Macbeth Blood Motif Essay

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Macbeth is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare that follows the footsteps of an evil tyrant who will accomplish whatever he must in order to maintain his power. Throughout this play, Shakespeare uses many different motifs that help shape the themes in numerous ways. A motif is a reoccurring image, word, structure, phrase, object, idea, or action in a work of literature. Throughout this play there are many motifs such as sleep, violence, hallucinations, and blood. Blood is shown throughout the entire play making its first appearance in the opening act and its last appearance in the final act. “Blood, represents evil plans and consequences of overreaching ambition” (Royal Shakespeare Company). Through Macbeth’s murderous journey, blood …show more content…

He sees a floating dagger leading the way to Duncan’s chambers. This figure comes from the mind of his disturbed brain. The dagger is a symbol of integrity and it is foreshadowing King Duncan’s death. Soon the hallucination changes to a dagger covered with blood. Even though Macbeth has not completed the deed yet, his conscience is already punctured with his guilt. The vision of the blood on the dagger, foretells Macbeth’s bloodstained destiny. After Macbeth has committed the murder, he has the blood of the kings on his hands and on the daggers that he brings back to Lady Macbeth. The blood on his hands can symbolize both the actual slaughter of Duncan and the pain he will always have on his heart of what he did, how the murder was truly in his hands. “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” (Shakespeare 373). Macbeth is filled with so much remorse that he does not think it is possible to wash his hands even in the enormous ocean. Instead of the blood washing off it would toxin the waters turning it red. “Blood symbolizes the guilt that sits like a permanent stain on the consciences of both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, one that hounds them to their graves” (Spark

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