Pathetic Fallacy & Symbolism

Pathetic Fallacy

Shakespeare uses pathetic fallacy (using the weather to reflect the mood) throughout the play to show the supernatural atmosphere.

Thunder and lightning

The play begins with ‘thunder and lightning’ as the witches arrive on stage.
When they appear again in Act 1, Scene 3, there is also thunder.
This continues throughout to show the audience that the witches will soon be on stage and strange things are about to happen. Thunder and lightning symbolise disruption and chaos.

Stars and darkness

As the play builds up to the murder of King Duncan, the stars disappear. Banquo notices: ‘There’s husbandry in heaven, / Their candles are out’ (2,1).
This darkness becomes symbolic of the evil to come and builds an ominous atmosphere. The atmosphere throughout the play is tense.
The actions of the play create this as a plot to kill a king is shocking.
After this, suspense continues because of Macbeth’s unpredictable actions and the other murders. The witches’ presence adds to this atmosphere. The audience wants to see where they will lead Macbeth and what will happen as a result of him listening to them.

Dark Symbolism

Night and darkness can conceal things in the play. Darkness also symbolises evil.

Concealing Macbeth's thoughts

When Macbeth meets with King Duncan in Act 1, Scene 4, he is still thinking about getting the crown. In an ‘aside’, he says: ‘Stars, hide your fires, / Let not light see my black and deep desires’.
Light symbolises purity and truth; darkness is where evil things can happen.

Concealing Lady Macbeth's actions

Lady Macbeth asks night to come and hide her actions. She asks for night to be so thick that Heaven can’t see what she is doing and try to stop it: ‘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 the dark / To cry, ‘Hold, hold’' (1,5).
Lady Macbeth wants to use nighttime and darkness to try and conceal her actions from the daggers they use, and from God himself. She knows what she is doing is a sin and calls on Hell to help her – this shows her evil nature before they even commit the murders.

Symbol of evil

After King Duncan’s murder, it stays dark even though it is daytime: ‘By th’ clock ‘tis day / And yet dark night strangles the travelling lamp’ (2,4).
- The darkness symbolises the evil on earth.
Night is seen as a time for evil: ‘How now, you secret, black and midnight hags!’ Macbeth’s words here clearly connect the witches to the night (4,1).

Banquo's murder

Banquo’s murder happens as day turns to night. Macbeth invites night in to hide the horror of what is about to happen: ‘Good things of day begin to droop and drowse, / Whiles night’s black agents to their preys do move’ (3,2).

Light Symbolism

Light symbolises truth and life - especially for Lady Macbeth.

Lady Macbeth sleepwalking

Lady Macbeth carries a candle with her when she sleepwalks.
This suggests that what she is revealing is honest, unlike her trickery when she is awake. The stage directions say: ‘Enter Lady Macbeth with a taper’.
The gentlewoman says, ‘She has light by her continually, ‘tis her command’ (5,1).
This suggests that light reassures her and darkness holds horror for her.

Lady Macbeth's death

When Lady Macbeth dies, Macbeth says, ‘Out, out, brief candle’.
This is a metaphor for a life has been ended too quickly. He also compares life to a ‘shadow’. This suggests that it is difficult to ever achieve anything lasting.
We live, die and are quickly forgotten (5,5).

1Literary & Cultural Context

1.1Context

1.1.1Tragedy

1.1.2The Supernatural & Gender

1.1.3Politics & Monarchy

1.1.4End of Topic Test - Context

2Plot Summary

2.1Act 1

2.1.1Scenes 1 & 2

2.1.2Scene 3

2.1.3Scenes 4-5

2.1.4Scenes 6-7

2.1.5End of Topic Test - Act 1

2.2Acts 2-4

2.2.1Act 2

2.2.2Act 3

2.2.3Act 4

2.3Act 5

2.3.1Scenes 1-3

2.3.2Scenes 4-9

2.3.3End of Topic Test - Acts 2-5

3Characters

3.1Macbeth

3.1.1Hero vs Villain

3.1.2Ambition & Fate

3.1.3Relationship

3.1.4Unstable

3.1.5End of Topic Test - Macbeth

3.2Lady Macbeth

3.2.1Masculine & Ruthless

3.2.2Manipulative & Disturbed

3.3Other Characters

3.3.1Banquo

3.3.2The Witches

3.3.3Exam-Style Questions - The Witches

3.3.4King Duncan

3.3.5Macduff

3.3.6End of Topic Test - Lady Macbeth & Banquo

3.3.7End of Topic Test - Witches, Duncan & Macduff

3.4Grade 9 - Key Characters

3.4.1Grade 9 - Lady Macbeth Questions

4Themes

4.1Themes

4.1.1Power & Ambition

4.1.2Power & Ambition HyperLearning

4.1.3Violence

4.1.4The Supernatural

4.1.5Masculinity

4.1.6Armour, Kingship & The Natural Order

4.1.7Appearances & Deception

4.1.8Madness & Blood

4.1.9Women, Children & Sleep

4.1.10End of Topic Test - Themes

4.1.11End of Topic Test - Themes 2

4.2Grade 9 - Themes

4.2.1Grade 9 - Themes

4.2.2Extract Analysis

5Writer's Techniques

5.1Structure, Meter & Other Literary Techniques

5.1.1Structure, Meter & Dramatic Irony

5.1.2Pathetic Fallacy & Symbolism

5.1.3End of Topic Test - Writer's Techniques

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