Imagery

Much of the imagery in Macbeth stems from the supernatural elements and portrayal of the witches as bearded, hideous hags who bring with them “foul and filthy air.” However, there are also several instances of natural imagery being corrupted and subverted, particularly with the motif of dead or sick animals. For instance, Lady Macbeth hears a “hoarse” raven that “croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan,” which is an example of auditory imagery. In Act 2, Scene 4, Ross meets with an Old Man who tells a story about how on the night of Duncan’s murder, an owl kills a falcon, and Duncan’s horses broke out of their stalls and ate each other. In all of these instances, the horrifying imagery mirrors the horror of what has occurred – Macbeth’s killing of Duncan and subsequent murdering of innocents contaminates the kingdom, and it is only when Macbeth is killed and a righteous king claims the throne that order can be restored.