Blood Imagery In Macbeth

Shakespeare’s playwright shows the betrayal of Macbeth and how his wife Lady Macbeth contributes.. The use of blood imagery in Macbeth shows the character development of both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth and as they switch personalities. Lady Macbeth as a human being is very cruel, evil, and murderous. At the beginning of the play we learn of her use of manipulation to convince Macbeth to murder King Duncan for his crown over the kingdom. To become this way she calls upon the spirits to change her own body, “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 the access and passage to remorse, That no compunctious visitings of nature Shake

We first learn on his modesty and innocence. He claims victory in a battle that ensures the safety of Duncan's kingdom. The heroic warrior Macbeth declairs, “The service and the loyalty I owe, In doing it, pays itself” (1.4.22-23). Macbeth is being modest by saying that it is enough payment knowing he did the right thing for his king. He very quickly changes his mind when he thinks, “The Prince of Cumberland! that is a step On which I must fall down, or else o'erleap, For in my way it lies” (1.4.48-50). This is ironic because he had told King Duncan that knowing what he did was right was enough payment, but now he is pondering about the fact that he now has to also kill Malcolm to become King of Scottland. After learning Duncan will be visiting his home Macbeth tell his wife. She uses this moment to plan the murder of Duncan. She convinces him to murder Duncan. He is dreaded with guilt right after the murder takes place saying, “Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood Clean from my hand? No, this my hand will rather The multitudinous seas incarnadine, Making the green one red.” (2.2.61-64). His feeling of guilt is all he can think of. He claims even the ocean would not be able to wash away the guilt from him. To continue with his task he had to make it look as he was grieving the death of Duncan. So he killed the two guards that had done nothing morally wrong. “ O yet I do repent me of my fury, That I did kill them.”