ipl-logo

Blood Imagery In Macbeth Essay

417 Words2 Pages

Shakespeare’s playwright shows the betrayal of Macbeth. 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 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 my fell purpose, nor keep peace between The effect and it” (1.5.44-51). The purpose is to a cruel and evil monstrous beast. Blood is a measure of your guilt in the eyes of Lady Macbeth. So by having thick blood that cannot flow, she assumes that there would be no guilt in her actions. Lady Macbeth as a …show more content…

Give me the daggers. The sleeping and the dead Are but as pictures. 'Tis the eye of childhood That fears a painted devil. If he do bleed, I’ll gild the faces of the grooms withal, For it must seem their guilt” She again calls him a coward for not going back to take the daggers and frame the guards. Lady Macbeth compares the dead and sleeping to be pictures. Again mocking him by saying only children are scared of paintings. After the murder of King Duncan, “My hands are of your colour, but I shame To wear a heart so white” (2.2.80-81). By saying his heart was white Lady Macbeth says this to mock Macbeth by calling him weak and a coward. Shortly after she says “A little water clears us of this deed” (2.2.85). The deed is representing the guilt of the murder, and Lady Macbeth believes it will only take a little bit of time for the guilt to

Show More
Related

  • Macbeth Blood Quotes

    219 Words  | 1 Pages

    The image of blood plays an important role throughout the play. Blood represents the murders Macbeth and Lady Macbeth committed along with the guilt and pain they’ve felt afterwards. When Macbeth murdered King Duncan, he was fearful of getting caught. “Will Neptune’s ocean wash this blood Clean from my hand?” (2.2.59-60) Later, Macbeth refuses to go back to the crime scene to smear the blood on the sleeping guards because he was afraid of being accused.

    Read More

  • The Symbolism Of Blood In Macbeth By William Shakespeare

    244 Words  | 1 Pages

    Shakespeare uses the blood symbol to express Macbeth’s horror and guilt over his crime. Blood reveals Macbeth’s feelings about murder. Overall, the constant presence of blood in Macbeth repeatedly reminds us about how serious the consequences of the characters actions

    Read More

  • Violence In Macbeth's Guilt

    1337 Words  | 6 Pages

    Darkness can be seen in many literary works with the intention of showing a turn for the worse in many characters lives. In Macbeth by William Shakespeare, Shakespeare displays examples of violence in order to show audience members how Macbeth’s desire for kingship, led to his demise through his guilt. The use of blood, nature and supernatural elements are used as a way of symbolizing Shakespeare's theme of Macbeth’s guilt. Is one man’s desire for nobility worth the cost of others lives? Blood alters the atmosphere throughout Macbeth through the effect it has on the main character.

    Read More

  • Lady Macbeth And Daisy Buchanan Analysis

    1304 Words  | 6 Pages

    Here’s the smell of the blood still. All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand.” (V.i.l 25, 33-34). The blood symbolizes the guilt that Lady Macbeth has after being involved in the murder of Duncan. The Macbeths believe that cleaning their hands with water would make the sin of the murder not be in connection with them.

    Read More

  • Examples Of Lady Macbeth's Guilt

    1054 Words  | 5 Pages

    Here’s the smell of the blood still. All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand. Oh, Oh, Oh!” (Act 5, Scene 1) Though she continuously rubs her hands to get rid of the blood, Lady Macbeth can not washed away the guilt that stains her hands.

    Read More

  • Macbeth Blood Will Have Blood Analysis

    1398 Words  | 6 Pages

    Shakespeare uses the recurring symbol of blood to emphasize the effect of death and violence on the human psyche. The connotation that Macbeth associates with blood switches from a primary motivator to a guilty reminder. Prior to Duncan’s murder, Macbeth witnessed a floating dagger covered with blood (II.i.33). Macbeth had experienced violence and Blood is also used as a reminder of the guilt and trauma from the murder of King Duncan, the guards and Banquo. Macbeth refers to his hallucination of the ghost of Banquo: “It will have blood, they say.

    Read More

  • Anger And Guilt In Macbeth

    700 Words  | 3 Pages

    Throughout the play blood is used as a way to show the evil intentions of not only Macbeth but other characters of the famous play, demonstrating their ambition, anger, and guilt. Undoubtedly, the

    Read More

  • Deceiving Motifs In Macbeth

    848 Words  | 4 Pages

    He wonders if “all great Neptune’s ocean [will] wash this blood/clean from [his] hand” (2.2.78-9). Macbeth knows what he has done is wrong and he is shaken by his actions. Back then killing on the battlefield was much more respected than cowardly murder on a defenseless opponent. There was a purpose to fighting for an individual’s own country and brave soldiers were very highly revered. Macbeth is seen as this gallant and fearless warrior at the beginning of the play by his captains as they describe how “he unseamed [the enemy] from the nave to th’ chops” (1.2.24).

    Read More

  • Symbol Of Blood In Macbeth Essay

    473 Words  | 2 Pages

    In Shakespeare’s play Macbeth the symbol of blood is often represented. The symbol of blood changes throughout the play. The imagery of blood is used in two different ways, good and evil. There are several examples of this throughout the play. The symbol of blood is very important in Macbeth.

    Read More

  • Why Is Blood Important In Macbeth

    675 Words  | 3 Pages

    Blood is something most people see as gruesome and disturbing, and not something ordinary people enjoy to be in the presence of. In the play Macbeth, the playwright William Shakespeare uses the motif of blood to expose a character's thoughts and personality. Blood is an important motif constantly shown throughout the play. Macbeth, the main character, thinks he can advance to the throne without any consequences. Blood exemplifies the guilt he is now stuck with, and due to Macbeth's excessive ambition, and overwhelming guilt, he is now faced with the consequences.

    Read More

  • Lady Macbeth's Downfall

    1367 Words  | 6 Pages

    Macbeth went through so much pressure to do the crime he later regretted and suffered and battles with himself and his paranoia. Lady Macbeth only saw the effects of blood visually she did not see how the blood stain was eating Macbeth from the inside. Once again Lady Macbeth is pushing Macbeth to forget about what happened and move on, the murder does not affect Lady Macbeth but the way Macbeth is acting shows that he was never ready to commit this

    Read More

  • Femininity In Lady Macbeth

    509 Words  | 3 Pages

    Bloodthirsty ambition is presented throughout William Shakespeare’s play, Macbeth, beginning with Lady Macbeth's plotting of King Duncan's demise from the throne. Her motivation is fed through her need of constant success and her desire to strive for excellence. In the male-dominated society which she lives in, she realizes that in order to be influential and affluent, she must remove any qualities that are deemed feminine. Yet, as Lady Macbeth retracts her true nature, the unnatural change of her femininity to masculinity inevitably leads to her demise. This disruption of gender roles through Lady Macbeth, presented in Macbeth is demonstrated through her place as the dominant individual in her marriage; because on many occasions, she rules

    Read More

  • Theme Of Blood In Macbeth

    1369 Words  | 6 Pages

    Shakespeare’s play “Macbeth” explores a man’s fall from morality through committing the act of regicide, as well as ideas of guilt, greed and corruption. A motif of blood is used throughout the play to aid Shakespeare’s character development of Macbeth and it also facilitates further exploration of the figurative moral compass and culpability. Blood is used as a symbol and physical manifestation of guilt within characters throughout the play. Firstly, Shakespeare uses the motif of blood to emphasise the moral deterioration of Macbeth 's character.

    Read More

  • Macbeth Imagery Analysis

    647 Words  | 3 Pages

    Macbeth explores many different themes and symbols throughout the play including blood, ambition, the sense of right and wrong, and hallucinations. Hallucinations play a strong role in this play and create vivid imagery in Macbeth. The specific accounts that can be used to prove this thesis are Banquo’s ghost, Lady Macbeth’s invisible blood stains, and the witches apparitions. The climax of the play has already passed with Macbeth taking his first life, King Duncan.

    Read More

  • Lady Macbeth Feminist Analysis

    450 Words  | 2 Pages

    Make thick my blood.” (1, 5, 47-50) Shakespeare uses this powerful soliloquy to reveal Lady Macbeth ’s innermost desires: to be freed from her menstrual cycle, frailty of womanhood, and feminized traits of pity. Ruthlessness would replace these traits, transforming her into a more masculine identity that is able to gain access to power.

    Read More

More about Blood Imagery In Macbeth Essay

Open Document