Analyzing Macbeths statement "Blood will have blood" in Macbeth by William Shakespeare
In Shakespeare's tragedy Macbeth, Macbeth says, "Blood will have blood…," is implying one of the main themes. Along with this quotation, there are many more quotations throughout the story that support the theme of blood. Macbeth has always been known to be a bloody story, but it is proven so much by the numerous quotations dealing with blood and murder.
The first well know quotation to come across, dealing with blood, would most likely be agreed upon to be "Will all great Neptune's oceans wash this blood clean from my hand?" (2.2.78-79) Macbeth says this while talking to Lady Macbeth just after murdering Duncan. Macbeth finds that he has Duncan's blood all over his hands, and attempts to wash them, but has difficulty with removing all of the stain. These are the first signs of blood in this great tragedy of Macbeth.
Another well known quotation that was said by Macbeth is, "I will have blood, they say; blood will have blood." (3.4.151) This was said by Macbeth, as he was having one of his many mental breakdowns. These breakdowns were caused by just this issue of a bloody play. Macbeth created the bloodlines, and now he must suffer the consequences.
"Out damned spot, out, I say!", (5.1.37) said by Lady Macbeth as she is being watched by the physic doctor and the gentlewoman. They both watch as Lady Macbeth has a mental breakdown of conscious, just like Macbeth is having. She is thinking as though she has gotten blood on her, also, when it is only a figment of her imagination. As she tries to wash off the non-existent stain of blood, the doctor and gentlewoman watch in concern.
Later, while still having her mental breakdown, Lady Macbeth also says, "Here's the smell of the blood still. All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand. O, O, O!" (5.1.53-55) She says this the same way as she was also imagining that she had blood stains on her hands in the last quotation. There really are no stains, nor any smells of blood that are directly or literally on her hands.
In literature as in life, blood is not only in the body, but symbolizes many other things. The play, Macbeth, by William Shakespeare describes the life of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth and how they become ruthless killers. They are determined to get power and will not stop until Macbeth and his sons are kings. Throughout the Macbeth by Shakespeare, blood is a prominent symbol and represents murder, guilt, and the difference between characters. Blood represents murder when Macbeth returns from war and when Duncan’s guards are killed. Also, blood represents the guilt of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth after the murder of Duncan. Moreover, the difference between Duncan and Lady Macbeth is represented by blood. Altogether, blood symbolizes murder, guilt, and different characters in Macbeth.
Shakespeare used the image of blood to portray the central idea of Macbeth, King Duncan’s murder. The crime is foreshadowed in the second scene of the first act. The king shouts, “ What bloody man is that?” (I,ii,1) He is referring to a soldier coming in from battle. The soldier then explains to King Duncan of Macbeth’s heroics in battle. One assumes that Macbeth is bloody just like the soldier. The soldier describes Macbeth in action “Disdaining Fortune, with his brandished steel, / Which smoked with bloody execution.” (I,ii,17-18) This line connects Macbeth with killing, and hints at the future.
Shakespeare uses motifs in many of his works to add more depth to his writing. His play Macbeth includes various motifs such as blood. Blood is one of the most important motif in Shakespeare’s Macbeth and can be seen throughout the entire play. In Macbeth the motif blood symbolizes guilt, mental illnesses, and insecurity/uneasiness.
“...blood will have blood...”, Macbeth is a well known book written by Shakespeare. In it, a once loyal soldier to the king of Scotland starts to seek a way for him to get the crown for himself. In Macbeth, William Shakespeare uses the imagery of blood to represent the guilt of Lady Macbeth and Macbeth, demonstrating the feeling of guilt has consequences of severe punishments.
Shakespeare first displays this idea in Act 2 where Macbeth states, “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.” (II II 61-64) Macbeth figuratively states that his hands are so bloody, even the entire ocean could not cleanse them. Rather, they would make the ocean red. Macbeth’s speech takes place after Duncan’s murder. The quote is important as it shows Macbeth’s guilt over the murder, and how it haunts him. Macbeth gradually loses his sanity and questions if his decision was correct. Through this quote, you are able to see Macbeth’s vulnerability and more humane side. Shakespeare communicates that if negative emotions are not confronted, they will consume and relentlessly haunt them. The idea is again demonstrated in Act 5 where Macbeth says, “Of all men else I have avoided thee But get thee back. My soul is too much charged With blood of thine already.” (V VIII 4-6) Macbeth directs this speech to Macduff, vocalizing how he wished to not confront him again. This quote happens subsequently after Macduff locates Macbeth. They fight following the speech, in which Macduff triumphs. Macbeth fears fighting Macduff because it could result in his hands being stained with even more of the Macduffs’ blood. Macbeth can not find it in himself to become detached from his emotions,
As Lady Macbeth’s confidence begins to falter, the result from her vaulting ambition, guilt, is demonstrated through the figurative use of blood. In the beginning of Act 5, the Gentlewomen and Doctor are seen discussing the strange behavior of Lady Macbeth. When suddenly, Lady Macbeth proceeds on to the stage, while sleeping, and complains about the endless blood on her hands, “Here’s the smell of the blood still. All the perfumes of Ar...
Blood is mentioned throughout the play and mainly in reference to murder or treason. The first reference to blood is in MacBeth's soliloquy in Act 2, Scene 1, Lines 33-61, when Macbeth sees the bloody dagger floating in the air before him. Also in this soliloquy on line 46 he sees "on thy blade and dudgeon gouts of blood", this means that there is blood on the handle and spots of blood on the handle. This is implying that the dagger was viciously and maliciously used on someone. Shakespeare most likely put this in as premonition of murder and death to come later in the story.
In many contexts, blood symbolizes one’s heroism and power. At the battlegrounds, Duncan notices the approaching sergeant and asks, “What bloody man is that?”(I.ii.1). The use of blood signifies the captain’s bravery through his wounded state. He reports back their victory and symbolizes the violence that took place. This also alludes to Macbeth’s heroic qualities in which he too had fought on the same grounds. Lady Macbeth cries out for courage and strength by saying, “And fill me from the crown to the toe top-full / Of direst cruelty. Make thick my blood” (I.v.49-50). The use of blood in this context also relates to one’s power using the idea of it being a life source and a vital part to the soul. By thickening her b...
Blood is also used to display the guilt in Lady Macbeth near the end of the play. Throughout the play, Lady Macbeth is the one who tries to keep Macbeth sane and to keep from breaking.
Blood was very evident throughout Macbeth by William Shakespeare. Violence caused blood to drip from the fingers of characters and stain them for the rest of their life. Blood meant various things in the play but it was certainly seen, literally and through hallucinations. Blood in Macbeth is more important when it is imagined by characters but is not actually there because it causes main characters such as Macbeth and Lady Macbeth to feel more guilty, becomes a reminder of death, and represents violence and murder.
The symbolism of blood prior to, and immediately following Duncan’s murder amplifies the magnitude of Macbeth’s treachery. Following the prophecy of the witches, Macbeth contemplates the possible effects of murdering Duncan in order to gain the crown. Macbeth believes the killing of Duncan will provide "bloody instruction" to Scotland and will in turn "plague th' inventor" (1.7.9-10). This quotation characterizes the murder of Duncan as a bloody deed, therefore amplifying the severity of the crime. Prior to the murder of Duncan, Macbeth hallucinates bloody splotches on his dagger. Macbeth voices this hallucination when he states, "I see thee still, and on thy blade and dudgeon gouts of blood, which was not so before" (Macbeth 2.1.46-48). The false appearance of blood on Macbeth's dagger asserts his hesitancy to murder Duncan. In this case, blood symbolizes the possible guilt of Macbeth upon the murder of Duncan. Immediately following the murder of Duncan, Macbeth uses the symbol of blood to assert the magnitude of his crime. Macbeth conveys immediate concern when he states, "Will all great Neptune's ocean...
One of the first references to blood represents a feeling of honour, and bravery. It is in Act I scene 2 line 1. Duncan says, “What bloody man is that?” when he sees the injured sergeant. Then, from lines 9-33 (The Merciless Macdonwald, etc…) the sergeant tells the story of Macbeth’s heroic victories over Macdonwald and the King of Norway. The telling of this story is, in itself, heroic. It is symbolic of the brave fighter who has been injured in a brutal battle for his country. Due to all the blood he lost, he was weak. Consequently, his blood and heroism seem to make Macbeth look like a hero.
... him and says that a little water will do the job (II.ii.58?59). Later, though, she comes to share his horrified sense of being stained: ?Out, damned spot, out, I say . . . who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him?? she asks as she wanders through the halls of their castle near the close of the play (V.i.30?34). 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.
The image of blood plays an important role throughout Macbeth. Blood represents the murders that Macbeth had committed, the guilt that went along with the murders and the pain that it brought on him during his downfall. The soldier describes the violence and bloodshed, in the war between Scotland and Norway, "Except they meant to bathe in reeking wounds." (I. ii. 43) foreshadows the violent nature of the play filled with murder, guilt and pain. Blood in the murder of King Duncan also plays a major role because it represents Macbeth's guilt as well as his shame for slaying King Duncan. Macbeth observes his blood stained hands and remarks "As they had seen me with these hangman's hands." (II. ii. 28) This reveals his guilt and shame because he is comparing his hands to those of an executioner's. After the murder, Macbeth refuses to return back to the bed chamber of Kind Duncan to smear the blood on the sleeping guards, because he is afraid that the blood will incriminate him further. Lady Macbeth smearing the blood onto the guards represents them trying to rub their guilt off onto the guard. "I'll gild the faces of the grooms withal, for it must seem their guilt" (II. ii. 73) but this proves to be ineffective because Macbeth ends up murdering t...
We could remember lady Macbeth after Macbeth has committed the murder of Duncan. She denies the moral reality in favor of material one. She sees the spot of blood as a mere physical substance which could be ...