Imagery’s Influence on Elements of Macbeth In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, a Scottish nobleman falls from a state of respect and admiration when he leads himself down a murderous path. Shakespeare is a well-known author who uses imagery in his literary work in order to create a certain feeling or emotion within the reader. In Macbeth, prominent images include darkness, blood, borrowed or ill-fitting clothing, disease, and planting. The Scottish play is full of murder and evil-doings, with a dark mood. The images of darkness, as a cloak for evil, and borrowed or ill-fitting clothing help instill an atmosphere of mystery and ominousness. The darkness is a necessity for completing Macbeth’s dastardly deeds, which he cannot perform in broad daylight. Darkness enshrouds the nocturnal evil committed against innocent countrymen, in order to fulfill one’s selfish kingly desires. Macbeth hosts King Duncan in his castle as a guest, to feast and celebrate Macbeth’s valiance, glory, and newly-obtained thaneship. Macbeth is convinced to kill his king by his wife, and fearing what he must do, says, “Stars, hide your fires; Let not light see my black and deep desires: The eye wink at the hand; yet that be which the eye fears, when it is done, to see” (I.iv.50-53). His wife, Lady Macbeth, calls for help, begging, “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!’”(I.v.50-54). These two pre-homicidal speeches convey foreboding of death and set the ominous mood. Lennox, a thane of Scotland, notices the mystery surrounding some signs of Duncan’s death, stating, “The night has been unruly. Where we lay, our chimneys were blown down, and, as they say, lamentings heard i’th’air, and strange screams of death….the obscure bird clamored the livelong night…” (II.iii.55-61). The image of borrowed or ill-fitting clothing symbolizes the strangeness or incorrectness of someone’s situation; it doesn’t feel right. Macbeth is the Thane of Glamis by birth, the Thane of Cawdor by Macdonwald’s death after becoming a traitor, and King by cold-blooded murder of a beneficent ruler. The three weird sisters greet him as the Thane of Glamis and Cawdor, just