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Common Symbols In Macbeth

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In William Shakespeare's play Macbeth, there are recurring symbols which help develop the major themes. These symbols are used to foreshadow the theme of guilt which takes big roles in the theme of the play. Some other symbols which are subtle may not be as evident but often show up and eventually lead to the theme of guilt. The three symbols that are important and repeated are blood, water, and hallucinations. Each time one of these symbols are used they are used as precursors to a theme or an important event.
The first symbol, blood, represents Macbeth's and Lady Macbeth's guilt. In Macbeth blood is everywhere from the beginning to the end. In Act 2 Scene 2 Macbeth got blood on his hands by murdering King Duncan. After Macbeth murdered King …show more content…

Water is used throughout most of the play. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth use water to clean them of the murder they have committed because of the guilt they feel. Macbeth feels remorse and guilt after murdering King Duncan, his wife advises him to wash his hands with water to cleanse him of the guilt. However, the guilt he feels is so deep that he believes not even all the water in the ocean can cleanse but his guilty bloody hands will make the oceans red, "No; this my hand will rather The multitudinous seas incarnadine, making the green one red" (Pg.83). Despite Lady Macbeth's suggestion of cleansing their deeds with water, no amount of water seems to be enough. Near the end, it is evident that she does not feel cleansed of her deeds and still feels guilt because as she is sleepwalking she says, "Out, damned spot; out, I say!" (Pg.213) and makes motions of rubbing he hands together as someone would if they were washing their hands. In her mind she feels the guilt and knows no amount of water will cleanse her guilt "What, will these hands ne'er be clean?" (Pg.213) and she is repeatedly trying to cleanse herself of the guilt. Water is correlated with guilt throughout the play, and is a very important symbol because Macbeth and Lady Macbeth both turn to water for cleansing when they feel

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