Macbeth is a play in which many evil crimes are being committed throughout the
story. Each of the murders are often foreshadowed by dark and stormy nights. These
thundery scenes also represent the character Macbeth’s unstable personality and the mess
of lies and chaos that he creates for himself. Dismal weather and dark skies are
commonly found in many of Macbeth’s scenes because they set the mood and
foreshadow dark and evil events that are about to happen.
In Act 2 Scene 3, Lennox says that, “The night has been unruly. Where we lay,
Our chimneys were blown down and, as they say, Lamentings heard i' th' air, strange
screams of death,” This was the night in which King Duncan was murdered by Macbeth.
Lennox talks of the storm that took place and how there were “strange screams of death”.
Not very long after this comment, they find out of Duncan’s killing. The stormy night set
the ambiance for his death. In Act 3 Scene 3, whilst his two murderers are hiding,
Banquo comments that, “It will be rain to-night.” This sets a gloomy atmosphere in
which Banquo is killed. He foreshadows his own death,
This weather sets the depressing tone for the whole play as well as also
symbolizing Macbeth’s mental state. Macbeth is a very mentally unstable character that
becomes very impulsive as the story progresses. He begins the play being very timid and
proceeds to become spontaneous with his decisions. The thundery weather outside
symbolizes his mind that becomes very chaotic after all the bloody crimes he commits. In
Act 3 Scene 2 Macbeth says “O, full of scorpions is my mind” to Lady Macbeth because
each of his evil deeds is beginning to weigh heavily on his mind. Each of these acts of
murder are supposed to bring him closer to happiness but instead they just contribute to a
guilty conscience. The dark, depressing skies outside symbolize Macbeth’s unhappiness.
The play of Macbeth is very symbolic. The darkness that is always in the most
evil of scenes, hints towards the bad things that are to happen. The stormy nights
represent the turmoil that is constantly in Macbeth’s head. The dark nights and storms
that are always occurring set the mood for the entire play, which is not a very uplifting.