The Use Of Symbols In Macbeth

455 Words1 Page
bulb-icon

Recommended: Imagery and symbolism in macbeth

The Use of Symbols in Macbeth In the play Macbeth, Shakespeare uses many symbols to add to his story. His use of blood, water, light, dark, rampant animals, and even the witches are examples of how he used symbols to add depth to his play. These symbols were often times recurring and they were all related to the central plot of the play. Shakespeare used blood in this play several times. Blood is first mentioned by Macbeth shortly after he had slain Duncan. The subject of blood was introduced again when Duncan's murder was brought up by Lady Macbeth, as well as others later in the play. In the aforementioned circumstances, blood was used to symbolize the guilt, and pain that Macbeth and his wife were experiencing as a by-produc...

Show More
Related

  • Macbeth Figurative Language Analysis

    466 Words  | 1 Pages

    Macbeth’s attitude changes dramatically from feeling guilty, at the beginning, to being a vivacious tyrant, at the end. Macbeth starts a trend of murdering his citizens because of paranoia and continues to make his country, Scotland, much worst. Ross speaks out about what is going on in Scotland and says “Alas, poor country, almost afraid to know itself. It cannot Be called our mother, but our grave, where nothing But who knows nothing is once seen to smile. Where sighs and groans and shrieks that rent the air Are made, not marked.” (iv.iii.164-169) Ross explains that Macbeth is killing so many people that the country is frightened and is no longer a dominant country. Ross also says that all citizens are sad and the streets are filled with screams. Ross continues to say Scotland is so bad that people’s lives are so short. Ross claims “The dead man’s knell there scarce asked for who, and good men’s lives Expire before the flowers in their caps, Dying or ere they sicken.” (iv.iii.170-175) Ross says Macbeth’s causing people to die before a flower can die. This figurative language shows how relatively quick

    Read More

  • Macbeth: Shakespeare’s Two Key Motifs

    1016 Words  | 3 Pages

    The play “Macbeth”, by Shakespeare, contains many motifs. Two very powerful motifs that Shakespeare illustrates in this play are blood, and weather. Blood is important because it shows that this play is violent, and the blood physically shows that these characters in the play are warriors. Weather plays an important role because it usually foreshadows events that are about to take place. For example, a storm usually foreshadows terrible things, like death and destruction.

    Read More

  • Literary Techniques in Shakespeare's Macbeth

    1368 Words  | 3 Pages

    Without literary techniques most literature would be colorless. Therefore these techniques are very crucial in producing successful writing. Not only do they create interest, they also help in development of characters, this is especially depicted in the Shakespearean play, Macbeth. The characters developed from the different literary techniques such as irony, paradox, and imagery assist in conveying the many themes throughout the play.

    Read More

  • Symbolism in Macbeth: Dagger, Ghosts, and Threes

    1183 Words  | 3 Pages

    Throughout the play "Macbeth" there have been many symbols that have been proven to be significant throughout the play. Of the many I will discuss the importance of The number three, the dagger, and Banquo's ghost.They are all always lingering in the play but not expressed in literal terms. A symbol is using an object or action that means something more than its literal meaning These symbols role in "Macbeth" are to provide a greater meaning to the play. Shakespeare has been known for creating plays that are enjoyable to read, the language is not so difficult once you are familiar with it. The symbols in the play, are significant because they make it possible for readers to interpret to their understanding, and still understand the meaning of the play.These three symbols each have their own meanings that I will further discuss. Their purpose is to let readers stay interested, and to figure out what they represent.

    Read More

  • Literary Devices in Macbeth

    671 Words  | 2 Pages

    Many authors compose their works with the assistance of literary devices or figurative language. As one is able to tell from Shakespeare's play Macbeth, it is easy to see that Shakespeare's style and portrayal of the story were not only made possible by literary devices but were also enhanced by Shakespeare's use of those same devices.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Macbeth

    578 Words  | 2 Pages

    After being named Thane of Cawdor, Macbeth is wonders if he can believe the rest of the witches' prophecies, saying “Glamis and Thane of Cawdor/ The greatest is behind,” (1.3.125-126) in other words it’s just what they said, and the best part of what they predicted is coming! To that, Banquo remarks, "oftentimes, to win us to our harm, / the instruments of darkness tell us truths, / Win us with honest trifles, to betrays / In deepest consequence" (1.3.123-126). Banquo is much more cautious, and warns Macbeth to be calmer; that the witches are just trying to trick him. “To win us our harm” is achieved by manipulating Macbeth into doing small things that will all add up to dire consequences- in this case, equivocation.

    Read More

  • Use Of Syntax In Macbeth

    401 Words  | 1 Pages

    In Act 4 scene 1 of Shakespeare’s Macbeth Shakespeare explains lies and deception through Macbeth's soliloquy which states Macbeth will do anything and everything to hold the throne. Shakespeare’s purpose is to call attention to the major themes of deception and lies through Macbeth’s actions. He creates a paranoiac tone in order to show the audience what these themes influence. He does this using symbolic diction, basic diction, and choppy syntax.

    Read More

  • Examples Of Metaphors In Macbeth Act 2

    245 Words  | 1 Pages

    Throughout act 2, scenes 1 and 2, there are plenty examples of metaphors. One example of this would be when Macbeth uses metaphors to question the reality of a vision that he has, “Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible to feeling as to sight? Or art thou but a dagger of the mind, a false creation, proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain.” Macbeth calls the dagger a “fatal vision,” and after that a “a dagger of the mind”, which sort of hints at the fact that his dark, bad, and evil thoughts in figuring out the killing of the king are for some reason shown by his “heat-oppressed brain.” Another metaphor in this section is located on lines 54-4 when Lady Macbeth speaks to Macbeth about killing the other sleeping guards. She says “The sleeping

    Read More

  • Images of Corruption and Deception in Act 1 of Hamlet

    465 Words  | 1 Pages

    central to the play. I am going to look at only the first act of the

    Read More

  • Imagery in Macbeth

    721 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the tragedy Macbeth, by William Shakespeare vivid imagery heavily employing blood is utilized to convey messages and display the state of mind of the characters. The image of blood serves to show the literal and figurative blood on the hands of Macbeth and his wife, and shows their deteriorating mental state as the gravity of what they have done takes them over. Before the murder of King Duncan, Lady Macbeth says “make thick my blood; / Stop up the access and passage to remorse” (1.v.43-44). Lady Macbeth is calling upon spirits to thicken her blood and poison it, so she can build up the strength to kill Duncan easily. She also says “My hands are of your color; but I shame / to wear a heart so white” (2.ii.61-62). In this quote, Lady Macbeth is talking to her husband saying that they both have blood on their hands now due to Duncan’s murder, but she would be ashamed to have a heart as cowardly as his. She then advises him to go wash his hands, which will get rid of the blood on them. This is very ironic when compared to the state of Lady Macbeth when she later goes mad. The image of blood is very prominent, and instrumental in the plot of Macbeth. Uses of blood like this are very frequent, and set the stage for what is to come and move things along. Shakespeare exhibits the deteriorating mental state of the main characters by repeatedly referring to images of blood.

    Read More

  • Discomfort as a Symbol in Shakespeare's "Macbeth"

    599 Words  | 2 Pages

    William Shakespeare’s Macbeth tells a story of corruption, greed, and cruelty: all results of supernatural intervention. These elements take their toll on Macbeth and others close to him when at heart they just want to be at peace. Shakespeare made his characters mentally troubled by strange occurrences or personal problems like envy. By combining the problems with a symbol, he makes the reader realize what these characters lack. By examining sleep imagery in Macbeth, one can determine that it represents something comforting which many characters desire. This in turn helps the reader realize the characters’ feelings and how they differ from each other.

    Read More

  • Imagery in Macbeth by William Shakespeare

    530 Words  | 2 Pages

    Imagery is a way to amplify theme in Macbeth by William Shakespeare. It portrays many different themes in the play. Imagery is used in many different ways, such as blood, animals and, light and dark.

    Read More

  • Use of Imagery in the First Two Acts of Macbeth

    1577 Words  | 4 Pages

    “The Scottish Play”, or more known as “Macbeth” is a play set in medieval Scotland. It describes the life of Macbeth – a brave lord predicted by the witches to become the King of Scotland. Lady Macbeth, his wife powered by ambition influences Macbeth into committing a horrendous regicide. Imagery is used widely throughout the course of the play, creating a three-dimensional image of the actions, almost as if we were present. Shakespeare in “Macbeth” uses imagery to create a more detailed image and emphasize the themes of violence, murder and darkness.

    Read More

  • Macbeth: A Uniform Elizabethan Tragedy

    1621 Words  | 4 Pages

    Never to go unnoticed, the name William Shakespeare describes an experienced actor, an exceptional playwright, and a notable philosopher. As one of the most influential men of the sixteenth and seventeenth century, Shakespeare impacted many artists with his riveting masterpieces. Shakespeare captured the attention of the people through his exquisite work in blank verse, and he inspired them with universal truths of the human condition. His sonnet sequence, consisting of 154 poems, is arguably the finest collection of love poems in the English language. Shakespeare continuously impressed his audience with his explorations of life’s complexities. Such an intricate man; however, he never wrote about himself. He would not discuss his composition methods and only through careful analysis could one understand the underlying truths to his work. Shakespeare was often known to use plots from other sources and enrich them to masterpieces with his genuine knowledge of literature. Although he completed many poems in his lifetime, each one of them was rich in quality and very complex in structure. The play, Macbeth, reveals the uniform structure of a typical Elizabethan tragedy with five acts that carefully reflect the pyramid organization of an exposition, a rising action, a climax, a falling action, and a denouement.

    Read More

  • Imagery in Shakespeare's Macbeth

    1044 Words  | 3 Pages

    What is imagery? How does Shakespeare use imagery in Macbeth and his other plays? Imagery is when the audience uses their five senses while reading to create an image of what is being read in their head. Shakespeare uses imagery in the Tragedy of Macbeth and his other plays because it helps to connect the reader or audience to the characters of the play. Imagery draws a reader in and makes him experience or become a part of the character. When writing the play Macbeth, Shakespeare created an atmosphere around the characters and the overall setting of the play, with his use of massive amounts of imagery in Macbeth.

    Read More

More about The Use Of Symbols In Macbeth

Open Document