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10/15/03
Darkness in Macbeth
In modern society, darkness often portrays evil. Dark, stormy nights, old ugly witches, and black cats are all symobols which are used to present a feeling of darkness and evil. In Shakespearian times as well, the imagery of darkness was used to portray sinister characters and eerie settings. In the tragedy of Macbeth, Shakespeare often gives the feeling of evil through his use of light and dark. Shakespeare sets the tragic tone of Macbeth by describing several settings throughout the play as dark, thunderous stormy nights, and creates the feeling of evil in many of his characters through their descriptive personalities. The imagery of darkness sets the overall mood of Macbeth and the tragic story that is told.
In Macbeth, the witches are a prime example of Shakespeare’s use of darkness. ... The play begins with a stormy night and a witches gathering to immediately give the feeling of darkness that shall continue throughout the play. ... Macbeth describes the witches as being secret, black, midnight hags (Act IV, Scene 1, 47). Banquo refers to these characters as “instruments of darkness” in Act I, Scene III when their first prophecy is proved accurate.
Approximate Word count = 985
Approximate Pages = 3.9
(250 words per page double spaced)
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