Light And Darkness In Macbeth Essay

658 Words2 Pages

It is said that today’s society is similar to that of Elizabethan times so why is it that a book that’s over four hundred years old is still profoundly studied today? Why not something that’s more recent and relatable?
Macbeth demonstrates the theme of light and darkness many times throughout the book, with relations to contemporary society through innocence and evil and good and bad. It also displays the theme of ambition prevalently throughout the book and shows the complexity and distance that people are willing to go to get what they want or what others have. Appearance and reality is also a prominent theme throughout Macbeth with relationships between how people and events are not what they seem. All of these themes are extremely relevant to contemporary society today. …show more content…

These representations can be related to contemporary society through the modern themes of good and bad. Light is used as a symbol for good and an ordered system. The light mentioned through Duncan stating, “Which honor must not unaccompanied invest him only, but signs of nobleness, like stars, shall shine on all deservers" (Macbeth, Act 1, Scene 4, Page 2), portrays that all is good and order is right. The idea of light signifies that the natural order is stable and everything is harmonious.
The darkness that is profoundly found throughout the book signifies that the natural order is broken and things have gone wrong. “Stars hide your fires, let not light see my black and deep desires” (Macbeth, Act 1, Scene 4, Page 3), shows that Macbeth developed his murderous desires, but was still ashamed of them and did not want people to see him for who he really is.
The use of light and darkness can be related to those themes that are present in today’s society, as when the natural order of society is good, light is dominant, but when the chain is broken darkness

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