What Does The Bird Symbolize In Macbeth

Throughout Macbeth, many motifs are used.

Blood is used to symbolize violence and grief. Hands represent the morality of humans and the thin line between good and evil. Even gender is used to show drive and purpose in actions. However, one lesser known motif in Macbeth is birds. While many readers notice the major acts in the book, birds are stealthily hidden in this play and represent quite a bit. Shakespeare uses birds to represent the balance of power, bad omens, and the concern for or lack of safety.

In the play, birds represent strength and how power is represented in the play.

One example of this is in act 1, scene 2 when a soldier tells King Duncan, "As sparrows eagles, or the hare the lion" (Shakespeare 1.2.35) . This shows how in society, eagles are unafraid of sparrow similar to

Peace! / It was the owl that shriek'd, the fatal bellman, / Which gives the stern'st good-night. He is about it" (2.2.2-4). At the time Macbeth had murdered Duncan and as the two were talking they were hearing the Macduffs knocking at the door; while at the time they did not know that, it was ironic how they blamed the knocking on an owl when later on in the play the person knocking at the door turned out to be the one who busted Macbeth for his murders and killed him at the end of the play.

Overall, birds are an important motif in the play Macbeth. While they might not be as noticeable in the play as a motif like blood, hands, or gender, birds are still just as important. They are used to represents the balance of power through the murders of Banquo and Duncan, bad omens for not only Duncan but for Macbeth and the future of the country, and lack of and concern for safety from the Macbeths and Macduff's. Birds, while not noticed as a motif, are actually a vital part of comprehending the play. Their involvement in the story shows how important Shakespeare wanted them to