In Macbeth, blood is a symbol used to represent guilt and how one's guilt will cause them to act with concupiscence. If an individual feels guilty about an action they will do anything to try to make up for that action or clear their conscience. They may cross a line in which they never had thought of crossing before in order to fight their guilt. In the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare, Macbeth feels guilty about the many murders he has committed and his guilt has turned to paranoia. His paranoia is evident in his conversation with lady Macbeth about banquo when he says, “Come, seeling night, / Scarf up the tender eye of pitiful day / And with thy bloody and invisible hand / Cancel and tear to pieces that great bond / Which keeps me pale” (Shakespeare 3.3.52-56).
William Shakespeare wrote Macbeth. It is considered one of its most powerful and darkest tragedies; the play dramatizes the psychological and political corrosive effects produced when evil is chosen as a way to satisfy the ambition for power. Macbeth tells a story of crime and punishment mixed with witchcraft. Covered in the deceitful prophecies of the Weird Sisters, Macbeth decides to assassinate his king and take the crown. Aware of the horror to which he surrenders, he forges his terrible destiny and believing himself invincible and eternal.
Not only is this murder different in terms of reasoning, but the consequence itself proved to be a complete backfire as Macduff, fueled with rage, returns to England to end Macbeth’s life. Following the metaphorical trail of blood, each murder presents a new and more developed stage of dementia. “The castle of Macduff I will surprise, / Seize upon Fife; give to the edge o’ the sword / His wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls / That trace him in his line. No boasting like a fool; / This deed I’ll do before this purpose cool (IV, i, 150-154). The first murder of King Duncan only sealed Macbeth’s paranoia and served as a foundation for the murders of Banquo and Macduff’s family.
Ambrose Bierce displays writing skills in the short story, “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge,” that create an unforgettable tale. By using key literary devices, the author takes the reader through an emotional journey. Imagery, being prominently in display throughout the story, gives the most total effect. Because of this literary element the author creates a world in which the readers immerse themselves in their imaginations. Within this imagery the author includes symbolism to further enhance the text.
And this process is related with Macbeth. The reason of this Macbeth acts like a hero but actually, he is not a hero but a murderer. Killing Duncan, he has become the king and has used this heroism. Hence, he put on a new appearance as snakes do. To show the general topic of evil, darkness symbolism is widely used throughout the play.
“Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood Clean from my hand? No, this my hand will rather The multitudinous seas incarnadine, Making the green one red.” In this section from act II, scene II macbeth is talking about how the blood of Duncan will never wash away from his hands, or how the guilt of killing the king will never be gone from him. He says that all of the god of water’s (Neptune’s) oceans will not wash away the blood from his hands, but instead the blood from his hands will make the ocean a scarlet red. What Macbeth has done is so powerful, not even a power as great as the ocean could ever wash it away! “ I will
After realizing the severity his plan to succeed the throne, Macbeth reveals his hesitancy towards killing King Duncan, and it is at that moment that he calls out to a “dagger of the mind” which symbolizes his guilt and temptation to carry out the evil deed (2. 1. 39). Inevitably, Macbeth’s desire for power outweighed his moral integrity, and he carries out the murder of King Duncan, beginning the slow spiral of his own demise mentally and physically. Shakespeare uses this apostrophe as a way to highlight the importance of the idea of murder and how easily its concept can be corrupted by greed.
Macbeth begins to employ treachery in order to achieve his goals and use tyranny to subdue anyone who opposes him including his wife. His treachery is most visible in the play when Macbeth betrays and kills both Duncan and Banquo as well as Macduff’s family. Macbeth says this before deciding to kill Duncan, “My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical, shakes so my single state of man that function is smother'd in surmise.” (I. iii. 139-141) After steeling himself for the murder of Duncan, Macbeth 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.” (i. vii.
The guilt is eating him alive. Macduff is a part of Macbeth’s fate as well. From day one, Macduff is suspicious of Macbeth’s climb to the throne. For example, he leads a crusade to take down Macbeth and reclaims the throne to Malcolm. Macbeth’s fate is not just determined by Malcolm reclaiming the throne, but revenge for murdering Macduff’s family.
Importance of control elsewhere in the play • How control is shown • Reasons for control within the play Control is a recurring theme in the play "Macbeth" as it warns the audience of the repercussions of trying to control your fate. The first key event where control features in a significant way is the witches' prophecies. They tell Macbeth that he will become Thane of Cawdor and King of Scotland which establishes the importance of fate. Shakespeare conveys the witches as agents of evil that are deceptive and dangerous, "oftentimes to win us to our harm/the instruments of darkness tell us truths," showing that they use truth itself to influence a horrible outcome (Macbeth's tragic demise.) Their message is compelling and attractive and we