In Shakespeare's play, Macbeth, darkness and night play a major role. Many
deaths and other major events occur during this time. Macbeth is overwhelmed by
power and feels he is unstoppable. There is something about the absence of light
that makes people act different. Macbeth fell into this category and sees he is
not the same man he usually is during the day. Macbeth is at his best and his
worse during this time period. Dependent on darkness, guiltfull disorder and
surrounding effects. The life of Macbeth and his wife revolved around darkness.
Macbeth depends heavily on darkness. Most of his actions occur during the night.
Macbeth uses this time to cover his evil actions and intentions. He and Lady
Macbeth plot and plan their evil deeds at night so heaven can not see their
doings. The darkness it self also assists their planning. "Come thick
night/ And pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell, / That my keen knife see not
the wound it makes, / Nor heaven peep through the blanket of dark." (1.5
48-51) The only way Lady Macbeth sees she can complete her deeds is with the
help of hell and darkness. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth fell that if there were no
darkness their plans would never arise. Guilt is a felling of remorse when you
have done something wrong and can not get it off your mind. It will haunt you
until something is done about it, guilt may be the worst felling that can be
felt by a person. Disorder is felt when you do not understand your surroundings,
the most common items will seem confusing. There are many examples of guilt and
disorder in Shakespeare's play, Macbeth. Macbeth and his wife are unable to
sleep at night because of their felling of guilt. Macbeth says 'I have murdered
sleep' meaning he has killed the king during his sleep and he will sleep no
longer. We find out Lady Macbeth kills her self because her overwhelmed felling
of guilt. This tragic death also occurs because of her disordered behavior of
sleep walking. Macbeth feels there should be a destruction of all moral laws
that prevent him from doing evil. His guilt builds inside him which possesses
him to continue his wrong doings. "Come seeling night/ Scaf up the tender
eye of pitiful day, / And with thy bloody and invisible hand/ Cancel and tear
the great bond/ Which keeps me pale" (3.2 46- 52) Macbeth begins to believe
he can hide his murders from daylight. Macbeth is in so much disorder that he is
unable to recognize Banquo's ghost. He is unable to realize that his illusions
really are a reflection of guilt. Macbeth plays a major role on the effect of
his surroundings. "Each new morn/ New windows howl, new orphans cry, new
sorrows/ Strike heaven on the face, that it resounds/ As if it felt with
Scotland" (4.3 4-7) Macduff's comment reflects the overall felling of
sorrow and remorse in Scotland. Macbeth has such a great impact that if the
chaos is not caused personally others would follow his example. It is unknown to
Macbeth how great of an impact he has on his people. During the night Macbeth
wreaks havoc and when morning arose Scotland mourns a loss of a king. Macbeth's
actions are unnatural and brutal like a wild animal. "Tis unnatural/ On
Tuesday last/ A falcon towering in her pride of place/ Was by a mousing owl
hawked at and killed." (2.4 11-14) Macbeth, unable to sleep plans his evil
intentions. Macbeth relies and depends on darkness. As the play progresses
Macbeth began to see night as a friend or guide. Most of his actions are planned
during this time, sometimes with the help of Lady Macbeth. The guilt he bares is
so much that he and Lady Macbeth are unable to sleep. He causes a major upset in
Scotland but also many people fallow in his footsteps. His intent to be king
snowballed into a massacre, which led to his killing. Shakespeare creates a dark
play about murder and evil. He shows what a man consumed by darkness can do to
an entire kingdom and himself.