Comparing Light And Dark In Polanski's Macbeth

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In image 11, immediately after Duncan’s murder, the dead king’s crown is shown in a sideways position on the floor in the left foreground, while a fire surrounded by darkness takes up a good portion of the rest of the image. Immediately behind and to the left of the crown is the base of Duncan’s bed, which is decorated with crosses and other ornate images. Furthermore, this area as well as the crown in the foreground are covered in light, which creates contrast between it and the darkness and fire in the background. In Polanski’s Macbeth, the contrast between light and dark is commonly used as a way to differentiate between good and bad, and this image is no different. The crown, shown in light and decorated with crosses, represents true goodness

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