Preview

Images Of Blood In Macbeth By William Shakespeare

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
369 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Images Of Blood In Macbeth By William Shakespeare
In Macbeth, Shakespeare uses the recurring image of blood to show that a guilty conscience cannot be ignored forever. This is shown through Lady Macbeth's initial reaction to the murder of Duncan and her hallucinations. The image of blood is used when Lady Macbeth first ignores the guilt of killing Duncan. Macbeth regretfully murders Duncan, the king of Scotland, in order for himself to become king. As Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are washing their hands, Lady Macbeth says: "My hands are of your color, but I shame / to wear a heart so white... A little water clears us of this deed. / How easy is it, then! (2.2.82-87). Although Macbeth feels guilty for murdering Duncan, Lady Macbeth is unperturbed. Lady Macbeth's "hands are of [Macbeth's] color",

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Blood Imagery In Macbeth

    • 650 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Every good story needs imagery. It is what drags the reader into the story and lets them have a clearer picture of what is happening. Macbeth is a William Shakespeare play that contains amazing examples of imagery. It utilizes multiple themes of imagery, but one of the most common is blood. Blood imagery is used to present strong images and to further help the audience know what the characters are dealing with throughout the story.…

    • 650 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Further in the play, the audience learns of her sleepwalking patterns. In this state, she reveals the murder to the Doctor. Lady Macbeth is seen trying to wash her hands over and over again, though no amount of cleanliness can rid her of this ‘damned spot’: “What, will these hands ne'er be clean?” This is ironic as Lady Macbeth herself was the one who persuaded Macbeth into killing Duncan. We see Lady Macbeth start to crumble in the second half of the play, and finally her guilt becomes overpowering as she commits suicide at the end of the play. This is how Shakespeare uses the motif of blood to portray the theme of guilt in the…

    • 761 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    blood is usually linked to violence, however, over the course of macbeth, blood has also become a symbol of guilt. Death happens is an instance, but blood remains and stains. When Macbeth and lady macbeth feel the guiltiest, they distress that they cannot get the blood off of their hands, and macbeth says no amount of water can wash the blood - the guilt - from his…

    • 68 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Blood is known to all of us to represent life, death and often injury. Blood is an essential part of life, and without blood, we could not live. This is known to everyone, and because of this, when Shakespeare uses the symbol of blood to represent treason, murder and death, it is easily understood and fits in perfectly with the ideas we have of blood.<br><br>Blood is mentioned often in the play and most times in reference to murder or treason. The first sinister reference to blood is in Act 2, Scene 1, when Macbeth sees the dagger floating in the air leading him to Duncan's room and he sees "on the blade and dudgeon gouts of blood", indicating that the knife has been visciously and violently stabbed into someone. The next reference, in Scene 2, is when Lady Macbeth smears the blood from the dagger on the faces and hands of the sleeping servants "I'll guild the faces of the grooms withal, for it must seem their guilt".…

    • 429 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    49-50). Macbeth displays his guilty by saying that “I am afraid to think of what I have done” (II. 2. 55). This puts a new view on their relationship by demonstrating she doesn’t really care that much for what he does and how he feels as long as she gets her way. She’s very self centered and says ironically that the murder wasn’t a big deal and that he should brush it off, or wash his hands like it never happened; although, she was the one who could not carry through with the plan because she was reminded of her dad when she saw Duncan. Yet, she insist that the job would have been very easy to complete and that she would be ashamed to be as guilty as he is. This is exhibited through her stating: “My hands are of your colour; but I shame/ To wear a heart so white” (II. 2. 68-69). After the murder of King Duncan, Lady Macbeth and Macbeth’s relationship is greatly affected by Lady Macbeth's selfishness and the relationship becomes controlling on Lady Macbeth's…

    • 343 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Guilt is a frustrating feeling; it evokes regret, self-punishment, and shame. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth do not know it, but every time they murder, their guilt increases, and they step closer to their downfall. Shakespeare uses the imagery of blood in Macbeth to illustrate the inevitable guilt of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth and how their roles change by the end of the play.…

    • 967 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    In Macbeth shakespre has used the theme of blood and death to portray the evil side. In act 2 scene 1 it says that “is dagger which I see before me, the handle towards my hand”. This quote tell us that Macbeth evil side is leading him to fulfil the dead of killing the king even through Duncan had named him thane of coward .This is a divine rights of king as Macbeth is trying to kill the king even through kings had the direct authority of god which back in the Jacobean times was consider to be a massive sin. The noun “dagger” presents a bloody and deathly imagery this could suggest inner conflict between Macbeth greedy sides as his loyal side. The phrase “towards my hands suggest that Macbeth could be imaging the dagger which could lead him…

    • 344 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Throughout the play “Macbeth” William Shakespeare uses many motifs to emphasize themes and develop the plot. One major motif, blood, is used to symbolize heroism and power as well as corruption and evil. As events play out in the story, the title character and his wife both become progressively more unscrupulous and their immoral acts begin to weigh on their conscious. In “Macbeth”, Shakespeare utilizes blood as a motif to illustrate the increasing guilt Macbeth and Lady Macbeth suffer as a result of their violent and manipulative actions.…

    • 577 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Blood In Macbeth

    • 899 Words
    • 4 Pages

    After the murder of King Duncan we immediately see the guilt eat away at Macbeth. ““What hands are here! Ha! they pluck out mine eyes” (act 2 scene 2 line 24). Macbeth says that the sight of the blood, the very thought of murder, is so awful it metaphorically rips his eyes out, indicating the enormity of quilt Macbeth is experiencing. After the murder of his friend Banquo that he staged, he states in a conversation with his wife “But let the frame of things disjoint, both the worlds suffer,Ere we will eat our meal in fear, and sleep In the affliction of these terrible dreams That shake us nightly. Better be with the dead, Whom we, to gain our peace, have sent to peace, Than on the torture of the mind to lie In restless ecstasy” (act 3 scene 2 lines 18-25). The guilt evades them both of their sleep and sanity, and the imaginary blood sticks to them as a reminder of their ever pervading existence. Blood helps trace the emotions of the characters because we see Macbeth go from guilt to dry acceptance of his actions. He is aware that after all these crimes he is not able to turn back no matter how hard he tries. Blood is also keen in representing the paradoxical effect between the beginning of Macbeth and the tragic conclusion. In the beginning Macbeth spills the blood of macdownwald bringing peace to Scotland, and at the end of the story Macduff the son of King Duncan slays Macbeth bringing the restoration of peace back to Scotland once and for all.…

    • 899 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Lady Macbeth enters the room and says, “Here’s the smell of the blood still: all the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand. Oh! oh! Oh!” (5. 1. 43-45) This is where the audience knows that Lady Macbeth finally realizes she is guilty of these murders. This lead to an example of external conflict, starting where she was sleepwalking telling on herself, to where she killed herself over this. When facing something like this one can only wear a mask for so long. Lady Macbeth kept seeing the blood stains on her hands because once an image like that gets to you it does not go away. Blood literally stains not only clothing but mentally also. Even though all of this was Lady Macbeth’s idea she blamed it on Macbeth until she told on herself. Some way or somehow the truth always comes out no matter how hard you try to hide it. This example of external conflict is so important in this book because it shows the readers that Lady Macbeth’s character changes throughout the book and that she is not as strong as she seemed to be. Her character is very dynamic, she undergoes an internal change that affects her externally. During the beginning of the story she is very demanding and heartless, throughout the book she starts to soften up. Lady Macbeth’s true character comes out during this scene. This also shows the readers how weak she is when she was…

    • 1053 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Motif Of Blood In Macbeth

    • 969 Words
    • 4 Pages

    I believe that the most prominent of the many motifs in Shakespeare’s play “Macbeth” was blood. Blood appears in nearly every scene, if not physically then at least as an idea. It is like a presence lurking in the background at every moment, waiting to make its grand appearance.…

    • 969 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Macbeth Blood Analysis

    • 812 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The motif of blood signifies the murder that Macbeth has committed. Blood is everywhere in this play. It has shown a symbolic meaning on how changes of tragedy has progressed. Blood also plays as a major theme in Macbeth.Bloody actions are in battle in the first act.“The spring, the head, the fountain of your blood” (Shakespeare page 1 of 8). As Shakespeare said he was was referring to Macbeth. Biggins felt that “When the second apparition the bloody child exclaims ‘Be bloody,bold,and resolute laugh to scorn/ The power of man; for none woman born/Shall harm Macbeth. With blood being present it shows how the characters are feeling guilty. “Low stated “...between a sword smoking in a villain's blood.” Then Duncan was killed by Macbeth . Turner says…

    • 812 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    First of all, blood serves as a symbol of death several times throughout the play. Death is a dark non-living thing. Blood, gore,and darkness is a general theme of motif of death. Macbeth considers murdering Duncan he spots a “dagger of the mind” (2.1.50) that guides him to the room where the king is sleeping. Macbeth continues to think is his mind playing mind games with him. For example, he believes that the dagger is covered with imaginary blood which makes him second guess about killing Duncan. Lady Macbeth and Macbeth goes in for the kill and goes into his room and kill him. “O horror, horror, horror!” (2.3.59) Macbeth goes running from out the room saying that King Duncan has been killed. Lennox and Macbeth rush in to see what was happening. In the long run Macbeth know he committed the crime but tried to act like he…

    • 914 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Macbeth, one of Shakespeare’s countless plays displays the power of blood itself; the color, the smell, and importance. Vital to life and shocking to see. Throughout the play we see how blood shows its presence and prominence in shaping the characters themselves. This reoccurring motif of blood ultimately displays how Macbeth and Lady Macbeth experience consuming, inescapable guilt and how each one deals with it differently as they lose a grasp on reality.…

    • 953 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Blood In Macbeth Essay

    • 995 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Lady Macbeth tells Macbeth to, “unbend your noble strength to think / So brainsickly of things,” commanding him to ignore his cowardice and misgivings. Lady Macbeth assumes that the crimes Macbeth commits will be forgivable; however, Macbeth understands the graveness of his actions when he asks, “Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood / Clean from my hand?”, and responds by saying: “No, this my hand will rather / The multitudinous seas incarnadine, / Making the green one red” (2.2.45-46,78-81). Macbeth knows that he will be haunted by the murder of Duncan for the rest of his life, that it is not something that can just be brushed off, and immediately regrets his actions, stating, “Wake Duncan with thy knocking! I would thou couldst!” (2.4.75). Again, Shakespeare displays Macbeth’s guilt and pairs his guilt with the symbol of blood. As the list of those dead at the hands of Macbeth expands, so does Macbeth’s guilt, and the references to blood and…

    • 995 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays