Darkness imagery works well in characterizing as well as arousing the emotions of the audience. She will be unable to see what she wounds and nothing will be able to come out of the darkness to stop her. With night covering the earth like a blanket, no one knows what might happen.ДЄlso, Lady Macbeth seems to explain that her attack will be blind. Another case of darkness imagery happens when Lady Macbeth and a messenger are talking and Lady Macbeth states, вЂњThat my keen knife see not the wound it makes, nor heaven peep through the blanket of the dark to cry, вЂHold, hold!'вЂќ It creates a sensation of terror in the reader because of something that is unknown. To help this example of imagery, the sun can also symbolize a monarch or king. This example of darkness imagery creates an eerie feeling in the reader because it is very abnormal for the sun to be blocked. Ross is later talking with an old man when he states вЂњBy the clock `tis day, and yet dark night strangles the traveling lamp.вЂќ In other words although the sun should be out, something is blocking the light. When words like вЂњblackвЂќ and вЂњdesireвЂќ are put in that context it creates many horrible mental pictures about murders and fights which arouses peopleвЂ™s emotions. For example, Duncan and Macbeth were talking when Macbeth says aside, вЂњStars, hide your fires! Let not light see my black and deep desires.вЂќ It enables people to create a mental picture of what they are reading. Darkness imagery is a very good tool for arousing the emotions of the audience. Since the imagery creates an ominous atmosphere it would then lead to the second dramatic purpose, to arouse the emotions of the audience. The evil in this previous quotation and the two before adding to the ominous atmosphere. Finally, Lady Macbeth and Macbeth are talking in the scene just before the murder of Banquo and Macbeth says, вЂњLight thickens, and the crow makes wing to the rooky wood: Good things of day begin to droop and drowse, whiles nightвЂ™s black agents to their preys do rouse.вЂќ This example of darkness imagery is saying that the day is turning into night, all the good things are going to sleep, and the evil creatures are coming out. Later on, the Sergeant is talking with Duncan and Malcolm when he states, вЂњShip wrecking storms and direful thunders break.вЂќДЄgain this darkness imagery contributes to the ominous atmosphere of the play, having reference to thunder and dark storms. At the very beginning of the play the three witches are talking and the first witch says, вЂњWhen shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning, or in rain?вЂќ This is a good example of darkness imagery because when thinking about the crashing thunder, lightning, and rain, thoughts of ominous things are brought forth.

The darkness imagery in Macbeth contributes to its ominous atmosphere. Those three purposes are to create atmosphere, to arouse the emotions of the audience, and to contribute to the major theme of the play. By analyzing William ShakespeareвЂ™s Macbeth, it is evident that darkness imagery is used for three dramatic purposes.

Many different types of imagery exist and there is at least one dramatic purpose for each image.

Types of imagery in macbeth