Darkness In Macbeth

In the tragedy of Macbeth, darkness and blackness are recurring images of both internal and external corruption as well as a symbol of life and death. We typically associate darkness with something evil and even a person themselves can be dark based on their personality. William Shakespeare uses darkness and takes it to another level in Macbeth; many characters are portrayed as being “dark” with the three witches/sisters being the most revealing. The setting of the play starts out in Scotland, on a dark stormy night. The thunder rumbling and the lightening crackling immediately set the dark and ominous tone. Internal conflict can devastate a person inside overtaking there decision making abilities. Lady Macbeth is decisive with the plan

With the dark, we would associate death or some type of evil action possibly happening soon. When it was not dark that meant that everything was going well and there was no plan for any tragedy of some sort. Darkness can be represented with the night itself, when all of Macbeth's evil actions take place. Later on in the play we start to see the almost “hopelessness” like tone that Macbeth is portraying by facing all his consequences the darkness has brought him. He starts talking about death as being the only solution to end the pain he is suffering. The darkest characters that you could blame all the death upon were Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. Lady Macbeth was Macbeth’s wife; she was what lacked in his decisiveness. She has a bloodthirsty lust for power and wealth. She would consistently manipulate her husband to follow through with his bad deeds at night time. The way Shakespeare killed Lady Macbeth is ironic to some degree. One of the lights in the tragedy of Macbeth that signifies life is the candle. Lady Macbeth was basically placed on her death bed and had sleep walking problems; the men that were over seeing her while she was dying lit a candle to put next to her. The candle signified the life she had, as soon as it burnt out that dark night she never awoke again. Lady Macbeth died at the sign of darkness, just like King Duncan whom she forced Macbeth to kill. This changes the whole tone having lost his queen, and seeing

It is the progression of life, as Macbeth has lost his only “light” why shall he continue on his life. This negative and dark imagery continues to grow because tomorrow is unrelenting to him " To the last syllable of recorded time,And all our yesterdays have lighted fools The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!” (Macbeth IV.iv). The darkness has changed the meaning behind life and