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Aaneer Rae Ms. Gottschalk British Literature 17/1/2012 Unnatural and Natural, Light and Darkness

major theme in Act II in Macbeth is about unnatural and natural, light and darkness. Murder which is not a natural thing is connected with evil and dark deeds. Giving life is natural while taking life is unnatural. Death caused by old

age, on the battle ground, or sickness is part of natural cycle of life while death caused for attaining ambition or taking revenge is unnatural. This theme is conveyed by the use of imagery of darkness and light. Darkness is generally connected with evil deeds committed in darkness of night when the deed cannot be seen by others. Light is connected with truth and goodness and good deeds not concealed in darkness of night. Act II describes a murder committed. The scene is night time and Banquo speaks of the moon being down. Theres husbandry in heaven. Their candles are all out. (scene 1, lines 4-5) Macbeth also speaks of darkness as a time of evil and deeds of witchcraft Now oer the one half-world Nature seems dead, and wicked dreams abuse The curtained sleep; witchcraft celebrates

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Pale Hecates offerings; (scene 1, lines 49-52) It is at this time that he is going to kill Duncan. Both culturally and historically the natural order of husband/wife relationship was one in which the husbands rule their wives and told them what they cannot and can do. The wives were the ones who took orders, obeyed them, and carried them out. But in Macbeth it is the complete opposite. Lady Macbeth rules Macbeth. She made all the arrangements for the killing of Duncan. She was the one who drugged the guards, who spread the blood of Duncan on the guards, the one who calmed Macbeth down because he was trembling for having killed Duncan. She is the one who wears the pants in that relationship. Generally women are soft and tender hearted but Lady Macbeth is cruel and conniving lacking any milk of human kindness which she should have naturally. She taunted her husband for being so afraid and upset over his action. She says My hands are of your color, but I shame To wear a heart so white. (scene 2, lines 63-64) Although deep sleep is like death, it is natural because even though a person is unconscious and not aware of his surroundings sleep frees a person of worries and labor that exhausts the body and mind. Macbeth destroys sleep and therefore destroys the natural balance of life. During the death of their father the two sons, Malcolm and Donalbain do not publicly express sorrow for their father, while everyone else is expressing sorrow which is unnatural. Macbeth and the officers are expressing sorrow in an unnatural way because their sorrow is not heartfelt, but the sons who dont express sorrow even when their hearts are bleeding. Why do we hold our tongues,

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That most may claim this argument for ours? What should be spoken here, Where our fate, hid in an auger-hole, May rush, and seize us? Lets away: Our tears are not yet brewed. Nor our strong sorrow Upon the foot of motion. (Scene 3, lines 120-126) The sons fled from Scotland, one to England and the other to Ireland so the suspicion of murdering King Duncan is put on them. It would be unnatural for them to do so because King Duncan was the man that gave them life. They love their father and wouldnt kill the man that brought them into the world which is against the natural order of life. Malcolm and Donalbain, the kings two sons, Are stoln away and fled, which puts upon them Suspicion of the deed. Gainst nature still. (Scene 4, lines 25-28) The Elizabethans viewed the universe, in its ideal state, as both orderly and connected. They believed in omens which are anything perceived or happening that is believed to portend a good or evil event or circumstance in the future. They believed in a universal order, everything was linked; a disturbance in one area would cause a disturbance in other areas.

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And yet dark night strangles the traveling lamp: Ist nights predominance, or the days shame, That darkness does the face of earth entomb, When living light should kiss it? Tis unnatural, Even like the deed thats done. On Tuesday last A falcon, towring in her pride of place, Was by a mousing owl hawked at and killed. (Scene 4, lines 7-13) When unnatural deeds happen, then nature itself turns unnatural turning the natural order of things.