The Role Of Corruption In Macbeth
Macbeth is a kind-hearted and respected general who serves a position of great honor in his kingdom. He doesn’t, however, know the fate he has yet to come. Unto him fall the words of the wicked, twisted sisters and his seducing wife. This brainwashing trial causes a transformation of Macbeth’s character. Shakespeare is able to express how Macbeth goes from fair to foul and pulls the kingdom down along the same path. Milk and blood imagery are utilized throughout The Tragedy of Macbeth to reveal how the Macbeths’ foul behavior corrupts everything once considered fair and sacred; ultimately these unnatural effects must be righted so that kingship is again holy and just.
The play opens with Macbeth slaying the villainous rebel, Macdonwald. This action sets the play in an atmosphere of victory and triumph. Sergeant says:
For brave Macbeth–well he deserves that name–
Disdaining fortune, with his brandish’d steel,
Which smoked with bloody execution, like valor’s minion carved out his passage. (1.2.18-20)
In this excerpt, Sergeant treats Macbeth with veneration, for the gallant deed he accomplishes. The blood imagery, in this case, reveals Macbeth’s originally heroic character. However, throughout the course of the play, Macbeth’s character becomes crooked and malicious. Each vile deed adds up until no longer tolerated. …show more content…
The first usage of milk imagery is within the words of Lady Macbeth. Her hunger for power compels her to mourn over the truth: Macbeth is too virtuous to complete the barbarous task of murdering Duncan. Lady Macbeth voices:
Yet do I fear thy nature;
It is too full o’ the milk of human kindness
To catch the nearest way. Thou wouldst be great;
Art not without ambition but without
The illness should attend it. (1.5.14-18)
Since Lady Macbeth believes Macbeth is too weak for the devoir, she chooses to take it upon herself. She asks that the spirits emasculate her, so she may be capable. Lady Macbeth says:
Come you spirits
That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here
…Oh direst cruelty! Make thick my blood,
…Come to my woman’s breasts,
And take my milk for gall you murdering ministers. (1.5.41-49)
Lady Macbeth speaks of thickening her blood because she doesn’t want to feel the guilt that will come with the murder. She also talks of replacing her milk, kindness, with gall, bitterness. Lady Macbeth desires to rid of her tenderness and guilt, putting bravery and bitterness in their place. Lady Macbeth also uses milk imagery to show that she has would easily crush innocents to show her strength and grit. She states:
I have given suck, and know how tender ‘tis to love the babe that milks me:
I would, while it was smiling in my face
Have pluck’d my nipple from his boneless gums…(1.7.60-64)
Essentially, she explains that she is not afraid of kindness and innocents. She does anything to gain authority. If evil is necessary for power, it will be done. Blood imagery returns when Macbeth talks of karma that results from assault. He says, “…we but teach / Bloody instructions, which being taught return / To plague the inventor” (1.7.8-10). Macbeth believes that if he commits violence, those who learn from the violence committed will commit violence unto himself. The blood imagery in this passage is predominately used to show the malicious aspect of the instructions in which Macbeth analogizes. Macbeth fantasizes a dagger, representing guilt and madness.
He says, “And on thy blade and dudgeon gouts of blood / Which was not so before. There’s no such thing: / It is the bloody business which informs” (2.1.54-56). Because Macbeth sees such strange things, it is assumed that he is mentally ill and struggling with guilt or fear. The dagger represents the fear and illness in which he is not able to overcome. Blood drops off the dagger, symbolizing the guilt appearing, before the actual assassination has even occurred. He is clearly stressed over the situation to come, but is beginning to think it is his only option and attempts to overcome his
fears. After the murder of Duncan, The Macbeths panic to clean up the murder site. In order for them to be free from blame, they kill the servants and make it seem as though the servants were the perpetrators. Lady Macbeth commands Macbeth: “Go carry them, and smear / The sleepy grooms with blood” (2.2.62-63). In this case, Lady Macbeth uses blood to represent the guilty and those who should be blamed. She gives the blood to others in order to remove blame from herself. Macbeth also tries to remove himself from blame. He cries, “Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood / Clean from my hand? No, this my hand will rather / The multitudinous seas incarnadine” (2.2.76-77). He wants the blood gone because it symbolizes that he is guilty. When he references Neptune’s ocean, he is explaining that only a massive amount power can remove the culpability he contains. He also explains that his blood, guilt, will turn the seas red. Blood imagery after the murder of Duncan shows the vast amount of guilt the Macbeth’s hold. Macbeth once again uses blood imagery to cover up his blunders and instead assign others with guiltiness.
We hear our bloody cousins are bestow’d
In England and in Ireland, not confessing
Their cruel parricide, filling their hearers with strange invention… (3.1.33-46)
In this case, Macbeth refers to Malcolm and Donalbain. He makes it sound as though they are guilty of murder and that is the reason why they flee. However, Macbeth is using equivocation when he is speaking because he is trying to convey a different message than the truth. Evil is revealed by Macbeth himself when he admits that it is too late to return to the pure state he began in. He claims, “…I am in blood / Stepp’d in so far that, should I wade no more, / Returning were as tedious as go o’er” (3.5.165-67). He explains that he commits so much evil that it’s pointless to stop now. Becoming good again would hold just as many consequences as continuing his evil plot. The witches show Macbeth apparitions to make him feel as though he is undefeatable. He takes the signs literally. Be bloody, bold, and resolute; laugh to scorn The power of man, for none of woman born Shall harm Macbeth. (4.1.85-89)
The witches allow him to believe he can be as violent as he would like because nobody can kill or harm him. He uses this as his protection and places full trust in the witches. Lady Macbeth admits to her own guilt. She however does it subconsciously, in her sleep. She says, “Here’s the smell of blood still. All the / perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand. Oh, / oh, oh!” (5.1.45-47). She explains that no aromas or oils can mask the smell of the guilt which she holds. Her evil is too great for forgiveness. Macduff ends the play by condemning Macbeth. He explains, “I have no words; / My voice is in my sword, thou bloodier villain / Than terms can give thee out!” (5.8.8-10). Macduff explains that Macbeth is guiltier and more evil than words are capable of describing. Macbeth has corrupted his own life and those of the kingdom. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth go from fair to foul as they commit murderous deeds. These deeds bring them to unbearable amounts of guilt. Throughout The Tragedy of Macbeth, milk and blood imagery are used to reveal how the Macbeths’ foul behavior corrupts everything once considered fair and sacred; the kingdom is finally righted with the death of the Macbeth’s and Malcolm’s saving reign. For those who are evil, mustn’t remain.
The play opens with Macbeth slaying the villainous rebel, Macdonwald. This action sets the play in an atmosphere of victory and triumph. Sergeant says:
For brave Macbeth–well he deserves that name–
Disdaining fortune, with his brandish’d steel,
Which smoked with bloody execution, like valor’s minion carved out his passage. (1.2.18-20)
In this excerpt, Sergeant treats Macbeth with veneration, for the gallant deed he accomplishes. The blood imagery, in this case, reveals Macbeth’s originally heroic character. However, throughout the course of the play, Macbeth’s character becomes crooked and malicious. Each vile deed adds up until no longer tolerated. …show more content…
The first usage of milk imagery is within the words of Lady Macbeth. Her hunger for power compels her to mourn over the truth: Macbeth is too virtuous to complete the barbarous task of murdering Duncan. Lady Macbeth voices:
Yet do I fear thy nature;
It is too full o’ the milk of human kindness
To catch the nearest way. Thou wouldst be great;
Art not without ambition but without
The illness should attend it. (1.5.14-18)
Since Lady Macbeth believes Macbeth is too weak for the devoir, she chooses to take it upon herself. She asks that the spirits emasculate her, so she may be capable. Lady Macbeth says:
Come you spirits
That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here
…Oh direst cruelty! Make thick my blood,
…Come to my woman’s breasts,
And take my milk for gall you murdering ministers. (1.5.41-49)
Lady Macbeth speaks of thickening her blood because she doesn’t want to feel the guilt that will come with the murder. She also talks of replacing her milk, kindness, with gall, bitterness. Lady Macbeth desires to rid of her tenderness and guilt, putting bravery and bitterness in their place. Lady Macbeth also uses milk imagery to show that she has would easily crush innocents to show her strength and grit. She states:
I have given suck, and know how tender ‘tis to love the babe that milks me:
I would, while it was smiling in my face
Have pluck’d my nipple from his boneless gums…(1.7.60-64)
Essentially, she explains that she is not afraid of kindness and innocents. She does anything to gain authority. If evil is necessary for power, it will be done. Blood imagery returns when Macbeth talks of karma that results from assault. He says, “…we but teach / Bloody instructions, which being taught return / To plague the inventor” (1.7.8-10). Macbeth believes that if he commits violence, those who learn from the violence committed will commit violence unto himself. The blood imagery in this passage is predominately used to show the malicious aspect of the instructions in which Macbeth analogizes. Macbeth fantasizes a dagger, representing guilt and madness.
He says, “And on thy blade and dudgeon gouts of blood / Which was not so before. There’s no such thing: / It is the bloody business which informs” (2.1.54-56). Because Macbeth sees such strange things, it is assumed that he is mentally ill and struggling with guilt or fear. The dagger represents the fear and illness in which he is not able to overcome. Blood drops off the dagger, symbolizing the guilt appearing, before the actual assassination has even occurred. He is clearly stressed over the situation to come, but is beginning to think it is his only option and attempts to overcome his
fears. After the murder of Duncan, The Macbeths panic to clean up the murder site. In order for them to be free from blame, they kill the servants and make it seem as though the servants were the perpetrators. Lady Macbeth commands Macbeth: “Go carry them, and smear / The sleepy grooms with blood” (2.2.62-63). In this case, Lady Macbeth uses blood to represent the guilty and those who should be blamed. She gives the blood to others in order to remove blame from herself. Macbeth also tries to remove himself from blame. He cries, “Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood / Clean from my hand? No, this my hand will rather / The multitudinous seas incarnadine” (2.2.76-77). He wants the blood gone because it symbolizes that he is guilty. When he references Neptune’s ocean, he is explaining that only a massive amount power can remove the culpability he contains. He also explains that his blood, guilt, will turn the seas red. Blood imagery after the murder of Duncan shows the vast amount of guilt the Macbeth’s hold. Macbeth once again uses blood imagery to cover up his blunders and instead assign others with guiltiness.
We hear our bloody cousins are bestow’d
In England and in Ireland, not confessing
Their cruel parricide, filling their hearers with strange invention… (3.1.33-46)
In this case, Macbeth refers to Malcolm and Donalbain. He makes it sound as though they are guilty of murder and that is the reason why they flee. However, Macbeth is using equivocation when he is speaking because he is trying to convey a different message than the truth. Evil is revealed by Macbeth himself when he admits that it is too late to return to the pure state he began in. He claims, “…I am in blood / Stepp’d in so far that, should I wade no more, / Returning were as tedious as go o’er” (3.5.165-67). He explains that he commits so much evil that it’s pointless to stop now. Becoming good again would hold just as many consequences as continuing his evil plot. The witches show Macbeth apparitions to make him feel as though he is undefeatable. He takes the signs literally. Be bloody, bold, and resolute; laugh to scorn The power of man, for none of woman born Shall harm Macbeth. (4.1.85-89)
The witches allow him to believe he can be as violent as he would like because nobody can kill or harm him. He uses this as his protection and places full trust in the witches. Lady Macbeth admits to her own guilt. She however does it subconsciously, in her sleep. She says, “Here’s the smell of blood still. All the / perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand. Oh, / oh, oh!” (5.1.45-47). She explains that no aromas or oils can mask the smell of the guilt which she holds. Her evil is too great for forgiveness. Macduff ends the play by condemning Macbeth. He explains, “I have no words; / My voice is in my sword, thou bloodier villain / Than terms can give thee out!” (5.8.8-10). Macduff explains that Macbeth is guiltier and more evil than words are capable of describing. Macbeth has corrupted his own life and those of the kingdom. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth go from fair to foul as they commit murderous deeds. These deeds bring them to unbearable amounts of guilt. Throughout The Tragedy of Macbeth, milk and blood imagery are used to reveal how the Macbeths’ foul behavior corrupts everything once considered fair and sacred; the kingdom is finally righted with the death of the Macbeth’s and Malcolm’s saving reign. For those who are evil, mustn’t remain.