Light And Darkness In Macbeth Essay

It is said that today’s society is similar to that of Elizabethan times so why is it that a book that’s over four hundred years old is still profoundly studied today? Why not something that’s more recent and relatable?

Macbeth demonstrates the theme of light and darkness many times throughout the book, with relations to contemporary society through innocence and evil and good and bad. It also displays the theme of ambition prevalently throughout the book and shows the complexity and distance that people are willing to go to get what they want or what others have. Appearance and reality is also a prominent theme throughout Macbeth with relationships between how people and events are not what they seem. All of these themes are extremely relevant to contemporary society today.

Representations of light and darkness are found profoundly throughout Macbeth demonstrating innocence and evil.

These representations can be related to contemporary society through the modern themes of good and bad. Light is used as a symbol for good and an ordered system. The light mentioned through Duncan stating, “Which honor must not unaccompanied invest him only, but signs of nobleness, like stars, shall shine on all deservers" (Macbeth, Act 1, Scene 4, Page 2), portrays that all is good and order is right. The idea of light signifies that the natural order is stable and everything is harmonious.

The darkness that is profoundly found throughout the book signifies that the natural order is broken and things have gone wrong. “Stars hide your fires, let not light see my black and deep desires” (Macbeth, Act 1, Scene 4, Page 3), shows that Macbeth developed his murderous desires, but was still ashamed of them and did not want people to see him for who he really is.

The use of light and darkness can be related to those themes that are present in today’s society, as when the natural order of society is good, light is dominant, but when the chain is broken darkness

overrules.

Ambition is the most prominent theme Shakespeare demonstrates in Macbeth. In the book, Shakespeare writes of how ambition makes people do terrible things. In contemporary society, it can show relevance through how far people will go to get what they what. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth try so hard to get what they want and what other people have that their ambition takes over and they loose their humanity. It is their own ambition that causes their actions, not the three witches telling of their prophecy. It is also prevalent that Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s would do anything to get what they wanted and fulfill their prophecy, unlike the actions of Banquo, Duncan and Macduff, who all wanted great power and to be leaders, but never did they let their ambitions overrule their honor. With ambition being a strong desire to do or achieve something, ambition was prominently displayed throughout the book. Ambition is obviously extremely relevant to today’s society, present through how people cannot ever blame others for their own actions.

Throughout Macbeth, appearance and reality is displayed through how people and events are not what they seem. This theme is a very relevant throughout, as in contemporary society people are not often what they seem. This theme also has a big relevance to trust. It can also be looked at through appearance versus reality. This demonstrated through how Macbeth is presented as a nobleman and a courageous warrior who is loyal to his king. It is then later shown that Macbeth is has murderous contemplations in his true heart. This displays that the theme of appearance versus reality is very prominent in both the Elizabethan times of Macbeth, and its relationship to today’s modern contemporary society.

In conclusion, Macbeth is still very relevant to contemporary society. The themes and motifs that are displayed throughout Macbeth are the aspects of the text that are still relevant and that’s why it is still profoundly studied today.