Macbeth
A.C. Bradley masterfully explores the language and purpose of the play Macbeth. Through “The Tragedy of Macbeth”, he delves deep into three aspects of the play: the tone and atmosphere of the play, the intense power of the imagery and the ironic language. Through all these things, the essence of the play comes into view.
The way in which the play is presented, is that of a gloomy darkness. This darkness “broods over this tragedy”. The blackness goes over the whole play and encompasses many aspects of the fear within. This darkness allows for the mysterious events and supernatural phenomena.
The imagery within the play is of importance as well, for it creates the scene of action and creates a deeper knowledge of the drama within the play. The intensely powerful images also are “characteristic of Macbeth almost throughout.” These images all contribute to the character of Macbeth and further the audience’s perception of Macbeth in the rest of the play.
Another important aspect to the play is the irony contained within. The irony is not in the typical sense in which things are contrary to each other, but instead things are not as they seem and the language contained. The ironic language “excite[s] the vague fear of hidden forces operating on minds unconscious of their influence”.
All these factors contribute to the whole of Macbeth, making it a dark and mysterious work of art in which fear and supernatural occurrences affect the audience and create an overall great experience.
