Macbeth Essay, Research Paper

Macbeth

In the story of Macbeth, there are three basic themes that are seen time and time again. The themes of disorder, darkness and gffgd. They not only are used to show, or describe something, they are also there to show a repeating symbolism throughout the play.

In Macbeth, much of the plot revolves around disorder and chaos, whether the characters or audience realize it or not. Because there is always a constant struggle for power in the play, it in turn causes something to always be in confusion. If a strong leader is not present, many things can go wrong very easily and very quickly. Disorder caused problems for many people, the king included. Signs of disorder are seen in Macbeth, especially when there is talk of a solar eclipse, an owl killing a falcon, and Duncan’s horses running wild. This indicates that something is not stable in society.

Much of this play is filled with the struggle between light and darkness (symbolizing Macbeth– he asks for darkness to hide his desires in Act I, and then darkness shrouds the night of the murder). The light in the first two acts is King Duncan, but the struggle went in favor of darkness. This struggle occurs in every act of the play.

Also, in Act V, Scene vii, Macduff enters and says, “If thou [Macbeth] be’st slain and with no stroke of mine,/My wife and children’s ghosts will haunt me still” (lines 15 – 16). Macduff can’t rest until he gets revenge on the killer of his family, something Malcolm and Fleance (whose family was also killed by Macbeth) didn’t say.

Macduff is the hero of the play. He is the light that will soon come to a final climactic battle with the dark (Macbeth). There is also religious meaning to this: God against the devil, Macbeth being the devil (remember how he couldn’t say “Amen” in Act II?). This theme has been used in many contemporary stories; it’s an epic battle of good vs. evil.