The imagery in William Shakespeare’s, “Macbeth” is more dramatic and rich than any other of his plays. The audience is constantly presented with images that reflect the theme of the play. Woven throughout the tragedy are the recurring images of darkness, blood, and sleeplessness. These images aid in portraying the wickedness and moral disintegration of both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth.
The images of darkness and night symbolize evil in both mankind and Macbeth. One example of this is in the first scene of the play, when the witches chant, “Fair is foul, and foul is fair; / Hover through the fog and filthy air” (1.1.12-13). The witches in the play are evil, and the fact that William Shakespeare associated evil with “fog and filthy air” is a form …show more content…
For Macbeth, basic morales such as friendship and family became second to his evil darkness. Macbeth’s first act of blood shed had a major effect on his mind in a very negative way. After killing King Duncan, Macbeth looks at his bloody hands and says, “This is a sorry sight” (2.2.28). This quote shows that Macbeth is aware of the sin he carried out to gain power. Furthermore, Macbeth starts to question the extremities of his actions, saying, “Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood / Clean from my hand?” (2.2.78-79). In other words, Macbeth may be asking himself if he will ever forgive himself for killing Duncan, and because blood is difficult to remove from the skin, his contemplation is reflecting both his mind and body alike. Given these points, Lady Macbeth then begins to jump into the equation. Being the ruthless, cold-hearted wife of Macbeth, all she wants is power. She wants Macbeth to bear a cold heart as well, so she pesters him until his mind slowly falls into madness. One example of this is after the murder of King Duncan, when she puts the bloody dagger away and notices that Macbeth is traumatized by his experience, she says, “My hands are of your colour, but I shame to wear a heart so white” (2.2.82-83). Lady Macbeth is insulting Macbeth; saying that she too is a murderer but she, in contrast to Macbeth, does not feel any remorse …show more content…
Macbeth suffers from sleeplessness throughout the play, which drives him mad. After Macbeth murders King Duncan in his sleep, he starts to hear voices crying, “‘Sleep no more! / Macbeth does murder sleep’-the innocent sleep” (2.2.47-48). This is especially important because it is a metaphor for what is about to happen. Macbeth disturbed sleep, so therefore he shall get none. Perhaps it is supernatural, or maybe he is just unable to sleep because of his mental instability. The quote advances into what Macbeth describes sleep as, he says, “Sleep that knits up the raveled sleave of care, / The death of each day’s life, sore labor’s bath, / Balm of hurt minds, great nature’s second course, / Chief nourisher in life’s feast” (2.2.49-52). This quote is interesting because it contrasts what Macbeth will now not receive. For instance, Macbeth will no longer care as much, and he also will not receive healing of the mind. Same goes for Lady Macbeth, because for all the audience knows, she is mentally unstable the second she arrives in the play. Darkness was already embedded in her mind from the very start, but it didn’t linger throughout her mind until she starts experiencing sleeplessness, the doctor that is examining her says, “As she is troubled with thick coming fancies / That keep her from her rest” (5.3.39-40). Lady Macbeth seems to not be sleeping because of visions that haunt her.
The images of darkness and night symbolize evil in both mankind and Macbeth. One example of this is in the first scene of the play, when the witches chant, “Fair is foul, and foul is fair; / Hover through the fog and filthy air” (1.1.12-13). The witches in the play are evil, and the fact that William Shakespeare associated evil with “fog and filthy air” is a form …show more content…
For Macbeth, basic morales such as friendship and family became second to his evil darkness. Macbeth’s first act of blood shed had a major effect on his mind in a very negative way. After killing King Duncan, Macbeth looks at his bloody hands and says, “This is a sorry sight” (2.2.28). This quote shows that Macbeth is aware of the sin he carried out to gain power. Furthermore, Macbeth starts to question the extremities of his actions, saying, “Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood / Clean from my hand?” (2.2.78-79). In other words, Macbeth may be asking himself if he will ever forgive himself for killing Duncan, and because blood is difficult to remove from the skin, his contemplation is reflecting both his mind and body alike. Given these points, Lady Macbeth then begins to jump into the equation. Being the ruthless, cold-hearted wife of Macbeth, all she wants is power. She wants Macbeth to bear a cold heart as well, so she pesters him until his mind slowly falls into madness. One example of this is after the murder of King Duncan, when she puts the bloody dagger away and notices that Macbeth is traumatized by his experience, she says, “My hands are of your colour, but I shame to wear a heart so white” (2.2.82-83). Lady Macbeth is insulting Macbeth; saying that she too is a murderer but she, in contrast to Macbeth, does not feel any remorse …show more content…
Macbeth suffers from sleeplessness throughout the play, which drives him mad. After Macbeth murders King Duncan in his sleep, he starts to hear voices crying, “‘Sleep no more! / Macbeth does murder sleep’-the innocent sleep” (2.2.47-48). This is especially important because it is a metaphor for what is about to happen. Macbeth disturbed sleep, so therefore he shall get none. Perhaps it is supernatural, or maybe he is just unable to sleep because of his mental instability. The quote advances into what Macbeth describes sleep as, he says, “Sleep that knits up the raveled sleave of care, / The death of each day’s life, sore labor’s bath, / Balm of hurt minds, great nature’s second course, / Chief nourisher in life’s feast” (2.2.49-52). This quote is interesting because it contrasts what Macbeth will now not receive. For instance, Macbeth will no longer care as much, and he also will not receive healing of the mind. Same goes for Lady Macbeth, because for all the audience knows, she is mentally unstable the second she arrives in the play. Darkness was already embedded in her mind from the very start, but it didn’t linger throughout her mind until she starts experiencing sleeplessness, the doctor that is examining her says, “As she is troubled with thick coming fancies / That keep her from her rest” (5.3.39-40). Lady Macbeth seems to not be sleeping because of visions that haunt her.