Imagery in Shakespeare | Cliff Note Books
William Shakespeare is widely regarded as one of the greatest playwrights in history. He was a master of language and his use of imagery is one of the main reasons why his works continue to be studied and performed today.
Shakespeare used a variety of imagery in his works to help convey complex themes and emotions. His plays are full of vivid descriptions that allow the reader or audience member to visualize what is happening on stage.
Why Imagery Was Important To Shakespeare
To understand how Shakespeare uses imagery, it’s important to first understand why it was so important to him. In Shakespeare’s time, most people were illiterate and relied on visual and auditory cues to understand what was happening around them.
Shakespeare understood this and used vivid imagery in his plays to create a world that the audience could see, hear, smell, taste, and touch. For example, when Macbeth sees a vision of a bloody dagger before him in “Macbeth,” the audience can imagine what he is seeing thanks to Shakespeare’s use of visual imagery.
The Different Types Of Imagery
Shakespeare used several different types of imagery in his plays. These include:
- Visual Imagery: This type of imagery describes things that can be seen.
For example, when Juliet says “Arise, fair sun” in “Romeo and Juliet,” she is using visual imagery to describe the sunrise.
- Auditory Imagery: This type of imagery describes sounds and noises.
For example, when Hamlet hears the ghost’s eerie voice in “Hamlet,” he is experiencing auditory imagery.
- Olfactory Imagery: This type of imagery describes smells and scents.
For example, when Romeo first sees Juliet in “Romeo and Juliet,” he describes her as smelling like roses.
- Gustatory Imagery: This type of imagery describes tastes and flavors.
For example, in “Titus Andronicus,” there is a scene where the characters eat a pie that is made out of human flesh. This is an example of gustatory imagery.
- Tactile Imagery: This type of imagery describes textures and sensations. For example, in “The Tempest,” the feeling of sand between one’s toes on Prospero’s island is an example of tactile imagery.
In the following sections, we will explore these different types of imagery in more detail and examine some specific examples from Shakespeare’s plays.
Types of ImageryVisual Imagery: Describing Things That Can Be Seen
When we think of imagery, visual imagery is likely the first thing that comes to mind. This type of imagery uses descriptive language to paint a mental picture of something that can be seen.
Shakespeare was a master of visual imagery, using it to create vivid images in the minds of his audience. For example, in “Macbeth,” when Lady Macbeth says “Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under’t,” she is using visual imagery to compare someone’s appearance to that of a flower hiding a deadly snake within. Auditory Imagery: Describing Sounds and Noises
Auditory imagery uses language to describe sounds and noises. By using descriptive words and phrases, an author can create an auditory experience for their reader or audience.
In “Hamlet,” when Hamlet hears his father’s ghost say “Murder most foul, as in the best it is; but this most foul, strange and unnatural,” he is experiencing auditory imagery. The use of descriptive language creates a sense of unease for both Hamlet and the audience. Olfactory Imagery: Describing Smells and Scents
Olfactory imagery describes smells and scents. By using descriptive words related to scent, authors can create an olfactory experience for their readers or audiences. In “Romeo and Juliet,” Romeo compares Juliet’s beauty to that of an herb called sweet-scented rue: “O, here Will I set up my everlasting rest/And shake the yoke of inauspicious stars/From this world-wearied flesh!
Eyes look your last!/Arms take your last embrace! And lips O you/The doors of breath seal with a righteous kiss/A dateless bargain to engrossing death!/Come bitter conduct come unsavoury guide/Thou desperate pilot now at once run on/The dashing rocks thy sea-sick weary bark!/Here’s to my love!
[Drinks poison] O true apothecary,/Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die.” Shakespeare’s use of descriptive language to create an olfactory experience adds depth and richness to the scene. Gustatory Imagery: Describing Tastes and Flavors
Gustatory imagery uses descriptive language to create a sense of taste or flavor. By describing how something tastes, authors can create a sensory experience for their audience.
In “Titus Andronicus,” when Tamora serves Titus a pie made from her own sons, the gustatory imagery creates a repulsive image in the minds of both Titus and the audience. Shakespeare’s masterful use of gustatory imagery in this play illustrates how he was able to shock and awe his audience using all five senses. Tactile Imagery: Describing Textures and Sensations
Tactile imagery uses descriptive words related to touch or texture to create a sensory experience for readers or audiences. For example, in “The Tempest,” when Prospero says “My foot my tutor?” he is using tactile imagery to describe the feeling of sand between his toes. Shakespeare often used tactile imagery as part of his descriptions of characters or settings, helping readers or audiences connect with what was happening on stage.How does shakespeare use imagery?
By incorporating various types of sensory language, he was able to bring his stories and characters vividly to life on stage. Learning how to read Shakespeare English can be challenging at first, but once you understand his use of figurative language like imagery, you can fully appreciate the beauty and complexity behind each line.
Examples of Imagery in Shakespeare’s Works
Visual Imagery in “Macbeth”: The “Dagger” Scene
One of the most iconic scenes in all of Shakespeare’s works is the “dagger” scene in Macbeth. As Macbeth prepares to murder King Duncan, he sees a hallucination of a bloody dagger hanging before him. The visual imagery of the dagger represents Macbeth’s own inner turmoil and the idea that he is being led down a path that he knows is wrong.
The use of visual imagery is critical to this scene because it allows us to see into Macbeth’s mind and understand his motivations. We can feel his fear and desperation as he contemplates what he must do, and we can also understand how his mental state changes as he takes that fateful step.
When reading Shakespeare, it’s important to pay attention to visual imagery like this because it helps us connect with the characters on a deeper level. By understanding what they are seeing and feeling, we can better relate to their struggles and empathize with their choices.
Auditory Imagery in “Hamlet”: The Ghost’s Eerie Voice
In Hamlet, one of the most important uses of auditory imagery occurs when Hamlet speaks with his father’s ghost. The ghost’s eerie voice sends chills down our spines as we listen to its haunting words.
By using auditory imagery, Shakespeare is able to create an atmosphere of dread and foreboding that adds tension and suspense to the play. We can feel Hamlet’s fear as he confronts this supernatural entity, which gives us insight into his character as well.
When reading Shakespeare in English or any other language, it’s important not just to focus on what characters are saying but also how they are saying it. By paying attention to auditory cues like tone, inflection, and pacing, we can better understand the emotions and motivations driving the story.
Olfactory Imagery in “Romeo and Juliet”: The Scent of Roses
In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare uses olfactory imagery to create a sense of romance and passion. When Romeo first sees Juliet, he comments on the beauty of her face but also on the scent of roses that surrounds her.
The use of olfactory imagery in this scene helps to create a vivid sensory experience for the reader or audience member. We can almost smell the roses ourselves, which adds to our understanding of why Romeo is so entranced by Juliet.
When reading Shakespeare’s works, it’s important to pay attention to all five senses. By doing so, we can fully immerse ourselves in the world he has created and gain a deeper appreciation for his masterful use of language.
Gustatory Imagery in “Titus Andronicus”: The Cannibalistic Feast Scene
One of the most gruesome scenes in all of Shakespeare’s works occurs in Titus Andronicus when Tamora and her sons are tricked into eating a pie made from their own children. This scene is filled with vivid descriptions of taste and texture as they consume this horrific meal.
By using gustatory imagery here, Shakespeare is able to shock us with the depravity of these characters while also making us feel sickened by what they are doing. It’s a powerful example of how language can be used not just to describe events but also to elicit an emotional response from readers or viewers.
When reading Shakespeare’s works, it’s important not just to focus on beautiful language but also on disturbing scenes like this one. By confronting difficult topics head-on, Shakespeare challenges us as readers or viewers and forces us to consider our own moral values.
Tactile Imagery in “The Tempest”: The Feeling of Sand Between Your Toes
In The Tempest, Shakespeare uses tactile imagery to create a sense of place and atmosphere. When we first meet Prospero on his island, we can almost feel the sand between our toes as he describes the landscape.
By using tactile imagery like this, Shakespeare is able to transport us to this magical place and help us understand why it is so important to Prospero. We can feel his connection to the land and his desire to protect it from outside forces.
When reading Shakespeare’s works in English or any other language, it’s important to pay attention not just to what characters are saying but also how they are describing their world. By doing so, we can gain a deeper appreciation for the rich sensory world he has created.
Symbolic Imagery
While Shakespeare’s use of sensory language adds depth to his work, he also uses objects and animals symbolically to represent larger themes or ideas. These symbols add another layer of meaning to his already complex works.
The Serpent as a Symbol for Evil
In “Macbeth,” the serpent is used as a symbol for evil. This is most notable in Act I, Scene 5, when Lady Macbeth calls upon the spirits to “unsex” her and fill her with “direst cruelty.” She says:
“Come, you spirits
That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, And fill me from the crown to the toe top-full
Of direst cruelty; make thick my blood, Stop up th’ access and passage to remorse.”
Lady Macbeth is likening herself to a snake shedding its skin and becoming something new – something cruel and merciless. The serpent imagery continues throughout the play, as we see how evil has taken hold of Macbeth.
The Use of Birds as Symbols for Freedom
In “King Lear,” birds are used symbolically to represent freedom. In Act III, Scene 4, King Lear speaks about being confined in prison:
“Our basest beggars
Are in the poorest thing superfluous. Allow not nature more than nature needs,
Man’s life is cheap as beast’s. Thou art a lady:
If only to go warm were gorgeous, Why, nature needs not what thou gorgeous wear’st
Which scarcely keeps thee warm. But for true need—
You heavens give me that patience, patience I need! You see me here like an old man in a cage.”
Lear compares himself to an old man trapped in a cage. The bird imagery comes into play later in the scene when Lear says:
“I’ll pray, and then I’ll sleep— Poor naked wretches, wheresoe’er you are,
That bide the pelting of this pitiless storm, How shall your houseless heads and unfed sides,
Your looped and windowed raggedness, defend you From seasons such as these?
O, I have ta’en Too little care of this!
Take physic, pomp; Expose thyself to feel what wretches feel,”
Lear is imagining himself as a bird – free to fly wherever he wants. He is envious of the “poor naked wretches” who live without luxury or comfort but are still free to roam.
Reading Shakespeare with Symbolic Imagery
When reading Shakespeare’s works, it’s important to pay attention to the symbols he uses. What do they represent?
How do they add meaning to the work as a whole? For example, in “Hamlet,” Yorick’s skull is used symbolically to represent death.
Hamlet holds the skull and speaks about how all people – no matter their station – will one day die:
“Alas, poor Yorick!
I knew him, Horatio; a fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy; he hath borne me on his back a thousand times; and now how abhorred in my imagination it is! My gorge rises at it.
Here hung those lips that I have kissed I know not how oft.”The use of Yorick’s skull adds another layer of meaning to Hamlet’s thoughts on life and death.
Conclusion
Shakespeare’s use of symbolic imagery adds depth and richness to his already complex works. The serpent as a symbol for evil in “Macbeth” or birds as symbols for freedom in “King Lear” are just a few examples of how Shakespeare uses imagery to convey meaning. When reading Shakespeare’s works, it’s important to pay attention to the symbols he uses and what they represent.
The Timeless Power of Shakespeare’s Imagery
The Importance of Imagery in Shakespeare
Shakespeare’s works are known for their vivid imagery, which brings the characters, settings, and themes to life in the reader’s mind. The use of sensory language is a hallmark of his writing style and serves to create a richer, more immersive experience for readers. Shakespeare uses imagery to appeal to our senses and emotions, allowing us to better understand the complex human experiences he portrays in his plays.
Through his use of visual, auditory, olfactory, gustatory and tactile imagery, Shakespeare is able to create an atmosphere that draws readers into the story. His descriptions are often so vivid that we can almost feel and smell what is happening on stage.
For example, when Lady Macbeth speaks about “smelling blood” in Act V of “Macbeth,” we can almost smell it too. This use of sensory language helps us connect with the characters on a deeper level.
How Shakespeare Uses Symbolic Imagery
In addition to sensory language, Shakespeare also employs symbolic imagery throughout his works. He uses objects or animals as symbols that represent larger ideas or themes in his plays.
For example, in “Hamlet,” the skull represents mortality and reminds us that all humans must eventually die. In “Macbeth,” the serpent symbolizes evil and foreshadows Macbeth’s eventual downfall.
Symbolic imagery allows readers to see beyond what is happening on stage and identify underlying themes or messages throughout the play. It encourages us to think critically about Shakespeare’s work and consider how it relates to our own lives.
Why We Should Read Shakespeare with Careful Attention to Imagery
When we read Shakespeare with careful attention paid towards understanding how he uses imagery throughout his work, it allows us not only appreciate his writing style but also gain deeper insight into the characters, themes and messages within the plays. By understanding how Shakespeare uses sensory language and symbolic imagery, we can better understand his characters’ motivations and emotions. We can also identify patterns throughout his works that reveal larger themes or messages about humanity or society.
A Timeless Classic for a Reason
Shakespeare’s use of imagery is just one of the many reasons why his works remain so popular today. His masterful writing, rich characterizations, and profound insights have made him an enduring figure in English literature. Shakespeare’s use of imagery is a testament to his skill as a writer and storyteller.
His descriptions are so vivid that they transport us to another time and place. As we continue to study Shakespeare’s works today, we should pay careful attention to how he uses imagery to deepen our appreciation for these timeless classics.