Macbeth Lightness And Darkness Analysis

On the night that Duncan is supposedly going to get murdered, there is some dramatic irony of lightness and darkness demonstrated in the play. After Macbeth leaves Duncan’s castle, he wants the stars to hide their fires, in other words for there to be no stars or moon at night when he kills Duncan. Well his wish was granted, but Banquo is a little suspicious as he tell his son Fleance: “There's husbandry in heaven; / Their candles are all out" (2. 1. 6-7). It is pitch black outside, and darkness symbolizes fear. Then Banquo claims: “Merciful powers/ Restrain in me the cursed thoughts that nature/ Gives way to in repose” (2. 1. 11-13). It seems like Banquo is very tired but cannot sleep because he is afraid of something but nobody knows what. Banquo explains to Macbeth that he had a dream about the three weird witches. Could the suspicion be growing for Banquo, very dark night, not a star in sight, could Macbeth be planning a murder? Darkness is emphasized in his part of the novel because the darker side of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth is shown as there is evil side shows that they will do anything to unrightfully make Macbeth become the new King of Scotland even that includes murder to anybody that gets in their way.

The imagery of blood plays a hefty role in the tragic play Macbeth, as it

demonstrates the evil side of him. He may be a hero for slaying the rebel Macdonwald but his deep desires take over his actions in killing many innocent people. With murder comes blood and blood is all Macbeth could think about after he had killed King Duncan. First of all, Macbeth was not even going to kill Duncan, he began to regret it, but his wife talked him back into it by calling him childish, not a man. He decided to protect himself and prove his wife wrong and go through with the killing of Duncan. His evil within is brought out by his wife because if he did not end up killing Duncan, his wife would have just kept calling him a coward, not a real man and a child. So, Macbeth goes through with his plan, and after killing Duncan he announces: “Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood / Clean from my hand?" (2. 2. 78-79). His hands are full of blood and does not know if this blood will come off. He also claims: “This is a sorry sight” (2. 2. 28). He is disgusted with what he as done. But his wife responds with, “A foolish thought to say a sorry sight” (2. 2. 29). Still Macbeth is squandered with guilt, it seems he was not ready for what the after effect is when somebody commits murder. The words ‘God bless us’ got stuck in his throat because he just murdered somebody, God does not accept people who murder, everybody knows that. Imagery of blood is very strong in this part of the novel as the blood on Macbeth’s hands indicates guilt and as he almost cannot take it anymore.
The evil Macbeth has done very bad things throughout his life, but could he have the guts to murder his best friend. Banquo is very suspicious as he thinks that Macbeth killed Duncan in order to become the new King of Scotland and he claims: “Thou hast it now---King, Cawdor, Glamis, all ... and I fear/ Thou played’st most foully for ‘t” (3. 1. 1-3). Macbeth enters the scene and invites Banquo and Fleance, his son, to a feast that he prepared for them to enjoy. But Macbeth demonstrates fear, as he thinks Banquo knows too much and one day Banquo would overthrow him. “He [Banquo] hath a wisdom that doth guide his valor/To act in safety. There is none but he/Whose being I do fear” (3.1.58-60). Macbeth shows his evil side again as his fear of Banquo is forcing him to commit the evil sin of murder on his friend. He would do anything in order to protect his crown. With that in mind, he hires two murderers to set out and kill Banquo and his son, Fleance. The murderers set out as Macbeth prepares his feast. Shortly after, the murderers return and one claims: “My lord, his throat cut. That I did for him” (3. 4. 18). Banquo has been murdered, as his blood is all over one of the murderer's face. Macbeth shows his gratitude but then hears the murderer say that Fleance has escaped. Imagery of Banquo’s blood all over the murderer's face as Macbeth’s evil side is shown once again as he sets up a murder to kill his friend Banquo because of his fear of him overthrowing him from his powers of being the King of Scotland.
Finally, imagery of blood can be seen as Macbeth commits another gruesome murder. In the witches prophecy she tells Macbeth: “Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! Beware Macduff! Beware the Thane of Fife! Dismiss me. Enough” (4. 1. 81-82). Macbeth sees Macduff as a threat and hears from Lennox, a Scottish nobleman, that Macduff has fled to England. So Macbeth begins to shows his evil side again:
The castle of Macduff I will surprise;
Seize upon Fife, give to th’edge o’ th’ sword
His wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls
That trace him in his line. No boasting like a fool; (4. 1. 171-174)
Macbeth decides to send his murderers to Macduff’s castle and kill his entire family. Macbeth demonstrates more evilness upon him. Macduff and Banquo were all threats towards Macbeth and he shows determination that he will kill anybody in his way to protect the privilege of being the King of Scotland. After Macduff hears that his family has been murdered, Malcolm and Macduff prepare an attack on Macbeth which eventually ends with Macduff slaying the king Macbeth. It did not start or end well for Macbeth, as his murders came back to haunt him. Murder and blood was always the answer for Macbeth when he had a problem to deal with. His evil mind took over his actions.
There is imagery found in every novel or play as it always signifies something different.

In William Shakespeare's play, Macbeth, imagery is found throughout as it is demonstrated in clothing, blood/murder, and finally lightness and darkness. It reveals different things about characters in play such as suspicion of Banquo and Macduff of Macbeth on how he became the King of Scotland, to Macbeth’s fear of losing the crown which revealed his evil side to commit murder to try and protect what he has wanted all of his life. Macbeth’s choices put his life in jeopardy. In life, there are little things people look over that may just open their eyes and see the world from a new

perspective.