Vegetation Metaphors In Macbeth

The play Macbeth written by Shakespeare is a story full of greed, crime, and guilt. Based in Scotland, Macbeth and his wife Lady Macbeth inherits the throne after a series of unfortunate events. Shakespeare uses vegetation imagery to emphasize the themes of growth, death, and decay in Macbeth. This allows the reader to have a clear understanding of the message Shakespeare is trying to convey, which is that evil may overcome integrity.

In Shakespeare’s play Macbeth, the use of vegetation metaphors symbolizes growth in the play in the context of success. In the play the king of Scotland, Duncan, claims that he will plant the seeds of Macbeth and Banquo to make them grow (I.iv.28). What Duncan is saying is that he is setting Macbeth and Banquo

The witches told half truths of the future that Macbeth would become king, and Banquo’s sons will become king as well. Both men take this in a different way. Macbeth fully believes the witches while Banquo knows not to fall for the witches' trickery. Banquo says, “ If you can look into the seeds of time, and say which grain will grow and, which will not, speak, then to me, who neither beg nor fear your favors nor your hate” (I.ii.58-61). The uses of growth vegetation in the quote put a supernatural feel towards the witches and towards the play. Banquo says if the witches can truly look into the future or the ‘seeds of time’, then he will believe the witches. Nevertheless, the witches’ tales of Macbeth going into the throne are all false to Banquo. However, after Macbeth inherits the throne, Banquo soon starts to believe the witches’ tall

The imagery does not directly suggest death and decay, it is the context the imagery is used in that signifies the themes. For instance, after Macbeth becomes king, he realizes he wears a ‘fruitless crown', and he has a ‘barren scepter’ in his gripe (III.i.61). His legacy has vanished, and he felt as if he and his wife went through enough trouble not to pass on the throne to their own blood. Macbeth sees the only way to solve the issue that lies in front of him is to kill his best friend, Banquo. He hires murderers to do the job. Macbeth tells the assassins, “I will advise you were to plant yourselves…” (III.i.129). The men then come up with a plan to kill Banquo. The use of vegetation imagery gives the reader a better understanding of who is actually committing the crime when it comes to the killing of Banquo. Towards the end of the play, Duncan’s son, Malcolm, wants to take the throne that belongs to him. Malcolm and the British royalty have an alliance with each other. Lennox, who is a nobleman towards Duncan, is also fighting along with Malcolm. Lennox says, “ … To dew the sovereign flower and drown the weeds…” (V.ii.30). Lennox wants to kill Macbeth and reward the crown to Malcolm. The plan was made, and Macbeth was