Shakespeare's use of figurative language in 'Macbeth' serves to develop a somber and suspenseful mood. Metaphors, personification, and alliteration help convey themes of ambition, guilt, and the supernatural, shaping the play's dark and ominous atmosphere.
William Shakespeare uses figurative language throughout the play Macbeth to develop a dark and ominous mood, which underlines the themes of ambition, guilt, and the supernatural. For example, in one instance Macbeth uses a metaphor to describe the disappearance of the witches: "Into the air; and what seemed corporal melted As breath into the wind." This imagery suggests the ephemeral and mysterious nature of the witches, contributing to the eerie mood.
Another powerful example is found when Macbeth hears a voice after murdering Duncan, saying: "Methought I heard a voice cry 'Sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep, the innocent sleep, Sleep that knits up the ravell'd sleeve of care." Here, sleep is personified and described as a healer of worries, which Macbeth has now 'murdered'. This metaphor evokes a sense of irrevocable loss and deepening guilt, adding to the play's tense and foreboding atmosphere.
Additionally, Macbeth's line "False face must hide what the false heart doth know," uses alliteration and metaphor to emphasize the theme of deceit and the necessity of hiding one's true intentions. This continued use of figurative language not only paints vivid pictures and engrosses the reader but also heightens the overall tone of dread and suspense throughout the play.