Introduction
Imagery is defined as the visually descriptive or figurative language, especially in a literary work. There is no doubt that the imagery in the play Macbeth is highly imaginative and varied. The imagery conveys certain ideas which are subtle and complex.
The Garment Imagery and its Significance
The garment imagery in this play has attracted the attention of many critics. Macbeth himself first mentions it. He says, “Why do you dress me in borrowed robes?” when he is greeted by Ross as Thane of Cawdor. A few minutes later, when Macbeth is lost in his ambitious thought, Banquo says that new honours come upon Macbeth as new garments to which the body has to accustom itself before feeling comfortable in them.
Most of the garment images employed in the play serve to lower Macbeth in our estimation. If a small man wears a very large coat, he looks ridiculous. Shakespeare uses a similar device in order to make Macbeth look suspicious when he obtains certain favours through crime. When, for instance, Macbeth is facing defeat, the Scottish Lords see him as a man vainly trying to fasten a large garment on himself with too small a belt. Caithness says that Macbeth cannot buckle his distempered cause within the belt of rule. Angus says that Macbeth feels his title hang loose about him, like a giant’s robe upon a dwarfish thief. Thus, Angus conveys the picture of a small, misshapen man encumbered and embarrassed by garments unsuited to him.
Masking or Cloaking Imagery
The series of garment metaphors that run throughout the play is supplemented by a series of masking or cloaking images. Some of the cloaking images serve the same symbolic purpose, namely to make us conscious of Macbeth’s disgraceful self before the murder of Duncan. Macbeth says to his wife: “False face must hide what the false heart doth know.” Also, just before the murder of Banquo, Macbeth calls upon the night to “scarf up the tender eye of pitiful day.” One of the most powerful cloaking images is provided by Lady Macbeth when she calls upon the thick night to “wrap itself in the dunnest smoke of hell,” so that her keen knife doesn’t see the wound it makes.
Images of Darkness and Light
An atmosphere of darkness broods over the play. It is all the more appropriate since the action takes place at night or in some dark spot. In other words, we have plenty of imagery in the play contributing to the atmospheric darkness. Darkness symbolizes the evil which dominates the play. Likewise, light symbolizes goodness which has disappeared. This is shown not only by means of certain characters but by means of certain images. Thus, the witches are described as “secret, black, and midnight hags.” The idea that only darkness can conceal what is to be done is always present with both Macbeth and his wife. Even Banquo, looking up at the dark sky, observes that there is “husbandry” in heaven and the candles in the sky are all out. Banquo says this just before the murder of Duncan. After the murder of Duncan, we get the image that “dark night strangles the travelling lamp” and “darkness does the face of earth entomb when living light should kiss it.” As for images of light, Duncan, when he nominates his son Malcolm for the throne, says: “signs of nobleness like stars shall shine on all deservers.” Macbeth tells Banquo just before the murder of Duncan that they will “spend a large expense of time” together. It is the light which Fleance carries with Banquo when he is attacked and killed.
Images of Blood
In the play, the most terrible of these is Macbeth’s description of himself wading in a river of blood. But the most striking is the picture of Macbeth gazing at his own blood-stained hand and watching it dye the whole ocean red. Besides, there are the ‘gory locks’ of the murdered Banquo whose ghost confronts Macbeth on the occasion of the royal feast. There is also fear expressed in Macbeth’s words “blood will have blood.”
Images of Reverberation and Sound
Another image that runs through the play is the reverberation of sound echoing in vast regions.The peculiar quality of echoing and re-echoing sound is used to emphasize the boundless effect of evil in the nature of man. For instance, Macduff himself gives us a magnificent image of angels pleading “trumpet-tongued” on behalf of Duncan. The image fills our imagination with the thought of how the pleading of the angels will be broadcast through great space with reverberating sounds. The same idea is taken up by Macduff when he lets out cries that “new widows howl, new orphans cry,” so that the sky reverberates with this haunting and crying. Such images convey to us the overwhelming and unending nature of the consequences of evil deeds.
Images of Sickness and Disease
Then we have images of sickness and disease. Through those images we are made to feel that sin is a disease and Scotland at this time is sick. Macbeth, while refusing medicine for himself, asks the Doctor if he could analyse the disease of Scotland. Malcolm urges Macduff to make “us medicines of our great revenge to cure this deadly grief.”
Violent Images
The vividness, magnitude, and violence of the imagery are characteristic of the play, and they contribute to the play’s general atmosphere. Some of the noteworthy images from this point of view are the following: the babe torn from the mother’s breast and dashed to death; pouring the sweet milk of concord into hell; and now, striking the face so that it resounds and gets out “like syllables of colour”; the mind lying in restless ecstasy on a rack; the mind full of scorpions; the tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury. All such images help the imagination moving on a wild and wounding sea; while it is hardly complete to dwell on thoughts of peace and beauty.