Macbeth A Dead Butcher Analysis

From the start of Macbeth, the title character and plays protagonist has a shocking capacity for violence, which presents him as a “dead butcher”. This is shown when the captain describes Macbeth’s sword as being “smoked with bloody execution”, Shakespeare’s use of satanic imagery from the word “smoked” implies that Macbeths sword was being used to vanquish his foe so much that it metaphorically smokes. This also shows how bloodthirsty Macbeth is because he must have slain many men to make his sword smoke. The captain also states that Macbeth “unseamed [his enemy] from the nave to th’ chops”. Shakespeare’s use of the words “nave” and “chops” create the image that Macbeths victim as not being human, the word “chops” presents the victim as being a piece of meat, showing that Macbeth is a butcher.

Though Macbeth is presented as being a butcher, the initial butchery is justified because he is doing it for his nation and as a result he is respected by his king and countrymen. He is esteemed so much that King Duncan calls him a “valiant cousin”; he is also known as “noble” and “brave” Macbeth. One major way in which Macbeth does not seem butcher is the way he fights valiantly for his nation, this is seen when he “doubly redoubles strokes upon the foe”. This shows us that instead of being fatigued by fighting off an attack from the west, Macbeth is “doubly” energized and “redoubles” his attack on the east. In addition to this when Duncan asks if Macbeth was “dismayed”, the captain

After killing Duncan, Macbeth says “this is a sorry sight” to which Lady Macbeth, quickly responds “a foolish thought”. This again shows how Lady Macbeth is manipulating Macbeth into not feeling remorse. A key trade that makes Macbeth not a butcher is remorse, he