Tragedy? Check. Horror? Check. Wrong? Check! Macbeth, a book written by William Shakespeare in 1599, based on a true story, incorporates these emotions and more through subtle yet complex visuals. The contrast between light and dark in the room symbolizes good and evil. Duncan, the King of Scotland, confirms this theory when he tells Macbeth that good things come to those who deserve them, "the signs of nobility, like the stars, will shine/On all merits." (I.iv.42-43). This lets us know from the beginning of the play that once the evil begins, there will be nothing delicious left. Banquo, one of Macbeth's “friends,” uses darkness to suggest evil when he speaks of heaven to Fleance: “There is agriculture in heaven;/Their candles are out. » (II.i.4-5). This underlines Duncan's point about light's contribution to good things, because at this point in the play Macbeth is planning Duncan's murder, so no light will shine because evil lurks in the air. Another interesting point that highlights the contrast between light and darkness is when Macbeth speaks to his wife after she tells him to leave the murder aside and mentions that "the good things of the day begin to fade away and to snooze;/while the black agents of the night wake up to their prey. (III.ii.54-55). Not only does this quote reaffirm that light is good, but also that Macbeth was as innocent as all other humans until he ignored his conscience and followed his ego. Therefore, light and darkness represent good and evil. Another visual that emphasizes evil in Macbeth is the constant focus on blood. Blood is always a good indicator that something bad has happened, because to physically see blood, someone must have been cut, scratched, or stabbed. When ...... middle of paper ...... and she talks about Duncan's murder, ... to express his position he uses the same metaphor of clothes: "I bought golden opinions from all kinds of people, which would be worn now in their new gloss” (Spurgeon, The Imagery of Macbeth). This links back to the first paragraph where good things happen to people, as Macbeth is the thane of Cawdor and has been nothing but kind, everyone rewards him with respect and kindness. In conclusion, Shakespeare used both subtle and complex visuals to further illustrate the central theme. of Macbeth, evil. Work citedShakespeare, William. Macbeth. Ed. Betty Bealey. Mississauga: Canadian School Book Exchange. 1996. Print Spurgeon, Caroline. “The Imagery of Macbeth.” The tragedy of Macbeth. Ed. Dom Saliani, Chris Ferguson, Dr. Tom Scott. London: Thomson International Publishing. 1997. 123-126. Print.