“Guilt is worse than greed, for it robs the body of its soul.” (Robert T. Kiyosaki). Since the beginning of time, people in society have made mistakes, it is natural, but the knowledge of causing harm tends to stay with one longer than the knowledge of the action itself. In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, blood is an overarching motif conveying the ever-oscillating theme of fate vs. free will. The recurring image of blood throughout the play symbolizes guilt and the irreparable nature of one’s actions pertaining to murder, highlighting the downfall of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. At the beginning of the play, Macbeth is the perfect image of what a man in power should be. He is brave, kind, and noble and has won over the public, but one stormy night, he …show more content…
After seeing the witches again, Macbeth becomes even more impulsive than usual. The witches tell Macbeth that Banquo’s bloodline will eventually become king. Macbeth decides that he will begin to act on first impulse rather than his senses, as that’s the only way he will achieve an unaffected reign in the kingdom. “From this moment, the very firstlings of my heart shall be the firstlings of my hand.” (4.1.166-168). This statement is a clear example of Macbeth letting his fate carry him throughout the rest of his short life. Unfortunately for Macbeth, his idea was covering his tracks was killing more people. Macbeth’s image had fallen from a hero to a tyrannical villain. Macbeth shows to be somewhat aware of his evergrowing thirst for power and rampage in his last moments before fighting Macduff. “My soul is too much charged with blood of thine already” (5.8.6-7). Macbeth’s actions had taken his soul’s sense of innocence and driven him down a path he couldn’t return from. He let his mind carry him through to his death, going with the flow of life, robbing him of the fate he once …show more content…
When hearing of the great power she and Macbeth could carry when hearing about the witch’s plea, Lady Macbeth made it her ultimate goal to convince Macbeth to kill Duncan and secure that power. She used her free will to get a desirable outcome; unfortunately, that sealed her tragic fate. As the play continues, Lady Macbeth becomes less prevalent until the beginning of the 5th act. After being observed by a doctor, they catch her sleepwalking and talking about her inner turmoil. “Here's the smell of the blood still: all the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand. Oh, oh, oh!” (5.1.53-55). Lady Macbeth is reliving the trauma she faced internally for killing Duncan. She begins to wash her hands and cries that the blood won’t go away. Despite the confidence and agency Lady Macbeth once showed, her karma caught up to her and put her through a state of madness. This results in her suicide because her karma becomes too much to
But yet i’ll make assurance double sure, And take a bond of fate. Thou shalt not live; That I may tell pale-’hearted fear it lies, and sleep in spite of thunder.” (IV, i, 82-86). It was clear to see that Macbeth’s life throughout the play was a constant struggle for power. Since the beginning, when Duncan was first invited to Macbeth’s home, there was always ambition; and as the play went on the ambition only grew until it became his downfall.
out, I say!... Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him?” (Act 5, Sc. 1, 32-37). Lady Macbeth is sleep talking and having nightmares about failing to wash out a bloodstain, which is from an “old man.” The reader knows the old man to be Duncan, but the doctor and nurse have not a clue yet.
As Lady Macbeth’s gentlewoman consults a doctor, they observe her diminishing mental state as she hallucinates that “hands [will] [never] be clean,” and that “the smell of the blood” will not be “[sweetened]” by any perfume (5.1.45, 53-54 ). Here, the author uses the motif of blood to represent guilt. Lady Macbeth’s struggle to remove the blood on her hands shows her undying guilt which she cannot erase despite countless trials. This is further proven when she says the smell of blood lingers and cannot be sweetened, meaning that her action cannot be forgiven by her guilt. Her mental state weakens due to this reason and is shown to be tormented by her hallucinations rather than being content with her desired queenship.
In William Shakespeare’s tragedy Macbeth, literary symbols or motifs such as blood play a significant role. Throughout the play, blood feeds off of a strong case of corrupt ambition and symbolizes guilt, blame and destruction. No matter how strong or thick one’s blood is, actions prove to be permanent and have serious side effects such as a haunting guilt marked by Macbeth’s crimson blood. Shortly after discovering that Macbeth is in line to be King, he and his wife Lady Macbeth devise a plan to murder and remove the incumbent King Duncan from his throne to open up the position. However, as soon as Macbeth commits the fatal murder, he is exasperated by his actions evidently as he yelps, “Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood clean from my hand?
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.
As the play nears the end blood plays a less prevalent role in Macbeth’s character to represent that Macbeth’s morality is completely shot. He has nowhere to turn, he has a loss of all feeling, and his life has become completely meaningless. His wife has begun to sleepwalk saying, “What, will these hands neer be clean? Heres the smell of the blood still: all the perfumes of / Arabia will not sweeten this little hand." (5.1.40, 46-47)
Macbeth feels regret and guilt after murdering King Duncan. He is beginning to understand the consequences of his actions and the disruption of the natural order that he has caused. Macbeth’s guilt shows that he still has some understanding of the natural order, but his ambition and desire for power are clouding his judgment. “I am in blood / Stepp’d in so far, that, should I wade no more, / Returning were as tedious as go o’er” (3.4.136-138).
Despite these nagging feelings, Macbeth overrides his emotions, primarily because of his wife, and the fear he felt before haunts him after the crime, closely followed by rising guilt. Shaken and frantic, the killers gaze dreadfully at their blood-covered hands shortly after murdering King Duncan. In lines 43-44 of Act 2 scene 2, Lady Macbeth offers a solution to the sinful mess: “Go get some water, and wash this filthy
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 /
Here’s the smell of the blood still. All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand. Oh, Oh, Oh!” (Act 5, Scene 1) Though she continuously rubs her hands to get rid of the blood, Lady Macbeth can not washed away the guilt that stains her hands.
While Macbeth stands and stares, he asks himself, “Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood clean from my hand?” (2.2.57). This is referring to his feeling of guilt and him wondering if all the water in the world can “cleanse” him of this guilt. In contrast, Lady Macbeth thinks her husbands fear of blood is cowardly. Though she dips her hand in Duncan’s blood, when Lady Macbeth leads her husband to a sink to wash their hands, she seems sure that “A little water clears us of this deed” (2.2.64).
Macbeth is haunted by guilt and experiences an internal struggle to reconcile his actions with his former self:"Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood clean from my hand?" (2.2.78-79). Macbeth's anguished question highlights his remorse and the impossibility of washing away the guilt of his heinous act. It reveals the stark contrast between his public appearance as a loyal subject and the reality of his monstrous deeds. This internal conflict marks the beginning of his gradual loss of identity as he is consumed by guilt and the weight of his actions.
Macbeth begins to make selfish decisions that he knows only will benefit himself. “For mine own good, all causes shall give way. I am in blood stepped in so far that, should I wade no more, returning were as tedious as go o'er” (III.iv.140-145).
yet who would have thought the old man had so much blood in him” (5.1.36). Lady Macbeth feels as if she can not be mentally cleansed until her hands are. Lady Macbeth's failure to relieve the guilt causes her to commit suicide. “The queen, my lord, is dead… she should have died hereafter” (5.5.20). Lady Macbeth had too much guilt to deal with which is why she needed to be in peace.
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.