The famous playwright William Shakespeare used symbolism in all of his thirty-seven plays. Light and darkness are used as powerful symbols of good and evil in his tragedy Macbeth. Shakespeare uses these themes of light and darkness or day and night to form a real picture of the conflict going on in the play for the reader or viewer. The meaning behind this specific symbol essentially creates the story of Macbeth. William Shakespeare wrote the play Macbeth for King James I of England. Many supernatural and magical elements are incorporated into this tragedy, because the king's beliefs greatly influenced Shakespeare's writing. The main character Macbeth initially presents himself as a kind-hearted, loyal and strong warrior, but he quickly begins to change. Then, three very ugly witches tell Macbeth and his friend Banquo a series of prophecies. The most important thing is that Macbeth will be king. With the encouragement and influence of his psychologically disturbed wife, he sets out to become king by any means necessary. After killing the current king Duncan, Macbeth takes the title and kills anyone who gets in his way to keep it. Macbeth's destruction and madness lead to him killing his best friend, Lady Macbeth's suicide, and ultimately his downfall and death. For starters, Macbeth was written between 1603 and 1607. During this time period the king was often associated with the sun. This seventeenth cent... half the paper... so much so that she commands to have a light with her all the time. He begs for the light to bring good and truth back into his life. After her suicide, Macbeth says, “Out, out the short candle” (5.5.23), her artificial light went out and the darkness killed her. Shakespeare used the two distinct opposites light versus dark to reflect good and evil. As soon as King Duncan is murdered, the light in the world disappears. Although each of us has light and darkness within us, the part we choose to act on makes us who we truly are. Macbeth allowed the darkness to bring out his true nature and destroy not only his life, but the lives of everyone around him. Unfortunately, once Lady Macbeth's life is invaded by darkness, she tries anything to force the light. The roles that light and darkness play in this tragedy are essential not only to the plot, but to the vivid image in one's mind.