Despite Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’ being a pre-gothic text, a vast range of gothic notions remain present, including those of darkness and concealment. The role of darkness within ‘Macbeth’ forms a vital aspect of the entire nature of the plot, with characters such as Macbeth, Lady Macbeth and even the witches displaying the use of dark acts, such as murder, in order to achieve personal ambition “that wilt raven up life’s own means.” Additionally, concealment plays an equally vital role, with the ‘femme fatale’ of Lady Macbeth strongly displaying signs of duality as she represses her evil nature behind the charade of passive femininity. However, one must consider why and how darkness and concealment obtain a significant device in structuring both the plot and displaying the gothic elements. Within ‘Macbeth, one of the most significant roles of the gothic notion of darkness is to emphasise to the audience the chaos and distress caused by Macbeth’s disruption of the Divine Right of Kings; which Shakespeare highlights through the relentless conflict between dark and light throughout the plot. Although darkness plays a vital role in accentuating the beast within both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, it can be seen as equally significant in the literal sense, with the eclipse which occurs during and after the murder of Duncan - hiding the cruel, dark nature to Macbeth’s acts. Within Act Two, Scene One, Fleance expresses the fact that “the moon is down: I have not heard the clock” which instantly creates a sense of terror for both modern and Jacobean audiences, through the imagery of “thick night” it evokes the sense that the natural order appears to be off balance. Additionally, the role of witches can be displayed with the gothic notion of darkness within ‘Macbeth’, as they appear to represent all that is un-natural, evil and dark about the nature of the plot; not only through Shakespeare’s use of setting and pathetic fallacy, but also the way in which they tempt Macbeth to commit murder. In Act One, Scene One, Shakespeare shows the witches with evil and darkness through his use of pathetic fallacy, as their introductory settings include a “barren heath” with “thunder and lighting.” Shakespeare’s use of this pathetic fallacy of “thunder” creates a domineering sense of chaos, violence and power in association with the witches, which instantly foreshadows their overall control of the plot throughout - as well as their control of Macbeth’s mentality. However, the addition of “lighting” to the witches opening setting simultaneously creates a sinister sense of the unexpected with the witches. Typically within the gothic, the use of “thunder and lighting” forms a warning to the reader, foreshadowing a sense of danger and darkness. Shakespeare’s, Lady Macbeth illustrates throughout ‘Macbeth’ the vital gothic elements of concealment and duality, as the female protagonist conceals her evil desires with a mask of passive femininity. Arguably, Shakespeare’s use of duality in association with Lady Macbeth can clearly be defined by appearance versus reality,; with her appearing to be dominantly evil in the confines of solitude, yet weak and passive in the presence of others - such as Duncan, Malcolm and Macduff. Within Act One, Scene Four, Lady Macbeth expresses her desires to transgress the boundaries of gender identity, as she calls on the “evil spirits” to “unsex” her and “fill from the crown to the toe, top-full of direst cruelty”. On the surface, Shakespeare’s use of violent words within this extract, such as “cruelty, blood, evil, spirits” may have been used as a tool in order to display emotions of gothic horror and terror within his Jacobean audiences; who notably took all supernatural happenings at face value, and thus would have been cautious and fearful of Lady Macbeth and her desires. Therefore, instantly showing her as the villainous role of the play. However, it could be more strongly interpreted that Shakespeare’s structural decision to introduce Lady Macbeth to the audience in the confines of isolation, may have been to construct a sense of dramatic irony. Shakespeare’s instant association of Lady Macbeth with darkness, evil and violence, allows the audience to understand this as her true nature, or her instinctive desires; therefore, as the play progresses, the audience can clearly see her use of concealment to hide this true nature which creates a domineering sense of irony as none of the characters appear to be able to perceive this. Furthermore, it is significant in driving the audience closer to the plot. However, despite the gothic notions of darkness and concealment appearing to be separate themes throughout ‘Macbeth’, it could be argued that in fact they co-exist throughout the play - with both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth utilising darkness as a means of concealment. Within Act One, Scene Five, Lady Macbeth states towards the end of her monologue: “Come, thick night,/ And pall thee in the dunnest smoke of Hell.” On the surface, it could be argued that Shakespeare’s repetition of the imperative “come” throughout this speech is a tool to align Lady Macbeth with the supernatural, or the witches, making her entirely fearful to a Jacobean audience who could have regarded her as the ‘fourth witch’ and therefore untrustworthy or even villainous. However, it could be more strongly argued that in fact Shakespeare’s use of these imperatives is emphasise the way in which Lady Macbeth is utilising darkness as a tool to conceal her evil intentions, as her commanding tone appears to accentuate her desperation, or even reliance, on the “thick night” to allow her to commit the acts. Overall, the gothic elements of darkness and concealment are extremely vital throughout the plot of ‘Macbeth’, as they appear to both not only work on separate levels, but display the potential to co-exist throughout the text - which ultimately leads the protagonists to their tragic downfall in Act Five. The theme of darkness within the play is used by Shakespeare in many ways, not only in the literal sense in order to create the striking imagery of, “ thick night” to highlight Macbeth’s disruption of the natural order; but also to externalise the repressed desires of the protagonists’ and their desires to achieve royalty and prestige by altering the divine right through murderous acts.