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Shakespeare uses the symbol of blood in MacBeth to represent treason, guilt, murder and death. These ideas are constant throughout the book. There are many examples of blood representing these three ideas in the book. 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. The next reference, although indirect, in Act 2, Scene 2, Lines 5-11 is when Lady MacBeth talks about smearing the blood from the dagger on the faces and hands of the servants that she drugged. In Act 2, Scene 2, Lines 11-12, "I laid their daggers ready; He could not miss them". Notice how she said THEIR daggers. She is setting up the innocent servants of the king, making it look like they committed treason. Also in this scene is the first reference of blood pertaining to guilt. MacBeth says this in Act 2, Scene 3, Line 60, "Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood clean from my hand?" This is an example of blood representing guilt, because MacBeth wi...
The longest running tradition in medicine, bloodletting, was a widely accepted practice with a three-thousand year-old history from the ancient Egyptians to the late 19th century. At that time, physicians thought that disease was a curse caused by the supernatural. It was a common idea that blood carried the vital force of the body and was the seat of the soul. Anything from body weaknesses to insanity were attributed to a defect in this vital fluid. Bloodletting was a method for balancing other fluids in the body and cleansing it of impurities. Shakespeare takes the same knowledge of blood and applies it to “Macbeth” in which the connotations not only foretell one’s glory but also one’s guilt.
With use of blood as a symbol of guilt, Shakespeare is able to develop his theme that guilt is an endless burden on the wrongdoer. Blood, in "The Tragedy of Macbeth," provides a strong, visual representation of guilt, and draws the audience 's attention towards it, both of which work to communicate powerful messages to the audience. His effective
Use of Blood Imagery in Macbeth William Shakespeare uses many techniques to liven up the intensity, and the excitement, of his plays. In the play of MacBeth, Shakespeare uses blood imagery to add a sense of fear, guilt, shame, insanity, and anger to the atmosphere. The use of blood imagery allows the audience to vision in their minds the crime scene where Duncan was murdered, as well as the scene where Lady MacBeth tries to cope with the consequences of her actions. The talk and sight of blood has a great impact on the strength and depth of the use of blood imagery. MacBeth’s soliloquy in Act 2 scene 1 gives the reader a description of how Duncan will be murdered.
Shakespeare used the image of blood to portray the central idea of Macbeth, King Duncan’s murder. The crime is foreshadowed in the second scene of the first act. The king shouts, “ What bloody man is that?” (I,ii,1) He is referring to a soldier coming in from battle. The soldier then explains to King Duncan of Macbeth’s heroics in battle. One assumes that Macbeth is bloody just like the soldier. The soldier describes Macbeth in action “Disdaining Fortune, with his brandished steel, / Which smoked with bloody execution.” (I,ii,17-18) This line connects Macbeth with killing, and hints at the future.
Blood is also used to display the guilt in Lady Macbeth near the end of the play. Throughout the play, Lady Macbeth is the one who tries to keep Macbeth sane and to keep from breaking.
“.blood will have blood.” , Macbeth is a well known book written by Shakespeare. In it, a once loyal soldier to the king of Scotland starts to seek a way for him to get the crown for himself. In Macbeth, William Shakespeare uses the imagery of blood to represent the guilt of Lady Macbeth and Macbeth, demonstrating the feeling of guilt has consequences of severe punishments. The imagery of blood shows Lady Macbeth wants to get rid of her guilt.
... middle of paper ... ... Shakespeare employs the powerful symbol of blood to augment the tragic nature of Macbeth, while dually adding dramatic effect to the play. Blood’s recurring symbolism throughout the play constantly reminds the audience of the Macbeth’s irreconcilable guilt. Blood’s symbolism in the murder of Duncan transforms an act of treachery into a ghastly betrayal.
Shakespeare employs symbolism and imagery to explore the themes of Good vs. Evil and Suffering in his play Macbeth. Shakespeare uses blood to portray murder and wrongdoing, “I am in blood, stepp’d in so far that should I wade no more, returning were as tedious as go o’er.” (III. iv. 136). He uses daggers to portray the same idea, and the two are often used with each
Blood is something that we need to live. So it is clearly understood when Shakespeare uses the symbol of blood to represent murder, betrayal, and death, to show all of the evil that was going on. It is a symbol that was used the most in the play Macbeth, and had different meanings.
In the exposition before Macbeth’s entrance, Shakespeare employs the motif of blood to depict Macbeth’s greatness as evidenced by his prowess in battle. In the midst of the battle between Scotland
First, blood plays a major role by showing guilt. It mainly represents guilt for Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. First, the image of blood consumes Macbeth with guilt. To illustrate, Macbeth begins to get second thoughts even before he kills King Duncan. In the moments leading up to his murder of Duncan, Macbeth
Blood was very evident throughout Macbeth by William Shakespeare. 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 through hallucinations. Blood in Macbeth is more important when it is imagined by characters but is not actually there because it causes main characters such as Macbeth and Lady Macbeth to feel more guilty, becomes a reminder of death, and represents violence and murder. The biggest role of blood in the play was becoming a stigma of guilt for characters including Macbeth and Lady Macbeth.
The image of blood plays an important role throughout Macbeth. Blood represents the murders that Macbeth had committed, the guilt that went along with the murders and the pain that it brought on him during his downfall. The soldier describes the violence and bloodshed, in the war between Scotland and Norway, "Except they meant to bathe in reeking wounds." (I. ii. 43) foreshadows the violent nature of the play filled with murder, guilt and pain. Blood in the murder of King Duncan also plays a major role because it represents Macbeth's guilt as well as his shame for slaying King Duncan. Macbeth observes his blood stained hands and remarks "As they had seen me with these hangman's hands." (II. ii. 28) This reveals his guilt and shame because he is comparing his hands to those of an executioner's. After the murder, Macbeth refuses to return back to the bed chamber of Kind Duncan to smear the blood on the sleeping guards, because he is afraid that the blood will incriminate him further. Lady Macbeth smearing the blood onto the guards represents them trying to rub their guilt off onto the guard. "I'll gild the faces of the grooms withal, for it must seem their guilt" (II. ii. 73) but this proves to be ineffective because Macbeth ends up murdering t...
Blood symbolizes the initiation and significant points along Macbeth’s downward spiral of corruption and greed. Macbeth’s corruption and greed begins when he commits a dishonorable act. Before killing Duncan Macbeth begins to reveal feelings about murder through his hallucinations. Macbeth begins to hallucinate a dagger covered in blood, which projects the symbol of murder. After the killing of Duncan, blood symbolizes the quilt within Macbeth, causing him to experience fear for the sinful death. Once Macbeth realizes his new position, Macbeth’s greed for authority initiated. Macbeth was eager to manifest his masculinity to Lady Macbeth, by doing so Macbeth began to plan the execution of Banquo. Towards the end of both Banquo and Macduff’s
Blood symbolizes the guilt that sits like a permanent stain on the consciences of both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, one that hounds them to their graves. The Weather