Blood in Macbeth - 1411 Words

Blood in Macbeth William Shakespeare wove many motifs like blood into his play Macbeth, written in 1606. These motifs serve to reveal many different aspects of the plot, characters, and themes. The Blood motif is often used throughout the play to symbolize guilt, or the lack of it. The two main characters, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are driven by ambition to commit evil actions including murder. Lady Macbeth plots to have her husband murder king Duncan of Scotland, so that Macbeth can take the throne. But, with all the murder committed in the play comes blood, and furthermore the feeling of guilt eventually corrupts the characters. It is important to realize in Macbeth, blood is not just a fluid that circulates in the vascular system of humans, but is as well used to symbolize potential occurrences in the future and express a deeper meaning than what can be physically seen. In William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the blood motif is used to symbolize the feeling of guilt as well as a dark time through out the play. In the beginning of Macbeth, a bloody battle between Scotland and Norway takes place. In such a quick manner blood is one of the first motifs mentioned in the play depicting the dark era of war. King Duncan of Scotland asks about a sergeant who then tells the story of Macbeths heroic victories over Macdonwald and the King of Norway. The sergeants telling of the story is in itself heroic because his loss of blood has made him weak. This story of the bloodshed and hisShow MoreRelatedMacbeth: Blood2368 Words   |  10 PagesTracing A Word: Blood Act 1 1.) A. Quotation and speaker: Lady Macbeth: Bring forth men-children only; For thy undaunted mettle should compose Nothing but males. Will it not be received, When we have markd with blood those sleepy two Of his own chamber and used their very daggers, That they have donet? (1.7.72-77) B. Paraphrase and clarification: Hopefully you will only have male children, For you should compose nothing that isn’t masculine. When we have marked the servantsRead MoreTheme Of Blood In Macbeth1200 Words   |  5 Pagespicture in Macbeth. Image patterns. Gender Inversion, fertility, sleep, sensory denial, all of these patterns are depicted in the Shakespeare’s unsurpassed Macbeth. However, there is one pattern that marks the mind more than the others. Blood. A pattern seen in multiple instances in the play, but has a deep-seated meaning with Macbeth and his troubles. Shakespeare uses blood as the main image in Macbeth to reveal the forever impending and mucilaginous power of self torturing guilt. Blood takes a malevolentRead MoreBlood Imagery in Macbeth857 Words   |  4 Pagesevident as the bloody hands of Macbeth and his obsession with them. Macbeth has killed King Duncan and doesn’t stop there, he kills the guards making Duncan’s sons flee. This gives Macbeth the throne. However he becomes overwhelmed with the guilt. Shakespeare uses blood to show how it reminds Macbeth of the violent acts he has committed and how he has become obsessed with the blood on his hands. Initially the blood represents courage and bravery. For brave Macbeth-well he deserves that name- â€Å"disdainingRead MoreMacbeth Imagery Blood1442 Words   |  6 PagesBlood Imagery in Macbeth Shakespeare’s plays are well known for the richness of their imagery. This is particularly true in Macbeth and the many allusions to blood. The use of blood imagery gives the reader some foresight into what is going on in the play and how the characters are thinking and feeling. Blood is used to represent heroics on the battlefield, evil and murderous inclinations, and ultimately guilt and shame. Shakespeare uses the symbol of blood to give the readers insight intoRead MoreMeaning Of Blood In Macbeth1318 Words   |  6 PagesShakespeares World-Renowned play, Macbeth. Macbeth contains a copious amount of blood imagery, but not all of the imagery has to mean anything, or have the same exact meaning. Blood is omnipresent literally and figuratively throughout the play. What does blood actually mean in Macbeth? Some say blood represents the Macbeths’ guilt, and some include greed. In Jesuss point of view, blood has a holy and sacred meaning of life, and further suppor t from Cliffnotes.com, â€Å"Blood itself — the color, the smellRead More Blood In Macbeth Essay1293 Words   |  6 Pages William Shakespeare’s play Macbeth is about a struggle for power in Scotland. Macbeth, the main character, gets prophecies from three witches about his future accomplishments that will come to him. One of his prophecies is that Macbeth will become king, Macbeth hearing this he becomes ambitious and later kills the current King Duncan, making himself the new king. A tragic ending comes to Macbeth when the people leave him and his world collapses around him. Blood is a recurring theme in this play;Read MoreSymbol of Blood in Macbeth828 Words   |  4 Pages† (I ii 7-10). When Macbeth says these words, it is when we begin to get the full picture of the play and how powerful the image of blood really is. Throughout the play the symbol of blood changes meaning. It starts with blood representing honour and pride for your country and develops into treason and treachery. At the end of the play we see it had blossomed into guilt. Blood is an essential part of life and the same is true in Macbeth. At the beginning of the play Macbeth by Shakespeare, thereRead MoreSymbolism Of Blood In Macbeth766 Words   |  4 PagesConsidered to be Shakespeare’s most bloody work, Macbeth portrays its plot perfectly: Macbeth’s bloody rise to power and his tragic downfall. Throughout the play, the symbolism of blood advances this plot. We are introduced to Macbeth as a brave soldier without flaw, but he soon becomes consumed with achieving his â€Å"fated† future. From the moment Macbeth murdered Duncan, the symbolism of blood represents throughout the play his conscience, his dynamic character change, and his and Lady Macbeth’s guiltRead MoreRole Of Blood In Macbeth1918 Words   |  8 Pages Blood in Macbeth Essay Blood was very evident throughout William Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Violence caused blood to drip from the fingers of characters and stain them for the rest of their life. Blood meant various things in the play but it was certainly seen, literally and mentally. Hallucinations were commonly experienced in the play and added to things such as the plot and character development. Blood in Macbeth is more important when it is imagined by characters but is not actually there becauseRead MoreMacbeth Blood Essay2596 Words   |  11 Pagesitself heroic, because his loss of blood has made him weak. Thus his blood and his heroism seem to enhance the picture of Macbeth as a hero. As Lady Macbeth plans to kill King Duncan, she calls upon the spirits of murder to make thick my blood; stop up the access and passage to remorse. Thin blood was considered wholesome, and it was thought that poison made blood thick. Lady Macbeth wants to poison her own soul, so that she can kill without remorse. Macbeth says this is a sorry sight, looking