Darkness in Macbeth

In all of his plays, Shakespeare uses an assortment of motifs and symbols that bear vivid imagery, almost bringing them to life, just like a character. In the tragedy Macbeth, Shakespeare does an excellent job in using the element darkness, and words associated to it, to create a type of “force” that has an impact on the characters and the play itself. When we think of the dark, what immediately comes to our minds are feelings of evilness, wickedness, and negativity. Darkness is a tool that Macbeth and Lady Macbeth use to lead them both to execute deadly, murderous acts. At first darkness is simply portrayed as a blanket to cover up a bad deed when needed. As the play progresses, darkness evolves into a personality (creature) that plagues Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. This evolution is evident in the deeds of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth in the course of the play.

The plot directly affecting Macbeth starts off when he meets the Three Witches who tell him a prophecy that piques his mind. They tell him that he will soon be the King of Scotland: “All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter!” (I.iii.49). This scene takes place in darkness, and it is the first time we see darkness as being natural. There is thunder, and there

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Of course, Macbeth is killed at the end of the play. There is no other thought in Macbeth’s head.

Alongside to Macbeth, Lady Macbeth also asks darkness to hide her evil deeds.

With more continuance of the play, we see the obvious change of darkness as it takes form of a personality or creature that Macbeth’s mind becomes a host of. “Come, thick night, and pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell, that my keen knife see not the wound it makes, nor heaven peep through the blanket of the dark to cry, ‘Hold, hold!’” (I. This is enough proof that darkness has become a creature because only creatures can rouse their prey. This is an indication of him taking matters into his own hands; perhaps the beginning of his abusing of the power of darkness. He instantaneously calls upon darkness to be a blanket to hide his dark, evil desires so that he can preserve his benign outlook.

Approximate Word count = 1205
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)

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