Explore how Shakespeare uses the theme of darkness in Macbeth. Use quotes to illustrate your answer.

Like many of his contemporaries, Shakespeare used darkness figuratively to represent evil. In the Jacobean era, morality plays were popular and the symbolism of 'light' as good and 'darkness' as evil was well-known. Shakespeare utilises this in his presentation of the three witches, who only meet in dark and forboding settings, or "in thunder, lightning or in rain". The extinguishing of light is also associated with acts of evil, to symbolise the absence of good. This can be seen when Banquo's torchlight is put out the moment he is murdered. Similarly, once Lady Macbeth's mental health starts to deteriorate, she insists on always being accompanied by a candle; this is indicative of light being a symbol of good and protection from evil. In the same way that light offers protection from evil, darkness is used as a means of covering up monstrous acts, and provides an element of disassociation. This is most apparent in Lady Macbeth’s soliloquy in which she invites “thick night” to cloak her actions, so that “(her) keen knife see not the wound it makes”. The fact that her knife is ‘keen’ implies that she is eager and willing to commit her murderous crimes yet, by invoking darkness, she wants to hide this unfeminine, criminal side of herself. She also describes darkness as a “blanket”, usually used as a symbol of comfort and reassurance. In this instance, the darkness is acting as a consolation to Lady Macbeth to equip her and reassure her whilst she carries out her evil plans.