A literary device is a method used by authors to convey their message through their writing. An example of a literary device is imagery. In literature, imagery enhances the visualization experience for the reader, as well as paints a picture in the reader’s mind full of places, colors, expressions, and textures. Imagery is used in numerous pieces to give visual aid to the reader, and serves the purpose to appeal to sensory experiences-real or unreal. By provoking certain emotions or feelings, the reader can relate to the characters and plot easier, resulting in a better understanding of the piece. Of the many emotions and feelings that can result from imagery, one of the most common emotions is guilt. When one realizes or believes that they have violated their moral standards, a feeling of remorse clouds one. This emotion is guilt-a feeling that humans experience at least once in their life. Throughout William Shakespeare’s play, The Tragedy of Macbeth, the reoccurring motif of blood is used as a symbol to demonstrate that guilt causes emotional turmoil within the characters, ultimately leading to their complete transformation into evilness.
Macbeth, a, brave and noble warrior, begins his descent into evilness when he murders King Duncan, in his attempt to fulfill the prophecy that he will someday become King. Macbeth was not always a murderer, and in the beginning of the play, he is known as a heroic fighter on the battlefield, as well as a loyal friend to King Duncan. It is only after Macbeth meets the three evil witches and learns about his future, that Macbeth starts his transformation and murders anyone in his way as he starts to spiral into evilness. This is evident when Macbeth devises a plan to kill King Duncan, ...
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... guilt stems from the reoccurring motif of blood, which aids in Macbeth’s spiral to evilness since it is used as a symbol to demonstrate that guilt causes emotional turmoil within the main character, Macbeth. This emotional turmoil ultimately leads to Macbeth’s complete transformation into evilness. Macbeth achieves his goal to become ruler, but then uses his power selfishly and kills those close to him.
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In the Shakespearian tragedy Macbeth, though Macbeth manages to murder the Scottish king Duncan to actualize the prophecy of the three witches, yet the guilt emanating from such nefarious acts and intentions continues to foreshadow Macbeth’s life throughout the plot. The very moment Macbeth approaches lady Macbeth with hands dipped in the blood of Duncan, his deeps seated guilt oozes forth as he says, “Methought I heard a voice cry ‘Sleep no more;/Macbeth does murder sleep (2.2.45-46)”. Thereby, from this moment onwards, Macbeth is shown to be strongly stung by an unrelenting and continually nagging sense of guilt that makes him engage in strange and suspicion generating acts and manners. Yet, Macbeth time and again interprets his guilt as a sign of cowardice and moves on to spill more blood to consolidate his hold over an ill gotten throne. The torment and anguish inherent in these lines that are imbued with the seeds of guilt eventually metamorphose into a full blown sense of guilt and shame that continues to torment his soul.
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After the murder Lady Macbeth says “If he does bleed, ill guild the faces of the grooms withal, for it must seem their guilt” ironically after Duncan’s murder she is haunted by his blood then she goes crazy and eventually kills herself. All of these contribute to the strong theme of guilt and conscience in Macbeth. In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the theme of guilt and conscience is one of the most prominent in the play. It gives life to the play and gives depth to the characters, it makes Macbeth a much more realistic character because we are shown that he is not perfect and still responds to temptation.
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By embracing evil, Lady Macbeth and Macbeth have committed unnatural actions that disturb them. Their guilt does not leave them in peace, and slowly degrades their health. Macbeth's guilt causes him to act strangely in front of his guests, and it disturbs him deeply. Macbeth's guilt is deeply mutilated, and it only affects him when he hallucinates "Take any shape but that, and my firm nerves / Shall never tremble" (III.iv.124-125), and as soon as his visions disappear he feels better "Why so, being gone, / I am a man again.- Pray you sit still" (iii.iV.130-131), not something normal considering the actions he has committed. His guilt paralyzes him when he does feel it, but most of the time he is guiltless, and that encourages him to commit more murder. Although his guilt does not ultimately destroy him, it is a factor that brings his own men against him, since through his guilt he reveals the actions he has committed.
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