Essay: Macbeth: Imagery in Shakespeare’s Play to Help Contribute to Themes

Imagery is used frequently throughout Shakespeare’s Macbeth to help contribute to most themes. The images, weather, and hallucinations recur as motifs during the play(Weebly). Weather correlates to the theme, time, while hallucinations tie into the theme of guilt. All these images correspond with their theme directly. The themes themselves interact with each other as well, allowing certain symbols and motifs to be further emphasized.
The motif and image of weather is used to foreshadow events in Macbeth. Weather correlates to the theme of time because certain weather can predict what will happen in the future(Shmoop). It is also a natural image in the play but often occurs in somewhat of an unnatural way. This is an aspect to the theme time because we know what will happen later on in the story, but the characters do not know: “It will rain tonight” (3.3.16). Banquo predicts the bad weather that translates into the murder of him and Fleance. Later in the play, Macduff’s family is brutally slaughtered by none other than Macbeth. Ross is informed of this before Macduff and precedes to give him the terrible news: “ But I have words that would be howled out in the desert air, where hearing should not latch them” (4.3.192). Ross is saying that he had secrets that were not meant to be out in public. There is a strong significance between the desert air and the “lone howler.” Shakespeare is emphasizing on how reclusive and eerie a desert is alone. A howler left alone in the desert would not be heard by anyone but by the one who is doing the howling. The readers know that there will soon be a secret that will be released through the use of foreshadowing. This is possible due to the effect that weather has on this entire play. Another example of this imagery with weather, was in the very beginning with Act 1. The witches gather to meet in atrocious forecasts: “Hover through the fog and filthy air.” (1.1.11). During their gathering, they foresee the murders that Macbeth will enact. They also make two other prophecies that later become legitimate in the play.
The motif of the weather continues to appear throughout the play portending both evil and good(Weebly). We generally see bad weather during the play which is commonly associated with bad things that will occur. Dreadful weather predicts all the evil things to come. Most evil things in Macbeth happen in the dark. The lightning and thunder is used to create a dark mood for the play: “When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning, or in rain?” (1.1. 2-4). This prophetic weather is a sign of evil and witches are directly cohort to this motif. If bad weather is yet to occur again, the witches will most likely be present to represent evil(Sparknotes). When a natural image such as weather has significance in the story, something unnatural will happen as reaction. The witches or “the three weird sisters”, in the beginning of the play also contribute to this idea. Pleasant weather can also be seen as a contrast of poor weather: “Where they most breed and haunt, I have observed/The air is so delicate” (1.6.9). Banquo is using the pleasant weather to describe the castle as a very safe and lovely place even for children to stay. Macbeth’s guilt can also be shown through the weather: “ That I may tell pale-hearted fear it lies, and sleep in spite of thunder” (4.18.86). This quote portrays how Macbeth is starting to become concerned about the murders of Banquo and Fleance. His immense guilt causing him to lose sleep.
Hallucination is another motif that recurs in Macbeth(Weebly). We see hallucinations take a toll on both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. This motif can relate to the theme of guilt. Lady Macbeth experiences hallucinations about blood not washing off of her hands. She is feeling extreme guilt about Macbeth’s murders and feels as if the blood is on her hands, figuratively and literally. Even though she was not the one to commit these murders, Lady Macbeth’s guilt makes her feel as if she is still somewhat responsible for them. Macbeth also sees and hears a number of hallucinations throughout the play: a hanging dagger, Banquo’s ghost, and a voice. “Is this a dagger which I see before me…” (2.1.33). Macbeth is deciding to kill Duncan but guilt is hanging over his head about this decision. He is indecisive and the dagger is trying to persuade him. Their hallucinations increase when their guilt becomes greater. The image and theme connect because the guilty conscience of the characters help produce the hallucinations in the play. Without guilt, hallucinations would almost not even be possible.
These images and themes help create and exaggerate the motifs of the play, whether the images are natural or not, they each indicate the presence of evil. Evil is a symbol that is ubiquitous during the entire play, and Shakespeare incorporates it in a way that is concealed. The images help bring about this encompassing evil. The two themes directly respond to their motifs in the play and allows them to correspond with each other. Without guilt, the hallucinations would not occur as many times as it does. Without the existence of bad weather, foreshadowing would not be inured to the readers. None of these motifs would not be as vigorously present as it is portrayed currently without their themes alone.