Character and the Supernatural in Shakespeare and Achebe

<p>Through mainly a New Historicist critical approach this book explores how Shakespeare and Achebe employ supernatural devices such as prophecies dreams gods/goddesses beliefs and divinations to create complex characters. Even though these features indicate the preponderance of the belief in the supernatural by some people of the Elizabethan Jacobean and traditional Igbo societies Shakespeare and Achebe primarily use the supernatural to represent the states of mind of their protagonists. Both writers appropriate supernatural features to mirror tragic flaws such as ambition arrogance impulsiveness and fear that contribute to the downfall of Macbeth Lear Okonkwo and Ezeulu. We relate to some of these characters because they project our inner minds principal drives that may be hidden within us. Therefore Shakespeare and Achebe’s preoccupation with the supernatural adds subtlety to their characterization and enhances their readability by situating their art beyond time place or particularity. </p>