Light And Evil In Macbeth

Throughout the tragedy called Macbeth by William Shakespeare, the lines of what characters are untainted and which characters are corrupted becomes increasingly blurred throughout the tragedy’s progression. Some characters gradually change over time whereas others change to evil in hardly even one scene. In the tragedy, Macbeth, much is changing, and much is foreshadowed of Macbeth’s progression throughout by using symbolism of light and dark as good and evil. In the beginning, Macbeth had many admirable traits such as heroism, bravery, and knew how to kill his enemies swiftly in the battle for the beloved King Duncan. For instance, Macbeth said this of the Weird Women “...and oftentimes, to win us to our harm, the instruments of darkness tell us truths, win us with honest trifles, to betray in deepest consequence.”(Act 1, Scene 3, Line 16). In this quote, Macbeth warns Banquo, his best friend to not fall into the promises of the witches because no one really knows what their true intentions are. However, as he progresses throughout this

Lady Macbeth tries to convince Macbeth that killing Duncan will solve their problems. Lady Macbeth says “Come, thick night, and pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell, that my keen knife see not the wound it makes, nor the heaven peep through the blanket of the dark" (Act 1, Scene 5, Line 23) to ensure that they will not be suspected. Subsequently, in that scene, Macbeth tells his wife to “Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under't...you shall put this night’s great business into my dispatch, which shall to all our nights and days to come give solely sovereign sway and masterdom.”(Act 1, Scene 6, Line 14). Macbeth does this because her acting properly will also help ensure they will not be suspected of killing their benevolent