Symbolism is used extensively to express the motivation of guilt in Macbeth. “Out, damned spot!” (Act 5 scene 1) is one memorable quote by Lady Macbeth. The spots of blood that the lady saw on her hand, while dreaming, is a symbol and metaphor of the guilt that she feels of the king’s murder. Despite what she does to try to wash the guilt away she can’t make the blood disappear. Lady Macbeth earlier on tries to repress her ‘womanly emotions’ in order to commit the murder but she is not successful and that guilt would later become her cause of death. Lady Macbeth says to her husband after the king’s murder, “A little water clears us of this deed”. Later, however, Lady Macbeth’s guilty conscience prevents her from ever washing the spots of blood off her hands. This is an instance of irony. Blood is a heavily used symbol. In Act 3 scene 4, Macbeth says “I am in blood / Step't in so far that, should I wade no more, / Returning were as tedious as go o'er”. This quote is just after he sees Banquo’s ghost. The blood represents a marsh of guilt and evil that Macbeth has waded so far in that he cannot back out of it. He has no choice but to accept his guilt and if need be, cover up his guilt with more murders. Symbolism gives the audience more insight to the characters and their feelings. It also adds depth to the concepts of guilt in Macbeth and enhances the experience of the plot.…
Blood is mentioned throughout the play and mainly in reference to murder or treason. The first reference to blood is in MacBeth's soliloquy in Act 2, Scene 1, Lines 33-61, when Macbeth sees the bloody dagger floating in the air before him. Also in this soliloquy on line 46 he sees "on thy blade and dudgeon gouts of blood", this means that there is blood on the handle and spots of blood on the handle. This is implying that the dagger was viciously and maliciously used on someone. Shakespeare most likely put this in as premonition of murder and death to come later in the story.…
Shakespeare uses blood to show honour and bravery as well as guilt. In act 1 scene 2 a ‘Bloody Sergeant’ enters. He represents a brave soldier who fought courageously in the war. The sergeant speaks of Macbeth saying ‘Which smok'd with bloody execution’ meaning that Macbeth is being praised and rewarded for killing the enemy and is seen as a brave and loyal soldier. This is one way in which Shakespeare uses the motif of blood to portray bravery, honour and strength. We also see the imagery of blood when Macbeth kills Madonwald in battle: “Till he unseamed him from the nave to th' chops”. This strikingly vile image of Macdonwald’s violent death…
The play Macbeth first mentions blood in the second scene of act one. In the scene, the king, Duncan, sees a man coming from the battle and asks, “What bloody man is that” (1, 2, 1). Duncan calls him a bloody man, for his own blood is covering him from the gash he sustained in battle. This helps paint a picture…
The most common use for blood is to represent the death of a character within the performance. Several characters that do get…
blood is usually linked to violence, however, over the course of macbeth, blood has also become a symbol of guilt. Death happens is an instance, but blood remains and stains. When Macbeth and lady macbeth feel the guiltiest, they distress that they cannot get the blood off of their hands, and macbeth says no amount of water can wash the blood - the guilt - from his…
At the beginning there is no mention or images of blood until Duncan’s murder. In David Artman’s essay, “Blood Imagery in Macbeth”, he states, “ A pattern established in Macbeth is that after each murder there is an abundance of blood imagery.” Blood provides a pace to the action in the play. The play utilizes the image of blood after Duncan’s death and becomes filled with bloody images that display Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s guilt for their sinful actions. Artman declares, “ Blood imagery, by setting the tone, pacing the wave of action, and characterizing the nature of the death and killings works to unify the action within the play.” Artman’s essay makes a reader go back and look at the action of the play and how the images of blood shed made the pacing of the play very nice. Rereading the play after reading Artman’s essay allows for the reader to fully comprehend how blood was of great prominence in the play and created suspense for readers. In the beginning of the play literal images of blood are displayed and then eventually hallucinations of blood come forth thus adding another facet of bloody imagery, which ultimately carries more weight than the actual blood. The imaginary blood adds to the play and enhances the theme of the play that if a person murder’s they cannot be easily unshackled from their sins and…
Guilt is a frustrating feeling; it evokes regret, self-punishment, and shame. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth do not know it, but every time they murder, their guilt increases, and they step closer to their downfall. Shakespeare uses the imagery of blood in Macbeth to illustrate the inevitable guilt of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth and how their roles change by the end of the play.…
Throughout the play “Macbeth” William Shakespeare uses many motifs to emphasize themes and develop the plot. One major motif, blood, is used to symbolize heroism and power as well as corruption and evil. As events play out in the story, the title character and his wife both become progressively more unscrupulous and their immoral acts begin to weigh on their conscious. In “Macbeth”, Shakespeare utilizes blood as a motif to illustrate the increasing guilt Macbeth and Lady Macbeth suffer as a result of their violent and manipulative actions.…
In the opening scene of Macbeth, blood as well as grime covers the captain, who has just gotten back from one of the bloodiest battles of Scotland to that date. King Duncan even goes so far as to ask, “What bloody man is that?” Macbeth has just killed and beheaded the leader of the opposing army; in the beginning, blood is a symbol of honor and victory. This, however, is all about to change as soon as Macbeth…
Lady Macbeths deterioration is manifested through hallucinations and her speech; ‘here’s the smell of the blood still’, Shakespeare utilises the technique of olfactory hallucinations, conveying to the audience that her guilt has affected her to the point that she can smell the hallucinated blood on her hands. The adverb ‘still’ insists to the audience that it is not the first time that Lady Macbeth has not smelt the blood, nor the first time it has plagued her. Shakespeare uses the gothic theme of blood to exemplify the guilt that sits like a perpetual stain on the conscience of Lady Macbeth, and to mirror Lady Macbeth’s impurity and shame. Furthermore, the blood stain may represent her loss of innocence in the part she plays in the murder of Duncan, by symbolizing the blood common when women lose their virginity (which serves as innocence). It is ambiguous as to whether her breakdown is caused by the hallucinated blood from Duncan or the blood from her menstrual cycle, as she previously asks to be ‘unsexed.’ Her menstrual blood therefore reminds her that she is still a weak woman.…
Shakespeare succeeds in making his play easier to relate to and for the audience to feel like part of the action rather than just eagle- eyeing it”. The symbol of blood made Macbeth more appealing for the audience to figure out the transformation Macbeth and Lady Macbeth went through. Macbeth changes from a kind, honest brave, truthful, and trust worthy person to an evil, murderer, greedy, mean, and cruel…
The motif of blood signifies the murder that Macbeth has committed. Blood is everywhere in this play. It has shown a symbolic meaning on how changes of tragedy has progressed. Blood also plays as a major theme in Macbeth.Bloody actions are in battle in the first act.“The spring, the head, the fountain of your blood” (Shakespeare page 1 of 8). As Shakespeare said he was was referring to Macbeth. Biggins felt that “When the second apparition the bloody child exclaims ‘Be bloody,bold,and resolute laugh to scorn/ The power of man; for none woman born/Shall harm Macbeth. With blood being present it shows how the characters are feeling guilty. “Low stated “...between a sword smoking in a villain's blood.” Then Duncan was killed by Macbeth . Turner says…
First of all, blood serves as a symbol of death several times throughout the play. Death is a dark non-living thing. Blood, gore,and darkness is a general theme of motif of death. Macbeth considers murdering Duncan he spots a “dagger of the mind” (2.1.50) that guides him to the room where the king is sleeping. Macbeth continues to think is his mind playing mind games with him. For example, he believes that the dagger is covered with imaginary blood which makes him second guess about killing Duncan. Lady Macbeth and Macbeth goes in for the kill and goes into his room and kill him. “O horror, horror, horror!” (2.3.59) Macbeth goes running from out the room saying that King Duncan has been killed. Lennox and Macbeth rush in to see what was happening. In the long run Macbeth know he committed the crime but tried to act like he…
The timeless play, Macbeth, centers around themes of power, guilt, insanity, magic and revenge. The main character, Macbeth, although once brave and loyal, slowly goes insane in his attempt to achieve power. Macbeth's character, along with his wife, Lady Macbeth, go through dramatic changes; they fall into the dark abyss of their own deeds and lead themselves into hell. Each incident on this path of darkness, relates to seeing the blood of their victims. To Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, seeing blood meant the end to all rational sanity and marked their beginnings as ruthless murderers unable to work past their guilt and paranoia. I explore how blood represents a mental inability for the Macbeths to escape from their evil deeds of cold blooded…