Darkness

Darkness

1. Key Ideas

   • Blood
     • In the play, blood stands for guilt.
       • Macbeth can't get the blood off of his hands. He says that "all of Neptunes sea" couldn't get the blood off of his hands, he would turn the water red.
       • When blood is mentioned in the play at any point, it is usually a metaphor for the guilt that Macbeth will never be able to get over for the murder he committed.
         • Throughout the play Lady Macbeth makes it seem like she does not have guilt for what she has done. She tells Macbeth that in order to get rid of the blood they will just need a little bit of water.
           • When the end of the play comes around, it's evident that Lady Macbeth has a lot of guilt built up inside of her. She sleep walks and talks about the imaginary "spot" of blood that she can't seem to get rid of.
   • Lady Macbeth's Character
     • Lady Macbeth's ambition is to be queen and we see that when we first meet her.
       • She's sees the weaknesses in Macbeth and tries to get rid of them.
         • Showing how much she wants to become queen, Lady Macbeth calls on to dark spirits to help her.
           • She tries to get Macbeth to deceive Duncan, and questions his manhood in order to get him to comply with her demands.
             • Does not feel remorse more the murders that are being committed.
               • Shows guilt for the murders near the end of the play.
                 • Kills herself at the end of the play because of the stress, she couldn't cope with the guilt.
         • She is seen as stronger and more ruthless than Macbeth.
   • Good vs. Evil
     • The witches represent evil and evil doings.
       • Lady Macbeth calls on evil spirits to "unsex" her and remover her femininity
         • After the murder of Duncan, Macbeth's evil thoughts begin.
           • Duncan and Banquo represent people of good nature.
             • The forces of good overthrow evil.
   • Supernatural
     • The witches are the main representation of the supernatural.
       • The appearance of ghostly figures, apparitions, and Banquo showing up at the dinner are all elements of the supernatural.
         • Lady Macbeth calling on evil spirits shows that she is not afraid of the supernatural.
   • Macbeth's Character
     • At the start, Macbeth is a strong and noble character
       • The descriptions of him in battle shows his ability for cruelty and killing
         • It's clear he has a desire to be king when he meets the witches, but he seems okay where he is at the moment.
           • The vision he has of the dagger shows the beginning of his troubled mind. As do the voices he hears after killing Duncan.
             • The visions Macbeth has of Banquo after he kills him shows his guilt deep down.
               • Macbeth's fear and paranoia causes him to commit countless murders.
                 • His biggest flaw is his ambition.
   • Womanhood & Manhood
     • Banquo says to the witches, "you should be women, and yet your beards forbid me to interpret so." He questions their femininity.
       • While trying to talk herself in to murdering Duncan, Lady Macbeth calls on to evil spirits and says "Come, you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here!" She wants the spirits to make her a man so she can kill Duncan.
         • After being accused of being a coward and not being a man by Lady Macbeth, Macbeth says "Prithee, peace; I dare do all that may become a man; Who are does more is none." He is telling Lady Macbeth that he does not need to commit a murder to be a man, because he already is one. A "real man" wouldn't commit a murder.
           • When Macduff is told that his family has been killed, Malcolm tells him to "Dispute it like a man." Pretty much telling him that men do not cry. Macduff replies by saying "I shall do so; but I also must feel it as a man." Telling Malcolm that he will get revenge, but must also grieve.

2. Important Quotes

   • After Lady Macbeth read the letter Macbeth sent her about the witches prophecies she says, "Yet do I fear thy nature; It is too full o' the milk of human kindness To catch the nearest way." She fears Macbeth is too good to kill Duncan in order for him to become king.
     • While thinking about murdering Duncan, Macbeth says "That but this blow Might be the be-all and the end-all—here, But here, upon this bank and shoal of time, We'ld jump the life to come." He tries to think of a way to avoid the consequences that come with the deed.
       • "O, never shall sun that morrow see!" Lady Macbeth says this quote, saying that King Duncan will never see the light of day after this night.
         • Lady Macbeth tell Macbeth to "Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under it." She is telling him to act as if he has done nothing wrong, but actually be the guilty and cruel man underneath.
         • “Glamis hath murder’d sleep, and therefore Cawdor shall sleep no more; Macbeth shall sleep no more.” Insomnia plays a part in the play that has to do with the mental deterioration of Macbeth. He says that he has "murdered" sleep. Later on, Lady Macbeth is seen sleep walking, showing that both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are both facing insanity on some level.
       • Before Macbeth kills Duncan he sees an imaginary dagger in front of him and says, "Is this a dagger which I see before me, The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee." This is an important quote because it shows the start of Macbeth's downfall, it shows him slowly becoming less sane even before he commits the murder.
         • When Macbeth is still battling his guilt for the murder of Duncan, Lady Macbeth tells him "What's done is done." She's tries to tell him that he can't take back what he has done. Dead is dead.
           • In a completely different context, Lady Macbeth says "What's done cannot be undone" when she is sleepwalking. Her guilt is more forceful than the simple advice she gives Macbeth.
     • When Macbeth tells Lady Macbeth that he will not go along with the plan to kill Duncan, She says "I have given suck, and know How tender 'tis to love the babe that milks me: I would, while it was smiling in my face, Have pluck'd my nipple from his boneless gums, And dash'd the brains out, had I so sworn as you Have done to this." She scorns Macbeth for his decision.
       • "O, full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife!" Macbeth has gone completely mad and he admits it to Lady Macbeth. This quote indirectly speaks to the fact that his mind is poisoned.

3. Light vs. Darkness

   • In the play, light represents life and goodness. A lot of the time it also has to do with heaven.
     • When Macbeth is contemplating murder he says "Stars, hide your fires, Set not light see my black and deep desires; The eye wink at the hand; yet let that be which the eye fears, when it is done, to see." He is telling the heavens to look away while he does the dark deed.
       • When Banquo sees that the night sky is starless he says "There’s husbandry in heaven; Their candles are all out." He is saying that heaven is turning a blind eye on them that night.
   • Darkness in the play represents death and evil.
     • Nighttime is always called on when a dark deed is being done. Lady asks for the"thick night" to come with the "smoke of hell." The literal darkness adds to the dark, evil act she plans to commit.
       • When Macbeth is told that Lady Macbeth has committed suicide he says "out, out brief candle." The candles flame becoming a metaphor for her short life, and the darkness of the candle going out represents her death.

4. The Downfall of Macbeth

   • The beginning of Macbeth's downfall starts when he is introduced to the witches and is told that he is to be the King of Scotland. Macbeth starts off by being okay with where he is but suddenly his curiosity of how he could become King begins. Macbeth slowly begins to depend more and more on the witches prophecies. The witches are evil and deceiving and lead to the corruption of his character.
     • When told about the witches prophecies, Lady Macbeth is instantly intrigued and creates a plan to kill King Duncan so he is out of the way and Macbeth can become king. She manipulates his self esteem with his manliness and bravery. When Macbeth says he isn't going to kill Duncan, Lady Macbeth instantly scorns him.
       • When Macbeth changes his mind and agrees to kill Duncan, Lady Macbeth is grateful and appears to be becoming the dominant spouse in this relationship. Lady Macbeth's only ambition is for Macbeth to become king and be on the throne. When Macbeth does kill Duncan he feels guilty, but Lady Macbeth does not. There is no "blood" on Lady Macbeth's hands, whereas Macbeth feels that he is drenched in it and cannot get rid of it.
         • Lady Macbeth has a strong influence on him and you can tell this by the way she talks to Macbeth. She questions his manhood and does not seem to care about his trauma from the murder. She is the main cause of his increasing ambition.
           • Near the end of the film Macbeth begins to know exactly what he wants to do. He wants to become king and nothing will stop him. He no longer cares about the blood on his hands, he says that he is stepped in blood all of the way and there is no going back. What's done is done. Dead is dead. He will murder anyone he has to that seems to be a threat to his title as king. The body count will just keep rising until there is no one left to kill. He no longer needs persuading in order to kill someone. In the end, his ambition is what destroyed him. Good wins overall and Macbeth is killed by Macduff as revenge for him killing his family. The tragedy of Macbeth was that greed took over him, he had to be king and that was that.

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