What Does Blood Symbolize In Macbeth

When Shakespeare first introduces Macbeth, he automatically is displayed as a fierce, gruesome general. Blood represents his beneficial doing. Captain quotes, “... with bloody execution... he unseamed him from the nave to th’ chops, and fixed his head upon our battlements” (I.ii.20). Macbeth slashes Macdonwald, a traitor, from his belly to his jaw, and decapitates him.

Motifs are used vividly throughout Shakespeare’s Tragedy of Macbeth to give the reader a greater understanding of the play display a powerful message. To begin the play, Macbeth is displayed as an honorable character , but as time passes, he is influenced immensely by Lady Macbeth, his wife, to do malevolent actions. His actions dictated by Lady Macbeth later causes extreme guilt on him and Lady Macbeth. The blood motif doesn’t appear only physically but comes mentally. Blood illustrates the consequences that comes with of murdering King Duncan.

Dracula, written by Bram Stoker, created one of the most terrifying characters in literature--Count Dracula, whose heinous passions are preying upon the innocent, helpless and the beautiful. Not only did Stoker create a memorable villainous character, but he also created one of the most memorable gothic horror novels known today. Gothic horror novels are known for being creatively eerie and entertaining, and they all use more than one common motif. Stoker was able to create an absolute masterpiece using plenty of these common motifs. Three common motifs that are seen within Dracula are cemeteries, dreaming, nightmares or sleepwalking, and shapeshifting.

In Act 2, scene 2, 18-19, it states, “(looking at his bloody hands) This is a sorry sight. That’s a stupid thing to say...” says Lady Macbeth. We can infer that Macbeth feels remorse and sorrow after seeing the sight of his hands covered with the blood of King Duncan, whom he has just murdered. Meanwhile, Lady Macbeth finds it foolish to get all emotional about such a manly deed of courage.

After the Macbeth kills Duncan, he has committed his first real murder. Though he has killed before, this is the first time he has ever killed someone he was supposed to be loyal to, the first time morality was not on his side. After the murder of Duncan, Macbeth is overcome with guilt causing him to lose his sense of what is real, of the real limits and properties of the world around him. To him his king’s blood spills in endless amounts from his hands. ““Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood clean from my hand?

Darkness can be seen in many literary works with the intention of showing a turn for the worse in many characters lives. In Macbeth by William Shakespeare, Shakespeare displays examples of violence in order to show audience members how Macbeth’s desire for kingship, led to his demise through his guilt. The use of blood, nature and supernatural elements are used as a way of symbolizing Shakespeare's theme of Macbeth’s guilt. Is one man’s desire for nobility worth the cost of others lives? Blood alters the atmosphere throughout Macbeth through the effect it has on the main character.

Macbeth is a tyrant during his rule, manipulating the minds of the people and using murders to clear out anyone that stood in his way, so that he can stay in power. Malcolm worries about the state of Scotland as he exclaims, “I think our country sinks beneath the yoke./ It weeps, it bleeds, and each new day a gash/ Is added to her wounds. I think withal…” (Shakespeare 4.3.49-51). Malcolm notices the true state of Scotland under the rule of Macbeth, as he has forcefully gained his

He wonders if “all great Neptune’s ocean [will] wash this blood/clean from [his] hand” (2.2.78-9). Macbeth knows what he has done is wrong and he is shaken by his actions. Back then killing on the battlefield was much more respected than cowardly murder on a defenseless opponent. There was a purpose to fighting for an individual’s own country and brave soldiers were very highly revered. Macbeth is seen as this gallant and fearless warrior at the beginning of the play by his captains as they describe how “he unseamed [the enemy] from the nave to th’ chops” (1.2.24).

It symbolizes fear, guilt, insanity and also evil. Macbeth would do almost anything to become King. Since the three witches predicted that what was going to be a part of his future. Macbeth and lady Macbeth both became crazy because of the deadly deeds that they committed. In the beginning of the play blood is shown as honor and bravery and towards the end of the play its shown as guilt and remorse.

Both contemporary and ancient literary works commonly use hands as a device to represent various overarching themes; for example, the possession of power or good versus evil. In the play, Macbeth, Shakespeare often uses this motif of hands to enhance the clarity of his desired message. At first impression, Macbeth appears to be a loyal and righteous character; however, his own desire for power and the influence of his wife, Lady Macbeth, both lead him to commit a relentless sequence of crimes. Along with creating this chain reaction of events, simply performing one unethical act elicits a feeling of guilt that cannot be washed away, and also corrupts those surrounding the initial wrongdoer. Through the motif of hands, Shakespeare demonstrates that the negative repercussions of an immoral action cannot be repressed and will ultimately corrupt a person’s character.

The motif that motivation was a powerful effect on someone’s decisions on the course of actions they must take. Shakespeare’s play Macbeth demonstrates this idea through the protagonist, Macbeth and his interactions with other characters in order to achieve his goals. When Macbeth was told by the witches that he would be king, Macbeth so an image in his head that was a “horrid image (that) unfix(es) (his) hair” (act 1. scene.iii). The image he saw would be the death of the current king.

The personality of Macbeth changes over the course of the play as Macbeth murders many innocent people like, Duncan, Banquo and Macduff's family. The death of these characters symbolizes the death and birth of something inside Macbeth and the beginning of his downfall. Macbeth, at the beginning or the play, a brave soldier only protecting his people and his king, to Macbeth a murderous tyrant only looking out for the greater good of himself. The death of Duncan symbolized the death of Macbeth's before anxious and confused self and birthed a Macbeth full of guilt and anxiety. After being led to Duncan by a floating dagger and murdering him, Macbeth returns to his wife crying, "One cried "God Bless us!"

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.

“Looks like the innocent flower but be the serpent under it”(Shakespeare 1.7) this truly defines Lady Macbeth and describes her being someone that acts one way in certain situations and then in a contrary manner in others and also shows her manipulative personality and exploits her victims. Lady Macbeth is sharp at convincing and uses people for her need which she does throughout the play. In the play, The Tragedy of Macbeth by William Shakespeare, Lady Macbeth is ultimately responsible for Macbeth’s undoing because her ambition supported his greed and provoked his downfall. Lady Macbeth with her demanding and forceful comments triggered Macbeth 's weakness which leads Macbeth to agree on the murder.

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.