Ambiguity In Macbeth Essay

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Morality is not a secular idea, it is quite the opposite. It is, in fact, impossible to ever create a basis on what is judged as right or wrong. Shakespeare knew this when he wrote Macbeth. The play demonstrates that Shakespeare could clearly classify someone as good and evil, but he chooses to remain ambiguous on how precise these designations are. Macbeth plays with the idea of insanity, and who is truly at fault when someone takes drastic action. Throughout the play, Shakespeare never fails to remind the audience, that morality is never just black or white. This ambiguity is displayed in Macbeth through the use of images, hallucinations, and perspective. Macbeth’s mental state has gradually sunk into a black abyss, he has lost his understanding …show more content…
“When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning, or in rain?”(I.I.1) In the beginning of the play, the witches give the audience three major clues to how Macbeth’s story will play out. The thunder is the first warning of the storm, it breaks the calm. Thunder is the result of lightning, it isn’t heard until it is too late to escape the lightning. The lightning is Macbeth’s sins, the thunder only arrives once it is too late to stop him. This occurs several times throughout the play. Banquo doesn’t find out about Macbeth trying to murder Duncan until he has already done it. And Macduff doesn’t realize Macbeth is going to kill his family until he is powerless to stop him. Both times, Macbeth strikes before anyone can figure out what happened. And just like thunder and lightning, the warning didn’t come until the damage was already done. Finally, the rain comes. The rain is the last hope, it is what puts out the fire the lightning started and the thunder failed to warn about. The rain is Malcom and Macduff, coming to clean up the mess Macbeth has …show more content…
In act 3, Macbeth talks about the “night’s black agents” coming to get him. It isn’t until act four that this is brought up again, but by Malcom. “When they shall be open 'd, black Macbeth will seem as pure as snow”(IV. III. 63). Malcom is talking about himself, and how he is just as evil as Macbeth. But the most important word in this is “Black”. The color is commonly used to describe something dark and malicious. Malcom describes Macbeth just as Macbeth describes his fears. Both Macbeth and Malcom both describe each other with the same word. This strongly illustrates their similarities, but not because they use the same vocabulary. Malcom uses black to describe Macbeth, yet he says Macbeth will seem pure as snow when Malcom reveals his true self. This means Malcom really thinks of himself as dark and malicious and is really afraid of himself. Macbeth is afraid of the “night’s black agents”, which have only rouses since he has awoken. He is afraid not of himself, but of what evils his actions might lure to his doorstep. What Malcom and Macbeth have in common is that they both fear themselves the most, Malcom fears his future self and Macbeth fears his present self. But one is a new ruler and the other is a cold-blooded

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