Symbols - Light and Darkness

In Shakespeare's Macbeth, the symbol of 'light and darkness' is prevalent throughout the play, representing the struggle between good and evil, as well as the moral ambiguity that Macbeth faces.

Key Scenes and Acts:

1. Act 1, Scene 4:

   • Quote: "There's no art to find the mind's construction in the face. He was a gentleman on whom I did confer.

   • Analysis: This line reflects the idea of appearance versus reality, where light symbolizes truth and darkness symbolizes deception.

2. Act 1, Scene 5:

   • Quote: "Come, you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, and fill me from the crown to the toe top-full of direst cruelty!"

   • Analysis: Lady Macbeth calls upon darkness to assist her ambitions, indicating that she associates light with weakness and darkness with power.

3. Act 2, Scene 1:

   • Quote: "Is this a dagger which I see before me, the handle toward my hand?"

   • Analysis: Macbeth's hallucination of the dagger represents his moral descent into darkness as he prepares to commit murder, and the darkness signifies his inner turmoil.

4. Act 2, Scene 4:

   • Quote: "By th' clock 'tis day, and yet dark night strangles the travelling lamp."

   • Analysis: The unnatural darkness reflects the disorder that Macbeth's actions have caused in the natural world, illustrating the connection between moral corruption and a loss of light.

5. Act 3, Scene 2:

   • Quote: "Good things of day begin to droop and drowse; Whiles night's black agents to their preys do rouse."

   • Analysis: Macbeth acknowledges the power of darkness as the time for evil deeds approaches, further illustrating the dominant theme of light versus darkness.

6. Act 5, Scene 1:

   • Quote: "Out, damned spot! Out, I say!"

   • Analysis: Lady Macbeth's descent into madness reflects the darkness of her guilt, contrasting once more with the light of sanity and innocence that has been lost.

Conclusion:

The symbol of light and darkness is intricately woven into the fabric of Macbeth, emphasizing characters' moral dilemmas and the overarching conflict between good and evil throughout the play.

Here are quotes from Shakespeare's Macbeth that illustrate the symbol of 'light and darkness':

1. Act 1, Scene 4:

   • "There's no art to find the mind's construction in the face. He was a gentleman on whom I did confer."

   • This highlights the theme of appearance versus reality, where light symbolizes truth and darkness symbolizes deception.

2. Act 1, Scene 5:

   • "Come, you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, and fill me from the crown to the toe top-full of direst cruelty!"

   • Lady Macbeth's invocation of darkness demonstrates her association of it with power and her rejection of light as a weakness.

3. Act 2, Scene 1:

   • "Is this a dagger which I see before me, the handle toward my hand?"

   • Macbeth's vision of the dagger symbolizes his moral descent into darkness before committing murder.

4. Act 2, Scene 4:

   • "By th' clock 'tis day, and yet dark night strangles the travelling lamp."

   • Here, the unnatural darkness signifies the disorder caused by Macbeth's actions in the natural order, linking moral decay with a loss of light.

5. Act 3, Scene 2:

   • "Good things of day begin to droop and drowse; Whiles night's black agents to their preys do rouse."

   • This quote suggests the power of darkness as it becomes time for evil deeds to unfold.

6. Act 5, Scene 1:

   • "Out, damned spot! Out, I say!"

   • Lady Macbeth's descent into madness symbolizes the darkness of her guilt, contrasting with the lost innocence and sanity, often associated with light.

Here are quotes from Shakespeare's Macbeth that illustrate the symbol of 'light and darkness':

1. Act 1, Scene 4:

   • "There's no art to find the mind's construction in the face. He was a gentleman on whom I did confer."

   • This highlights the theme of appearance versus reality, where light symbolizes truth and darkness symbolizes deception.

2. Act 1, Scene 5:

   • "Come, you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, and fill me from the crown to the toe top-full of direst cruelty!"

   • Lady Macbeth's invocation of darkness demonstrates her association of it with power and her rejection of light as a weakness.

3. Act 2, Scene 1:

   • "Is this a dagger which I see before me, the handle toward my hand?"

   • Macbeth's vision of the dagger symbolizes his moral descent into darkness before committing murder.

4. Act 2, Scene 4:

   • "By th' clock 'tis day, and yet dark night strangles the travelling lamp."

   • Here, the unnatural darkness signifies the disorder caused by Macbeth's actions in the natural order, linking moral decay with a loss of light.

5. Act 3, Scene 2:

   • "Good things of day begin to droop and drowse; Whiles night's black agents to their preys do rouse."

   • This quote suggests the power of darkness as it becomes time for evil deeds to unfold.

6. Act 5, Scene 1:

   • "Out, damned spot! Out, I say!"

   • Lady Macbeth's descent into madness symbolizes the darkness of her guilt, contrasting with the lost innocence and sanity, often associated with light.