Bloody Word Journal Essay

What Bloody Word Journal is This?
1 “Disdaining fortune, with his brandish'd steel, Which smoked with bloody execution, Like valour's minion carved out his passage Till he faced the slave;”(1.2.19-23)
This line is said by the Captain who is describing to Duncan, king of scotland, the battle that has just taken place. The armies of Macbeth and Macdonwald have just faced off in a gruesome battle for which both sides were exhausted. Macbeth was able to defeat Macdonwald and his army of soldiers from Hebrides. Macbeth cuts Macdonwald from the bellybutton to the mouth.
The use of blood in this context is referring to the bloody battle which was won. In this case blood seems to be something noble and has a feeling of victory. Macbeth brutally killing Macdonwald is an unpleasant image, but the purpose was to defend his

country making it valid. The Captain himself is also covered in blood and wounds which portray him as valiant aswell.
2.”Of dearest cruelty! Make thick my blood; Stop up the access and passage to remorse.”(1.5.49-50)
Lady Macbeth says this line in her unsex me soliloquy which is an unsettling piece of text. The lines make Lady Macbeth out to be devilish she asks spirits to block out guilt so she may complete the murderous plan. By inviting demons to take her feminine qualities Lady Macbeth’s character is developed as foul and power hungry.
Lady Macbeth wants thick blood which means she invites evil and darkness into her mind and body. Lady Macbeth is so open to witchcraft which is contrary to Macbeth's earlier fear of them. Blood is beginning to seem more treacherous because Lady Macbeth wants hers to be thick so she may commit bloody crimes without remorse. Lady Macbeth is willing to deal with blood and seems very confident with her ability to murder.
3. “Mine eyes are made fools o’ the other senses, or else worth all the rest. I see thee still; And on thy blade and dudgeon gouts of blood, which was not so before.”(2.1.54-55)
Macbeth says this line in a soliloquy where he contemplating whether he will continue with the plan to kill Duncan. So far in the play Macbeth is seen as being noble and honorable, but this is a major turning point in his character. The blood in this line is on an imaginary dagger Macbeth sees in front of him guiding him to Duncan.
The blood shows what the dagger will look like after it is used to kill someone, but the dagger was originally clean. The hallucination Macbeth is having may represent himself or his soul. When one thinks about it Macbeth was pure and only killed in battle to be loyal to his king. Similar to how the dagger was before it was soiled with blood. Now that the dagger has drops of blood it may represent how macbeth will be covered in evil and murder. This line is significant in that the meaning of blood will change from the honorable blood shed in battle to a much darker connotation.
4. “There's daggers in men's smiles: the near in blood,The nearer bloody.“(2.3.)
This line is said by Donalbain in a short conversation between him and his brother Malcolm the two are talking about how they plan to leave Scotland. Malcolm says he will go to England and Donalbain to Ireland in order to be safe. The two fear that whoever killed their father will also kill them.
The use of blood in this line has a scary and unfriendly feeling. The near in blood could refer to Duncan because he is dead and all bloody. It could also mean that those closer in bloodline, descendants, of Duncan the nearer bloody. Therefore those closer to Duncan in family are closer to their demise. Blood can represented both by murder and family in this text.
5.”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.”(2.2.81-84)
Macbeth says this line regarding the blood that covers his hands following the murder of Duncan. He uses the literary element hyperbole to demonstrate that nothing, not even all the ocean, can clean the blood from his hands. He follows up by saying that the ocean would become red because of him.
The fact that the blood cannot be washed from his hands is interesting. The blood of Duncan and the murder will never leave him. The blood will be a constant reminder of the evils he has committed. Not even Neptune god of the oceans can wash it away. Macbeth at this point in the play is not able to deal with guilt and murder. The thought of turning the ocean red would mean that Macbeth’s guilt will be everlasting. The water cannot cleanse him of his actions, but Lady Macbeth still says to just wash it off. In the past quote said by Macbeth with blood the idea of guilt recurred.
6. “And with thy bloody and invisible hand, Cancel and tear to pieces that great bond, Which keeps me

pale!”(3.2.53-54)
This line is said by Macbeth in the scene where him and Lady Macbeth are discussing their terrible dreams and thoughts. Lady Macbeth says she would rather be dead than having to go through what they are currently. Furthermore they must agree to conceal their emotions because there is a banquet that night. Macbeth must keep his feelings of guilt hidden so others don't become suspicious by hiding his hands.
Macbeth uses blood in this line again to demonstrate his immense guilt. He says hands are invisible and bloody which contradict each other in the sense that blood represents treachery and to be invisible is to be pure. In this case Macbeth wants to make himself pale and pure by hiding any evidence of his involvement. Macbeth will cut his bonds from murder by hiding his guilt, bloody hands. Macbeth is paranoid about the blood in his hands from killing Duncan this shows how guilt is beginning to weigh down Macbeth. It is clear that Lady Macbeth on the other hand is much more distraught as she is experiencing a lot of distress from their actions. Macbeth seems to be so focused on maintaining power he is not remorseful. Blood still has a guilt meaning and is going to haunt Macbeth.
7.”I am in blood Stepp'd in so far that, should I wade no more, Returning were as tedious as go o'er”(3.4.71-73)
This line is said by Macbeth and he is comparing his journey into darkness to wading through a river of blood. He points out that continuing on is hard but turning back is just the same.
Macbeth is at the point of no return because it is now not as hard to be malicious. Macbeth is so far into the river of blood and so deep in guilt that he is beginning to accept his evils. The use of blood in this case represent guilt again, but Macbeth isn’t as resentful. Being foul is not easy, but it is something that can be accepted. This is contrary to previous quotes where Macbeth was finding his actions harder and harder to commit. Something to note is also the fact that it's a river of blood and not just a few drops showing that his guilt is rising and growing. This could also show that the number of deaths will grow.
8.” O nation miserable, With an untitled tyrant bloody-scepter'd,, When shalt thou see thy wholesome days again.”(4.3.120-122)
Macduff says this line because he is angry with Macbeth's ruling. He believes Scotland will see no relief from its suffering under the rule of Macbeth. Who is a tyrant that is unrightfully on the throne and is oppressive. Macduff definitely doesn't like Macbeth and is loyal to Scotland and hopes to take back control and restore good.
Macduff uses blood to imply that Macbeth has murdered Duncan and gained the septor through blood. The imagery of Macbeth holding a bloody scepter portrays Macbeth further as a murderous king. The blood on the king's scepter may represent the corruption that covers Macbeth because he wasn’t the rightful heir. Duncan had originally said that his son would be the next king yet Macbeth is king.
9.”Yet who would have thought the old man, to have had so much blood in him.”(5.1.38-39)
Lady Macbeth said this line while she was asleep and sleep walking. She is reenacting the murder of Duncan and is commenting on the large amounts he has bled. Lady Macbeth was the one who returned the bloody daggers to the scene and it has stayed with her.
Lady Macbeth is at a major turning point with her character and she is dealing with the fact that she can't take back her actions. The murder is consuming her in all aspects including her mental stability. The blood again represents her guilt but Lady Macbeth is not as confident as she was in previous parts where she asked for her blood to be thick. Lady Macbeth would boss Macbeth around and that is clearly over. The effects and meaning of blood have changed from power and strength to guilt and unhappiness. Which later in Act 5 leads to her suicide.
10.”my soul is too much charged, With blood of thine already.”(5.8.6-7)
This line is said by Macbeth who is face to face with Macduff in a battle that Macbeth is losing. Macbeth is saying that he has killed so many Macduff's already that he cannot Kill anyone else.
By killing all of Macduff's family we saw a overly malicious side to Macbeth which had little value for life. Now in the play Macbeth is gaining some of his old noble qualities of bravery and remorse. In the quote blood refers to Macduff's bloodline and his families sharing of qualities. Macbeth has caused so much death and destruction that this killing would seem easy. This is not the case and Macbeth is starting to realize this.In the end blood changed from meaning noble to being guilt and murder.