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. Blood will have blood. (3.4. ?)” The association of blood to his murderous crimes is used to signify his dirty conscious. Blood is messy and can stain clothes similarly to how the repercussions of Macbeth’s actions have a lasting effect of his conscience. He is experiencing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder by reliving the horrors of confronting his actions. By seeing Banquo as a ghost, Macbeth believes that his acts have come to haunt him for revenge. The guests at the dinner party are confused by …show more content…
Sleep is one of the purest forms of altered consciousness however, traumatic experiences can impede one’s unconscious thoughts. Macbeth returns after killing Duncan and the guards, grief stricken and afraid. He tells his wife that sleep itself has been murdered and that nobody is immune his treachery (5.1.44). Macbeth’s crime is intensified by the act of murder being done at night and to sleeping rather than awake guards. The moment of guilt that Macbeth felt for his actions represents the hidden innocence behind the crimes. He was so caught up with the personal gain of his crimes that he lost sight of the immorality. Through his sudden burst of regret and fear, Macbeth is exposing himself similarly to how the victims of his crimes were exposed in their state of sleep. The vulnerable state of the
Click here to unlock this and over one million essays
Show MoreThe 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.
Blood represents how Macbeth was a hero and how the evil will turn him into a guilty man. After the Scottish army defeated the Norwegian army King Duncan starts to praise the hero of the war Macbeth. Also however he ends up talking to a bloody soldier from the war. “What bloody man is that” :for brave Macbeth- well deserves that name.”
The motifs of blood and hand work together to introduce the theme of guilt and remorse. Macbeth is paranoid after killing Duncan. He tells himself that all the oceans in the world can't clean his bloody hands, “Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood, clean from my hand? No, this my hand will rather the multitudinous seas in incarnadine, making the green one red.” (2.2.72-74).
They have dirtied their hands and now are forever stained. In Macbeth, Shakespeare uses the motif of blood to show the never-ending guilt weighed upon a person after a terrible deed. Haunted by guilt, Macbeth changes from a good, loyal soldier, to an evil heartless tyrant. Initially, Macbeth is shown as a hero with
Blood is known as the fluid circulates in the principle vascular system of human beings and other vertebrates, also it has another denotation of the vital principle and life. In Shakespeare’s tragedy Macbeth, literal blood drips from nearly every page as it appears 41 times throughout the whole play in order to explore further meaning of it. Macbeth, the main character in the book spends half of his life on suspecting, murdering in order to maintain the throne and power. His extreme ambition takes him to the high status and also kills him in the end. Along with the slight happiness of being the new king, the guilt and sin grows rapidly in his mind and even drives him crazy.
Bradley points out that here “Lady Macbeth asserts first that Macbeth proposed the murder to her, second that he did so at a time when there was no opportunity to attack Duncan, no ' adherence ' of ' time ' and ' place ', and third that he declared he would make an opportunity, and swore to carry out the murder.” (pg. 477). Once Lady Macbeth argues with this atop many other points of debate Macbeth then says “I am settled, and bend up Each corporal agent to this terrible feat. Away, and mock the time with fairest show: False face must hide what the false heart doth know” (Pg. 171; 1.7.80) sending his wife to distract the others both putting on a face that is only false to them, knowing in their hearts the act that they are about to
In Macbeth, Shakespeare uses the motif of sleep, a natural process, to demonstrate how the unchecked ambition for unnatural objects cause a loss of innocence. This is evident in Lady Macbeth's confession of her sinful acts and Macbeth's state of mind after Duncan's death. The motif of sleep occurs in the form of sleep talking when Lady Macbeth relives the moments when she plotted the death of Duncan and Lady MacDuff in order to acquire the throne. After Lady Macbeth gets a note from Macbeth that describes the witch's prophecies, she plots Duncan's murder and tries to muster the courage to execute her plan.
Macbeth’s bad conscience, however, cannot be curbed. Although, they both seem to go through serious pain and true regret is also involved.
The bloody hand on the Castle is also meant to be a stain on the reputation of the Macbeth and Lady Macbeth; a stain symbolizes their guilty consciences (especially Lady Macbeth’s). But this stain is not only viewed by others, but by the owners themselves. For Lady Macbeth, her guilt slowly begins to prevent her from continuing in the seat of power, as seen by her death a few scenes after the visions of the blood-soaked hands. Blood is also represent the consequences of overreaching ambition as well as evil plans. Both play a role in the degrading of the morality and reputations of the Macbeths.
Not only does the blood signify the immovable guilt Macbeth feels, but it also is a picture of the fragility of Macbeth’s power. The ghost of Banquo is covered in blood, a reminder of Macbeth’s role in his murder and a reminder of the witches’ prophecy that a descendant of Banquo will assume the throne. Without the recurrence of blood throughout the play, “Macbeth” would lose its powerful
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.
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.
The blood on her hands indicates the murders of Duncan and others who have died because of her and Macbeth’s ambition. However, as blood can be masked within a strong scent, such as the perfumes of Arabia, it is not the case for Lady Macbeth in her sleep because the guilt she feels is overwhelming her ability to forgive herself and forget her sins. Therefore, Lady Macbeth expresses her guilt through her vision while sleeping which is caused by her ambition and
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.
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.