What use does Shakespeare make of contrast in 'Macbeth'?

The whole of 'Macbeth' is based on the continuing fight of good against evil and contrast explores all distinctive features of this universal struggle. Two important aspects of historical context which are explored and exploited by Shakespeare through his use of contrasts are the Elizabethan belief in the supernatural and the evil of the witches, and the accession of James I and the contemporary belief in the Divine Right of Kings. This would have made the events of 'Macbeth' more relevant to the Elizabethan audience.

The many different contrasts used in the play can be placed into three main categories: themes, language and imagery, characters, and the structure Shakespeare purposefully uses.

One of Shakespeare's main themes in 'Macbeth' is the contrast between appearance and reality. Shakespeare introduces this theme using the witches in Act One Scene 1 through their refrain:

Fair is foul, and foul is fair

He does this so the audience will immediately link the witches with his exploration of deceit and evil and they are simultaneously alerted to the deceptive nature of appearances in the play.

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There are many developments of this contrast and they are all linked into how deceptive people and appearances can be once they have aligned themselves with evil. In Act one Scene 2 the audience finds out that the Thane of Cawdor, one of King Duncan's thanes, is actually a traitor just pretending to be a friend. Shakespeare gives Macbeth his title to add to the effect of later events in the play when Macbeth meets the witches and to link him with becoming a traitor.

Through Duncan believing that the Thane of Cawdor was loyal to him Shakespeare reminds the audience of how difficult it is to judge a person just by what they appear to be:

There's no art

To find the mind's construction in the face.

This is developed further when Macbeth appears to be absolutely loyal to Duncan who describes Macbeth as 'a peerless kinsman.' The audience would realise the irony in this after finding Macbeth's thoughts of murder. Shakespeare introduces a major expansion of the appearance and reality theme using Macbeth's thought patterns. Macbeth appears to see the murder weapon (a dagger) in front of him:

Is this a dagger which I see before me,

The handle toward my hand?

But he doesn't know if he should believe it is there:

Mine eyes are made the fools o' th' other senses,

Or else worth all the rest.

This leads the audience to puzzle over whether the dagger is a hallucination or the witches trying to lead Macbeth further towards committing the murder. Shakespeare's use of contrast here helps give an insight into Macbeth's disturbed psychological state. This is also explored during Act five Scene 1 when Lady Macbeth claims to see a spot of blood on her hands 'Yet here's a spot.' Again Lady Macbeth's mental state and, in particular, her sense of guilt is explored.

There are many examples of characters in 'Macbeth' putting on false faces and sometimes Shakespeare makes it hard for the audience to detect the contrast in the characters and their appearances. After Duncan's murder Macbeth says:

Had I died an hour before this chance,

I had lived a blessed time

For the audience it is hard to decide whether Macbeth is really being sincere or whether he is putting on a false face to mask his involvement in Duncan's murder. Shakespeare has the Old Man in 'Macbeth' to speak on behalf of the whole of Scotland. At the end of Act two Scene 4 he turns around the appearance and reality theme which, up to this point, has been linked with the workings of evil to state the opposite of what the audience have known so far:

That would make good of bad, and friends of

foes.

This puts a whole new aspect on this contrast and the response of this would be hope of good entering the play. A good situation emerging from a bad one.

Another method used by Shakespeare to contrast good and evil is the symbolism of light and darkness. Shakespeare uses Lady Macbeth to first convey this idea to the audience when she calls evil into her 'Come thick night.' After hearing this, the audience would immediately link evil to darkness and light to good. The light and dark idea is shown again in Act five Scene 1 when Lady Macbeth 'has a light by her continually, 'tis her command.' This is when she doesn't want evil in her anymore, she wants good to come back into her and reign over the evil. In Act two Scene 1 on the night of the planned murder of Duncan the darkness is displayed to the audience by what Banquo says:

There's husbandry in heaven,

Their candles are all out.'

This is exactly what the Macbeths asked for on the night of the murder which lets the audience know they are associated with evil and by Banquo holding a torch (light) he is associated with good. Shakespeare then conveys these contrasting ideas more specifically to the audience using Macbeth's words as he goes to commit the murder:

Now o'er the one half-world

Nature seems dead, and wicked dreams abuse

The curtained sleep

Macbeth is saying that night (darkness) is the right time for evil to show itself. The daytime straight after the murder night in Act two Scene 4 should be light again 'dark night strangles the travelling lamp.'

This line is symbolic as it indicates that the murder, evil and darkness are dominant in the world.

Shakespeare shows a possible turn around in 'Macbeth' when the time of night is asked and the answer 'Almost at odds with morning, which is which' shows Macbeth's evil being challenged. By the end of Act four Scene 3 Malcolm wants revenge on Macbeth and is determined to help good win the universal struggle over evil and hope of good's triumph is indicated in the line:

The night is long that never finds the day.

Shakespeare explores the idea of good and evil through the porter and his talk of 'equivocation':

Faith here's an equivocator,

that could swear in both the scales against either

scale

This also introduces the audience to a new idea of God and the devil (the epitome of good and evil) when the porter claims he is a 'porter of hell-gate' which makes the Macbeths devils. This is Shakespeare's method of establishing the nature of God and the devil and therefore heaven and hell. Macbeth is linked to the devil again by Macduff when he is called a 'hell-hound' and God is linked to Malcolm when he claims he is going to rule over Scotland by the grace of Grace.'

Another theme used by Shakespeare in 'Macbeth' is how Macbeth disturbs the natural order when he murders Duncan. This is linked with the 17th century belief in the Divine Right of Kings as it was considered a sin to kill the king who was appointed by God. The unnatural in the world shown after the murder reflects the unnatural killing of the king:

A falcon towering in her pride of place

Was by a mousing owl hawked at, and killed.

This is not natural as the most important species is being killed by an inferior species. The king's horses are also acting unnaturally when they 'eat each other.'

Shakespeare uses contrast through the natural order to explain how one murder (of Duncan) can affect the whole world and everything in it.

In his exploration of the theme of kingship, Shakespeare leads the play into contrasts between kingly characters. Shakespeare contrasts them to show the audience the qualities of a good king who is always a rightful king. Malcolm displays many qualities that his father, Duncan, doesn't have. In Act one Scene 4 the suggestion is that Duncan is too trusting as the Thane of Cawdor on whom Duncan 'built an absolute trust' turns out to be a traitor. This is a contrast to Malcolm and his testing of Macduff in Act four Scene 3. He shows he is not as gullible as Duncan is by his wariness of Macduff. Malcolm has a bigger understanding of the world and how good and evil can look exactly the same. He questions Macduff to decide whether he can be trusted and realises that 'Though all things are foul would wear the brows of grace. Yet grace must still look so.'

It is clear that Malcolm has all the qualities needed to rule a country:

At no time broke my faith, would not betray

The devil to his fellow, and delight

No less in truth than life.

He handled Macduff's visit very wisely proving he would be a good king and he recognises that with kingship comes responsibilities to serve his country and its people.

Malcolm and Macbeth (a rightful king and a usurper) are contrasted, Macbeth being the 'disease of Scotland' and Malcolm being the 'medicine to cure the sick land.' When Malcolm is testing Macduff he thinks qualities that would make him unfit to rule which are obviously the opposite of his character. He recognises Macbeth's evil qualities as 'bloody, luxurious, avaricious, false, deceitful, sudden, malicious.'

In Act five Scene 2 the audience find out that, for Malcolm's sake, people are prepared 'pour we, in our country's purge, Each drop of us.' This is a symbol of loyalty to him and Scotland. Shakespeare describes Malcolm as 'the sovereign flower' watered by the blood of the devoted but Macbeth and his followers are described as 'the weeds' drowned by it. Malcolm shows that he will be a better king than Macbeth at the end of Act five Scene 9 when he tells Scotland he will reward the people who helped their country because they deserved it, not just because they did something good for him.

He also says he is going to go about his duties in an orderly fashion 'in measure, time and place,' unlike Macbeth who went on mad rampages, and with help of 'the grace of Grace.' Shakespeare doesn't just contrast single characters but groups also. The English army and the Scottish army are contrasted to show the two leaders, Malcolm and Macbeth, and how they manage to command armies. Act five Scene 2 is a good example of this as in it Shakespeare explains the positions of the two opposing sides. Shakespeare deliberately juxtaposed this with Act five Scene 3 to let the audience decide which side is stronger.

Even though Edward, King of England, never actually enters 'Macbeth' Shakespeare uses him to contrast with Macbeth. He deliberately juxtaposes the two to show how much Edward makes a better king than Macbeth and to show Edward as good and Macbeth as evil. People think of Macbeth as 'a tyrant, whose sole name blisters their tongues' and people think of Edward as 'a most miraculous work' and a 'good king.' It is said of Edward that 'such sanctity hath heaven given his hands' that he heals those he touches. In contrast Macbeth is described as the cause of his people's suffering. Edward is said to be God-like and Macbeth is said to be devilish. Their descendants are also contrasted, as Edward's will carry on having his healing touch:

To the succeeding royalty he leaves

The healing benediction.

But Macbeth's descendants will not carry on being kings as the witches prophesied Banquo's descendants would be kings after Macbeth.

There is a big change in Macbeth as a character, in his behaviour and mental state. At the beginning of the play, in Act one Scene 2, Macbeth is described as brave, bloodthirsty and ruthless but it is clear that Shakespeare wanted the audience to admire him in battle. This behaviour was considered honourable as he was fighting courageously for his country. This idea of Macbeth contrasts greatly with his reputation of a 'dead butcher,' 'hellhound' and 'usurper' at the very end of 'Macbeth.' After his first meeting with the witches the audience can see that from now on Macbeth's thoughts and actions are consumed and directed by them. With every murder Macbeth appears to get stronger and, in Act three Scene 2, he suggests that only further acts of evil will secure his place on the throne claiming:

Things bad begun make themselves strong by ill.

The contrast in Macbeth from having to be persuaded to commit the murder of Duncan to murdering the whole Macduff household who pose no direct threat to him, it is clear that Macbeth is getting stronger with the evil he now possesses. Through this contrast Shakespeare demonstrates the effect that the embracing of evil can have on a once noble and respected man, as it is the witches who introduce Macbeth to the thought of murder.

When Macbeth meets the witches for the first time Banquo is with him and his response to what the witches tell him contrasts with Macbeth's. Banquo is certain that the witches are evil. After the witches have predicted such great things for Macbeth, Banquo shows a natural curiosity and asks the witches if they know anything about his future. However, unlike Macbeth, Banquo is not very anxious to know:

Speak then to me, who neither bag nor fear

Your favours nor your hate

Banquo is asserting his independence here by not begging for an answer. Macbeth is not as sure about the nature of the witches as Banquo and desires to know more about his future. Shakespeare contrasts Banquo and Macbeth to let the audience see Macbeth as a tragic hero and not just a victim of the supernatural. Both Banquo and Macbeth had a choice whether to act on what the witches had said or not and they responded differently. Shakespeare displays to the audience how Macbeth had a part to play in his downfall and the extent of the witches power as not being able to take full control of anyone's mind.

Shakespeare shows Banquo as a very good person at the start of the play. This would have pleased James I as he was thought to be a descendant of Banquo. Nevertheless Banquo's character does alter slightly from the first impression the audience have of him to the last. After the meeting with the witches Banquo is wary of the witches and tries to warn Macbeth of the dangers:

An oftentimes, to win us to our harm,

The instruments of darkness tell us truths,

Win us honest trifles, to betray's

In deepest consequence.

Banquo is often seen holding a torch, which Shakespeare uses to symbolise good. In Act three Scene 1 Banquo starts to get tempted by the witches predictions and this makes him unsure about telling others of Macbeth and the murder of Duncan:

May they not be my oracles as well,

And set me up in hope? But hush, no more.

Shakespeare shows some evil in Banquo as he begins to be deceitful towards Macbeth:

To the which my duties

Are with a most indissoluble tie

For ever knit.

Shakespeare puts this contrast of Banquo into 'Macbeth' to show that the forces of evil can even tempt good people as well as others.

Similar to Macbeth, Shakespeare contrasts Lady Macbeth's character from the beginning to the end of 'Macbeth.' The audience's first impression of her is that she is manipulative and dominating as she takes it upon herself to make the murder of Duncan happen:

Glamis thou art, and Cawdor, and shalt be

What thou art promised.

However, the audience is able to see two sides to Lady Macbeth through Shakespeare's use of soliloquies. A face she uses for Macbeth and her true self revealed to the audience. To Macbeth she is elf assured and unaffected, she hides all her true feelings. Yet for the audience her true feelings, showing a softer side to Lady Macbeth, are displayed. These can be seen especially in Act five Scene 1 when she sleepwalks and relives all her acts of evil showing what she really felt at the times:

Here's the smell of blood still; all the

Perfumes of Arabia could not sweeten this little hand.

This contrasts with her statement to Macbeth at the time:

A little water clears us of this deed,

How easy is it then!

In this scene Lady Macbeth also 'has a light by her continually' suggesting that she desperately wants good back into her. From this the audience realise that Malcolm's description of her as a 'fiend-like queen' at the end of the play is not the whole truth. Shakespeare uses this contrast in Lady Macbeth to explore elements of humanity such as how people don't just have one true side, and to demonstrate what the supernatural can do to a mind and the way guilt can affect people.

Many structural contrasts are used throughout 'Macbeth' to maintain interest in the audience, heighten suspense and highlight themes. Shakespeare juxtaposes some scenes with others purposely to make certain things stand out or to relieve the tension of the play. When Duncan arrives at Macbeth's castle, in Act one Scene 6, the audience realise the irony and contrast in what is said in this scene as it is straight after the scene with the planning of the murder in.

This castle hath a pleasant seat; the air

Nimbly and sweetly recommends itself

Unto our gentle senses.

This makes the Macbeths seem more evil as Duncan appears innocent and oblivious to anything that the audience knows is about to happen. The start of Act two Scene 3, the Porter's scene, is a contrast to the previous and following scenes. Shakespeare puts this in to relieve the audience from the increasing tension with humour. However, when dropping the tension for a while amongst the audience, Shakespeare still includes the main theme of evil and deceit even though the tone is different.

Shakespeare's use of contrast in 'Macbeth' is his pivotal way of exploring characters and themes. However 'Macbeth' is not only an exploration of these, it is very successful as an actual play on the stage. Although the play was written for a 17th century audience and appealed to them covering many aspects of historical context, 500 years on modern audiences are still interested in the different aspects of 'Macbeth' and can see it has lost none of its impact.

References

• Macbeth Themes | Shmoop
• Open Source Shakespeare - Macbeth
• SparkNotes - Macbeth Themes, Motifs & Symbols