Evil, his ˜black and deep desires', is begin to take control of him. Light and darkness are also used to illustrate life and death. On the evening King Duncan is murdered, Lennox reports that the fire in his chimney was mysteriously "blown" out (2.3.3); the fire represented the King's life. It is also strangely dark on the morning after the night of King Duncan's murder, and Ross says to the Old Man, "by the clock, ˜tis day, And yet dark night strangles the travelling lamp " (2.4.6-7). This signifies the start of darkness taking over Scotland, but can also be seen as a metaphor for Duncan's life being ˜strangled' by Macbeth, ˜the dark night'. Another example of darkness overtaking light occurs when Banquo's torchlight (the one that illuminates him just enough so his murderers can see what they're doing) is snuffed out the moment he is killed (3.3.5). Lastly, Macbeth responds to the news of Lady Macbeth's suicide by proclaiming "out, out brief candle" (5.5.3), using the candle's flame as a metaphor for her short life and sudden death. The image of the candle is used to show how vulnerable life is. It does not last for a long time and it is easily blown out. Macbeth learns this at a very high cost: his tragic end.
The association of light and darkness does not only contrast and illustrate, but it is also used predominately by Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, to foreshadow and describe their actions and feelings. Darkness is evidently used much more than light, and when light is mentioned, it is usually snuffed out or overtaken by darkness. This first occurs when Lady Macbeth asks "thick night" to come with the "smoke of hell," so that her knife will not see the wound it makes in the peacefully sleeping King (1.5.3). She also calls for murderous spirits to prevent "heaven" from "peep[ing] through the blanket of the dark to cry 'Hold, Hold!'" she implies that light (here associated with God, heaven, and goodness) offers protection from evil and is the only thing that can stop her from murdering Duncan (1.
"As with so many of Shakespeare's plays, Macbeth speaks to each generation with a new voice." ... Shakespeare also uses symbols. ... Blood is the most important symbol in Macbeth. ... Shakespeare uses weather as another important symbol. ... Shakespeare uses the destruction of Macbeth and Duncan as the main theme in this play. ...
Macbeth's Imagery In many of Shakespeare's plays, Shakespeare uses various forms of imagery to further strengthen themes and ideas. ... In the play, "Macbeth", Shakespeare applies the imagery of clothing, darkness and blood. ... Shakespeare describes Macbeth's clothes not as regal and fitting for Macbeth, but as a way to hide Macbeth's disgraceful self from his own eyes and from others. ... The royal and regal clothing that Macbeth acquires after killing Duncan to be king is a symbol of Macbeth's need to hide his true self behind a fancy exterior. The darkness, ...
The playwrite, William Shakespeare uses literary devices in Macbeth. ... Shakespeare uses blood as killing, when Macbeth is going to kill Duncan. ... The symbol of blood also represents the dark side of Macbeth and death. ... Lady Macbeth, wife of Macbeth, shows the most strongest example of evidence using the symbol of blood in the scene. ... Shakespeare works the symbol to create suspense and a thriller. ...
If it's true that Shakespeare wrote Macbeth to teach readers the lesson that too much ambition how Macbeth had to become king is wrong, there would be enough reasons on why people might agree or disagree with what Shakespeare's exact message was for creating Macbeth, but the lesson of too much ambition I would agree with that. As for Nietzsche, who disagreed and said he claims Shakespeare actually admired Macbeth's ambition. ... Nietzsche could be someone who enjoys how Macbeth achieved what he wanted with the heartless ambition he had.I would say that I agree more with Shakespe...
William Shakespeare unlike some authors makes the meaning behind his symbols very hard to find at times. ... In the play Macbeth, time is of much importance, however it is not the only novel of his that uses this symbol. ... Another example of time being used as a symbol is when Macbeth says that he is going to kill Duncan, king of Scotland. ... Another symbol that is used in the play Macbeth is blood. ( - "Readings On The Tragedies of William Shakespeare" Greenhaven Press Inc. copyright 1996... - "Shakespeare the Professional and Related Studies" by Kenneth Muir, copyright 1973) Blood is ...
Besides corrupting power, Macbeth corrupts many other things, such as the Great Chain of Being, and the symbol of blood. ... Shakespeare's use of blood produces a tangible symbol to which all can relate too. ... Lady Macbeth calls upon the spirits, " to make thick my blood- (I. iv. 31) The symbol of blood now becomes a treacherous symbol, Lady Macbeth knows this, and refers to using the blood as a decoy by smearing " the sleepy grooms (servants) with blood." ... Through Shakespeare's Macbeth, it is easy to see how man corrupts many things, just as possessions corrupt man. ... The ima...
Blood is used as a symbol of guilt, but is also used to signify death. ... The blood in this situation is used to signify Macbeth's guilt. ... This is an example of how Macbeth feels about how death is treated. ... The second apparition was a bloodied symbol of Macduff. Shakespeare tells us that the second apparition is a bloody child, a symbol of Macduff at birth...
MACBETH ESSAY Macbeth had many symbols, which were linked to the themes in the play. ... After that, Shakespeare exploits blood as a symbol, takes place in Act 2, when Macbeth is preparing to kill Duncan. ... Shakespeare most likely put this in as premonition of murder and death to come later in the play. Another example of bloods use as a symbol was Act 2, Scene ii. ... Furthermore, Shakespeare pertains blood as a sign of guilt. ...