front of faires,ghosts,witches or visionary phenomena, plays a crucial role in defaining the theme, the characteris and the general philosophy presended to them. I refer in passing to A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the other obvious choice for study. However, the play laked that depth of intensity and seriousness that characterized the others, and a discussion of the role of the supernatural would add little to my thesis, which is mainly concerned with the philosophical repercussions.
The relevance of the researchSupernatural elements constitute a signifi cant dimension of Shakespeare ’ s plays: ghosts haunt political spaces and internal psyches; witches foresee the futureand disturb the present; fairies meddle with love; natural portents and dreams foreshadow events; and a magus conjures a tempest from the elements. These aspects contribute to the dramatic power and intrigue of the plays, whether they are treated in performance with irony, comedic effect or unsettling gravity.
