Archetypal Dimensions of the Supernatural: A Review of the Universal Symbols Found in Shakespeare’s Tragedies

Abstract

This study examines the utilisation of supernatural motifs within Shakespearean tragedies, seeking to uncover the overarching significance of these symbols while also exploring their psychological and cultural implications. The phenomena of ghosts, witches, and prophecies are regarded as manifestations of the supernatural, which the framework of Archetypal Criticism, as developed by Carl Jung and Northrop Frye, seeks to analyse and elucidate. The elements are examined through the lens of Jung’s notion of race memories of archetypal patterns, wherein the features analysed pertain to a collective level that transcends cultures and time, thereby embodying profound universal themes of human existence, encompassing fear, desire, and struggle. This paper seeks to examine the influence of supernatural objects as they relate to archetypes, focussing on how these motifs shape characters' behaviours and the ensuing tragedies in Hamlet and Macbeth. It further examines the cultural and mythological contexts in which these archetypes operate, aiming to offer a nuanced interpretation of their relevance. Microanalysis and qualitative approaches have been employed to comprehend the intricate applications of the supernatural, serving to illuminate Shakespeare’s investigation of the human experience.

Keywords: Archetypal Criticism, Carl Jung, Northrop Frye, Shakespearean Tragedies, Supernatural Elements, Universal Symbols, Ghosts, Witches, Prophecies.