Light-DArk Essay, Research Paper
Light / Dark
Outline
Thesis :In Macbeth, Shakespeare uses light and dark to bring out the ideas of good and understanding, and to show his audience the evil and hiding that take place during
the play
I.Intoduction (Tom)
A. Readers see schemes fail; lead to destruction
B. Many themes
1. Motifs
2. Help tie play together; reinforce themes
C. Thesis
II. Light (Aaron)
A. Good; Shakespere uses this motif through the play to show his audience that goodness
associated with light.
1. Day/Sun
a. day brings good deeds, comfort
b. nights black agents vs. good of day
c. heavens see upon earth
d. clouds-dark (heaven?s light does not shine)
2. Stars shine and fires
a. deservers have light
1. nobleness
2. stars
b. bright angel (lucifer)
B. Understanding
1. Shining
a. understands defeat is near
b. understands he should have not killed Duncan
2. Light
a. ?give light here, ho!?
1. understands who is there
2. get into light / good
b. hide fires
1. not see desires
2. not understand the person
III. Dark
A. Nature (Scott)
1. Night?s black agents
a. good things leave
b. bad things come
2. Nature?s disasters happen at
a. this is all evil
b. happens all over
3. Obscure bird clamored lifelong night
a. bird is dark
b. takes over the light
4. Come seeling night
a. dark takes over the light
b. light is pitiful and weak compared to dark
B. Witches
1. Secret, black, and midnight hags
2. Bat hath flown to hectate?s summons
a. summons are dark and evil
b. bat is dark and evil
c. foreshadows evil to come
3. Root ?o hemlock
a. for the witches
b. digging in the dark has made it evil
C. Evil in darkness – Macbeth (Michelle)
1. Macbeth is afraid of sun
a. he is evil
b. does evil deeds
2. Angels are good (bright); lucifer fell to hell (Macbeth)
3. Evil deeds are done in darkness
D. Lady Macbeth
1. Takes away the light in Duncan
2. Dark coverings
a. smoke of hell
b. heaven cannot see deeds
IV. Hiding (Tom)
A. From other characters
1. Macbeth has ambitions of being king
a. stars hide fires
b. no one sees his plans
2. Hide true ambitions from guests
B. From themselves : Lady Macbeth with a candle
V. Conclusion
A. Light
1. Goodness
2. Understanding
B. Darkness
1. Evil in nature
2. Evil in characters
C. Hiding