MacBeth Imagery
According to Tyson (1999), Imagery is visual, consisting of descriptions of objects, characters, or settings as they are seen by the eye. ... Imagery is a very important element as it creates solidity and richness of a play. In Macbeth, Shakespeare effectively uses many types of magnificent imagery. Throughout the play, Shakespeare has depicted the ideas, characters and development of the play vivid and memorable through the imagery of blood, darkness, clothes, animals and sleep. Imagery of blood In the play Macbeth, the predominant imagery is blood. ... In his first appearance, Macbeth is a soldier of armour. He is known as Brave Macbeth. This is clearly indicated after Macbeth has won a great battle against an army from Norway. The blood of the defeated enemies on Macbeths sword is being described: Disdaining Fortune, with his brandishd steel Which smokd with bloody execution … (Act 1 Scene 2, lines 15-16) Blood in this context is an indication of honour to Macbeth. ... The word golden which is used by Macbeth in the line "His silver skin lacd with his golden blood . ... When Macbeth sees the floating dagger that provokes him to kill King Duncan, his soliloquy gives the audience a palpable description. The audience can imagine intensely the blood on Macbeths dagger and it is indeed a revulsion image when he says: I see thee still; And on thy blade and dudgeon gouts of blood … (Act 2 Scene 1, lines 45-46) When Lady Macbeth is preparing her mind to murder King Duncan, she says to the murthring ministers or the spirits of murder, "… make thick my blood". Deep in her heart, Lady Macbeth knows that it is going to be an intricate task to murder King Duncan. ... At the same time, she needs to avoid suspicion that will implicate both Macbeth and her in the murder. Under the inflexible demands of Lady Macbeth and the desire to take over the reign, Macbeth has turned into Devilish Macbeth. ... Soon after stabbing King Duncan with a dagger, Macbeth feels guilty. ... (Act 2 Scene 2, lines 59-60) Furthermore, after murdering his best friend, Banquo, Macbeth sees Banquos ghost at the banquet. ... Towards the end of the play that is in Act 5 Scene 1, blood also invokes a great guilt and fear for Lady Macbeth. ... Lady Macbeth reacts differently and she hallucinates a lot of blood on her hands by saying to her own self, "Out damned spot! ... " Lady Macbeth even smells blood. ... During the battle between him and Macbeth, Macduffs words threaten Macbeth that he would terminate his life using his own sword. ... (Act 5 Scene 8, line 7 -8) Imagery of darkness In Act 1 Scene 1 of the play, the words thunder, lightning and rain establish a setting or an atmosphere of darkness. ... The imagery of darkness also symbolizes evil. ... Macbeth refers to them as black and midnight hags. The appearances of the three witches are also a foreshadowing of the downfall of Macbeth. The witches prophecy and their influence have led Macbeth away from integrity, causing him to commit murder. The strong desire for power over the throne and to extent his ambition lead Macbeth to the thinking and doing of evil. In the final play, Macbeth is being described as a devil, hell-hound, bloodier villain and rarer monster. Macbeth invokes darkness to hide his malevolence intention. ... On the night that King Duncan would be murdered, Lady Macbeth promises Macbeth that the tragic event would happen on the night itself and there would be no impediment. It is clearly indicated in Act 1 Scene 4 when Lady Macbeth says, "O never shall sun that morrow see …" and "you shall put the rights great business into my dispatch …" In order to conceal Macbeths devilish conspiracy with the two murderers, Banquo is murdered at night. Macbeth wants assurance from the murderers that the calamitous incident to occur at night. ... (Act 3 Scene 1, lines 141-142) Dark imagery also invokes Lady Macbeths trepidation. ... What need we fear who knows it … (Act 5 Scene 1, lines 34-35) Imagery of clothes / garments In the play, garments symbolize designation. When Macbeth is granted as Thane of Cawdor, he asks Angus: The Thane of Cawdor lives; why do you dress me in borrowd robes? ... Apparently, the noble Macbeth seems to be reluctant to accept the honour. ... After taking for granted that the witches prophecy is not just mere prediction, Macbeth has transformed into an ignoble man. These are the witches forecast: All hail, Macbeth! ... All hail, Macbeth! ... All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be King hereafter! (Act 1 Scene 3, lines 48-50) Therefore, Macbeth murders King Duncan for the crown and sets up the innocent servants of the king to fulfill his evil intention. Here, the imagery of clothing is used to cloak Macbeths reprehensible self or the evil side of him. ... (Act 3 Scene 1, lines 60-61) Towards the end of the play, it reveals the truth that Macbeth is a murderer. It is palpably described that Macbeth does not deserve the title as a king when Angus says of Macbeth: Now does he feel his title Hang loose about him, like a giants robe Upon a dwarfish thief. (Act 5 Scene 2, lines 20-22) These words, uttered by Angus also signify that the cowardice and evil deeds of Macbeth are being masked or concealed by the garments.