Macbeth Darkness Essay, Research Paper

In Shakespeare’s play, Macbeth, darkness and night play a major role. Many

deaths and other major events occur during this time. Macbeth is overwhelmed by

power and feels he is unstoppable. There is something about the absence of light

that makes people act different. Macbeth fell into this category and sees he is

not the same man he usually is during the day. Macbeth is at his best and his

worse during this time period. Dependent on darkness, guiltfull disorder and

surrounding effects. The life of Macbeth and his wife revolved around darkness.

Macbeth depends heavily on darkness. Most of his actions occur during the night.

Macbeth uses this time to cover his evil actions and intentions. He and Lady

Macbeth plot and plan their evil deeds at night so heaven can not see their

doings. The darkness it self also assists their planning. "Come thick

night/ And pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell, / That my keen knife see not

the wound it makes, / Nor heaven peep through the blanket of dark." (1.5

48-51) The only way Lady Macbeth sees she can complete her deeds is with the

help of hell and darkness. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth fell that if there were no

darkness their plans would never arise. Guilt is a felling of remorse when you

have done something wrong and can not get it off your mind. It will haunt you

until something is done about it, guilt may be the worst felling that can be

felt by a person. Disorder is felt when you do not understand your surroundings,

the most common items will seem confusing. There are many examples of guilt and

disorder in Shakespeare’s play, Macbeth. Macbeth and his wife are unable to

sleep at night because of their felling of guilt. Macbeth says ‘I have murdered

sleep’ meaning he has killed the king during his sleep and he will sleep no

longer. We find out Lady Macbeth kills her self because her overwhelmed felling

of guilt. This tragic death also occurs because of her disordered behavior of

sleep walking. Macbeth feels there should be a destruction of all moral laws

that prevent him from doing evil. His guilt builds inside him which possesses

him to continue his wrong doings. "Come seeling night/ Scaf up the tender

eye of pitiful day, / And with thy bloody and invisible hand/ Cancel and tear

the great bond/ Which keeps me pale" (3.2 46- 52) Macbeth begins to believe

he can hide his murders from daylight. Macbeth is in so much disorder that he is

unable to recognize Banquo’s ghost. He is unable to realize that his illusions

really are a reflection of guilt. Macbeth plays a major role on the effect of

his surroundings. "Each new morn/ New windows howl, new orphans cry, new

sorrows/ Strike heaven on the face, that it resounds/ As if it felt with

Scotland" (4.3 4-7) Macduff’s comment reflects the overall felling of

sorrow and remorse in Scotland. Macbeth has such a great impact that if the

chaos is not caused personally others would follow his example. It is unknown to

Macbeth how great of an impact he has on his people. During the night Macbeth

wreaks havoc and when morning arose Scotland mourns a loss of a king. Macbeth’s

actions are unnatural and brutal like a wild animal. "Tis unnatural/ On

Tuesday last/ A falcon towering in her pride of place/ Was by a mousing owl

hawked at and killed." (2.4 11-14) Macbeth, unable to sleep plans his evil

intentions. Macbeth relies and depends on darkness. As the play progresses

Macbeth began to see night as a friend or guide. Most of his actions are planned

during this time, sometimes with the help of Lady Macbeth. The guilt he bares is

so much that he and Lady Macbeth are unable to sleep. He causes a major upset in

Scotland but also many people fallow in his footsteps. His intent to be king

snowballed into a massacre, which led to his killing. Shakespeare creates a dark

play about murder and evil. He shows what a man consumed by darkness can do to

an entire kingdom and himself.