Major
British
Writers
Macbeth Analysis
Joshua Benjamin Lee Caldwell
Period 6

In Macbeth, Shakespeare uses cosmic complicity, imagery, and setting to create the atmosphere of darkness.
What is atmosphere? Atmosphere is the general feeling of the play. It is the overriding emotion or sensation of the entire play. Atmosphere is not setting, imagery, figures of speech, or cosmic complicity. However, the forementioned are part of what helps create atmosphere.
Cosmic Complicity is nature reflecting mans' actions. An example of this is in the following quotation by Ross and the Old Man. Ross, "And Duncan's horses-a thing most strange and certain-Beauteous and swift, the minions of their race, Turned wild in nature, broke their stalls, flung out, Contending 'gainst obediaence, as they would make War with mankind." (Act II, scene iii, 13-18) Old Man, "Tis said they eat each other." (Act II, scene iii, 19) These two quotes represent the unnaturalness of the act of the murder of Duncan. Tame animals go mad and kill each other, a symbol for nobels turning on each other in a madness of murders. This creates an atmosphere of maddness and death.
Here is another example of cosmic complicity. A quote from Lady Macbeth, "I heard the owl scream and the crickets cry." (Act II, scene i, 14-15) This is when Duncan was killed. Nature protested against his murder. This is symbolic of the uproar over Duncans murder. This creates an atmosphere of death.
Imagery is a word picture that creates deeper meaning into what's said. An example of this is a quote by Macbeth, "Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood Clean from my hand? No; this my hand will rather The multitudinous seas incarnadine, Making the green one red." (Act II, scene ii, 59-62) This imagery of unwashable blood symbolizes the guilt that Macbeth bears that can not go away. This creates an atmosphere of negative emotions, all related to the murder of Duncan.
Here is another example of imagery. A quote from Donalbain, "There's daggers in men's smiles; the nearer in blood, the nearer bloody." (Act II, scene iii, 141-142) This imagery of daggers in men's smiles represents that someone who appears friendly is actually a murderer and is after them to kill them as well. The part about the nearer in blood, the nearer bloody means that the closer a person was to Duncan the more likely they are to be murdered. As Duncan's son he is certainly at the top of the murderer's black list. This makes the atmosphere one of suspicion.
Setting is what is where an action takes place, what the area's like, and environmental conditions. An example of this is in a note at the very beginning of scene iii, "Macbeth's castle". From this one line you know that you are now in the home of Macbeth, the murderer. You expect a forbidding appearance and it gives off an atmosphere of gloom.
Here is another example of setting. Another note, but one at the beginning of scene i, "An open place, Thunder and lightning". This symbolizes the storm of events that is about to occur in the midst of openness and rejoicing. This initial setting is the most important of the play, it makes the play feel dark and forbidding.
Of all the different elements discussed setting is the most obvious and important. The next most important element in creating atmosphere is imagery. Settings and word pictures are what get the imagination going. They can manipulate the entire feel of a play or event with ease, they can even distort your perception of what is really happening. The "Thunder and Lightning" casts a shadow over the rest of the play. You continually look for evil events to occur and for disaster to strike. The play seems dark and dangerous. The bit with the horses going mad and eating each other is also very important. It makes you feel on edge because everything is not right and is very unusual. This two lines greatly heightened the sense of evil and danger the pervade the entire manuscript.
P.S.Merry Christmas!

