Gothic literature is all about haunted castles, supernatural beings, and haunting atmospheres. But is Macbeth gothic? To answer this question, we need to look into Macbeth’s ambition, moral decay, and supernatural influence that are present in the play. Macbeth does not thoroughly follow the traditional gothic elements, but it covers extreme themes like the influence of witches, murders, and uncontrolled emotion. Join us to explore the question, Is Macbeth Gothic, and what gothic elements lurk around in Shakespeare’s masterful tragedy, Macbeth.
What is Gothic literature?
Gothic literature centres around mystery and darkness, where dark things happen in places like castles and haunted houses. That’s the basic idea of gothic literature. The authors create a sense of creepiness and fear through supernatural elements and scary themes. The setting of the play usually features haunted landscapes, like gloomy forests or old houses, and they are full of ghosts, witches, and other creepy creatures. Gothic literature also covers deep, dark emotions like guilt and madness, which make the readers both scared and intrigued.
Key characteristics of Gothic Literature
Gothic literature deals with people’s deep seated fear and madness, which drive people to the brink of despair. It usually deals with forbidden desires or hidden secrets. The use of vivid imagery also plays a role in it. To answer to the question, Is Macbeth Gothic?, let’s explore the characteristics of Gothic literature
Mysterious Settings
The setting of the play often takes place in ancient, crumbling castles, mansions, or isolated landscapes that are situated in dense forests or misty moors.
Supernatural Elements: Supernatural elements like ghosts, vampires, and witches create an air of mystery and terror.
Themes of Terror and Suspense
Often, the writing covers themes of fear, dread, and the unknown, which keeps the reader engaged throughout the play.
Psychological Depth
Gothic literature covers the inner workings of a character’s mind and presents people’s madness, guilt, or obsession.
Symbolism and Imagery
Gothic literature uses symbolic elements like dark shadows, decaying objects, and sinister motifs to enhance the mood and meaning of the story.
Exploration of Taboo Topics
Taboo subjects such as death, violence, sexuality, and the supernatural, pushing the boundaries of societal norms and conventions, are present in gothic literature.
Is Macbeth Gothic?
Although Macbeth is not traditional gothic literature, there are elements that resonate with Gothic tradition. The play’s unnerving and chilly setting, along with its mysterious, imposing nighttime setting, sets the stage for unfolding drama. The presence of three witches adds spice to the play with their prophecy of Macbeth being king in the future. These peculiar figures, with their cryptic chants and strange predictions, add mystery to the play, which is like this in gothic literature.
Moreover, the themes of Macbeth centre on ambition, guilt, and moral decay, which relate to the gothic genre. The main character, Macbeth, deals with his own inner demons and succumbs to the temptation of power and glory. He stoops into madness and victimizes people with blood and agony. He kills Duncan to become the king. In the end, he directly kills Macdonwald, Duncan, the king’s guards, Banquo, Lady Macduff and her family and household, and Young Siward.
But it is not possible to tell how many people’s deaths are caused by him. These are all characteristics of a gothic protagonist. Lady Macbeth, too, has gothic elements in her character. Her relentless manipulation plays a part in Macbeth’s downfall, and in the end, she becomes mad, which contributes to the gothic atmosphere to the play.
Exploring Macbeth Gothic Elements
There is a world of dark themes that are present in Macbeth that stir our emotions. The play is not about just kings or battles; it is about the darker side of human nature. Ambition and lust for power are the motivating factors for Macbeth to commit all that crime. His ruthless quest for the throne leads him to commit a series of acts of violence that make the audience tense throughout the play.
It is mainly the internal struggle of the characters that haunts us. When we think how cruel it is to kill someone in our sleep, we kind of gasp. Macbeth feels his conscience tortured by the guilt of murder and all the evil he has done. Lady Macbeth, too, becomes mad by the psychological torments she feels. Even characters like Banquo and Macduff are at a loss because of the moral dilemmas they have to go through. All these elements make Shakespeare’s Macbeth a part of gothic literature. Is Macbeth Gothic? What characteristics of gothic literature are present in Macbeth?
- Supernatural Elements: Supernatural elements like witches and other occurrences such as Banquo’s ghost contribute to a dark and gloomy atmosphere in Macbeth.
- Gloomy Setting: The play is set in Scotland, which is known for its misty moors and dark castle, which contribute to creating a mystic setting.
- Macabre Themes: Like the traditional gothic literature, Macbeth covers the themes of betrayal and murder, which make it gothic literature.
Comparing Macbeth and The Gothic Literature
When we examine Macbeth with the traditional Gothic works published in the 18th and 19th centuries, we find some good parallels and contrasts. Although Shakespeare’s writing predates many Gothic writers, it shares some common themes from later works. For instance, the eerie setting and supernatural setting of Macbeth resonate with those of “The Castle Otranto” (1764), which was written by Horace Walpole, and “The Mystery of Udolpho” (1794), written by Ann Radcliffe. So, what should we take from this? Is Macbeth Gothic? Also, themes like ambition and the dark influence of power, which align with psychological depth, make Macbeth a part of Gothic literature.
However, Macbeth and gothic literature are different in significant ways. The traditional gothic literature deals with themes like damsels in distress and tyrannical villains, but Macbeth centers around complex characters being tormented by moral questions. Moreover, Shakespeare plays lack conventional settings like haunted castles or landscapes. However, the way Shakespeare dealt with the character with psychological depths places it among the broader Gothic tradition because it offers a unique thought-provoking perspective on human nature.
Is Macbeth really gothic literature?
The question, is Gothic, draws huge debate among scholars. Although the play covers gothic themes like mystery, drama, ghosts, and darkness, it also differs in many ways from the gothic literature in significant ways. Some scholars argue that Macbeth lacks a Gothic setting and melodramatic consistency like that of Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein.” Instead, Shakespeare’s play focuses on the psychological depths and struggles of its characters.
However, those who view Macbeth as gothic literature argue that it covers the dark aspects of human nature, which evokes a sense of fear in the audience. The presence of supernatural elements such as the witches and their prophecies adds an air of mystery that relates to the Gothic tradition. Macbeth’s stoops below the level of morality because of his greed, and the fact that later he is completely destroyed made Macbeth gothic literature.
Wrap Up
So is Macbeth Gothic? It is debatable whether Shakespeare’s play “Macbeth” is Gothic or not. There are similarities between the traditional gothic works in the way it explore dark themes and use of supernatural elements. Macbeth also has some unique characteristics that set it apart from other Gothic literature. Whether we view it through a gothic lens or not, Macbeth continues to entertain us with its timeless theme.
FAQs
Is Gothic evil?
Gothic literature does not necessarily mean something that is evil.It often explores the complexities of human nature and emotion with intriguing story telling.
Is gothic Satanic?
Although gothic literature relates to supernatural elements like demonic figures, not all gothic works are not entirely satanic. These dark themes are used to create an atmosphere of mystery and suspense.
Is Macbeth Gothic literature?
Yes, Macbeth is often regarded as gothic literature because of its themes of supernaturalism and psychological turmoil.
Is Shakespeare a gothic author?
Shakespeare is not typically categorized as a gothic author, as gothic literature emerged centuries after his death. However, some of his writing, such as Macbeth and Hamlet, contains gothic elements.
