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Symbolism essay on the play macbeth
Symbolism essay on the play macbeth
Symbolism essay on the play macbeth
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Analysis of how Blood Develops the Theme of Endless Guilt in "Macbeth"
In literature, nothing conveys elaborate ideas as well as symbolism. It provides depth and communicate powerful messages to the audience, often acting as a physical representation of a concept or theme. In William Shakespeare 's "The Tragedy of Macbeth," symbols are used constantly, with one of the most significant being the symbol of blood. This literary device is used to symbolize guilt, and so plays a major role in developing the theme that the heavy burden of guilt will forever linger. It creates a visual representation and draws the audience 's attention to the theme, and is part of why "Macbeth" is considered one of Shakespeare 's most famous plays.
Throughout
The dagger is a representation of Macbeth 's intent to kill Duncan, as he reaches out to take the murder weapon when he sees it, saying "come, let me clutch thee," and it leads him "the way that [he] was going," to Duncan 's room (2.1.35;2.1.43). The blood staining the dagger, therefore, is a way for his conscience to manifest the guilt and horror he feels at killing the king. The fact that there are "gouts of blood" rather than a few drops tells the reader of the depth of his guilt, and foreshadows both the gory visions he will have and the way they will stick with him (2.1.47). The symbol of blood enhances the theme by providing a stronger, visual image for it, which, coupled with the dagger and what it represents, delivers a more impactful message to the audience than a mere statement of the theme could.
Another major example of blood symbolism occurs after Duncan 's murder, when Macbeth cries out that "all great Neptune 's ocean" would not be able to "wash this blood"—the blood staining his hand—"clean" (2.2.61-62). Rather, he says, it will turn "the multitudinous seas incarnadine," (incarnadine means blood-red or pinkish-red) and make the "green" seas "red"
This scene parallels much of Macbeth 's words (how "all great Neptune 's ocean" would not be able to "wash [his] blood" away), in that now she, also, realizes the depth of her guilt in killing the king (2.2.61-62). In this passage, she is desperately washing her hands, attempting to remove her smudge of imaginary blood, but of course, that blood is stained onto her conscience forever. The fact that Shakespeare has Lady Macbeth also display her guilt signifies that Macbeth is not the only one to sense it, and therefore it is a universal rule, that all those guilty from wrongdoing can never be rid of their remorse, which makes obvious the theme of endless guilt. The fact that blood—a striking image—is used continually throughout to symbolize guilt unifies the play through a significant object and focuses the audience on the symbol (by extension, then, it also focuses the audience on the theme), resulting in them giving more thought to it.
With use of blood as a symbol of guilt, Shakespeare is able to develop his theme that guilt is an endless burden on the wrongdoer. Blood, in "The Tragedy of Macbeth," provides a strong, visual representation of guilt, and draws the audience 's attention towards it, both of which work to communicate powerful messages to the audience. His effective
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.
No, this my hand will rather the multitudinous seas incarnadine, making the green one red.’ Here Shakespeare uses the language technique of allusion in conjunction with symbolism to express how much Macbeth is overwhelmed with guilt from murdering King Duncan. The first question Macbeth asks to himself is him wondering if the guilt inside him will ever leave, and the second part is him realising that the murder was so bad - that guilt will never be rid from his conscious. We see this again later in the play after Macbeth is responsible for more murders: “… I am in blood Stepp’d in so far that, should I wade no more. Returning were as tedious as go o’er” The blood spoken about is used in both a literal and symbolic sense.
... 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 symbolic appearance of blood throughout the intermediate parts of the play maintains the depth of the Macbeth’s unforgiveable guilt. The use of blood as a symbol at the conclusion of the play asserts the perpetuity of the Macbeth’s guilt. Shakespeare’s inclusion of blood as a major symbol in Macbeth creates a compelling tragedy in which the audience is able to comprehend the magnitude of the Macbeth’s irreconcilable guilt.
Shakespeare uses the symbol of blood in MacBeth to represent treason, guilt, murder and death. These ideas are constant throughout the book. There are many examples of blood representing these three ideas in the book.
William Shakespeare uses many techniques to liven the intensity, and the excitement in his plays. In the play of MacBeth, Shakespeare uses blood imagery to add a sense of fear, guilt, shame, insanity, and anger to the atmosphere. The use of blood imagery allows the audience to vision in their minds the crime scene where Duncan was murdered, as well as the scene where Lady MacBeth tries to cope with the consequences of her actions. The talk and sight of blood has a great impact on the strength and depth of the use of blood imagery.
In addition to the beginnig, Blood Imagery is very important in the middle of the play. Macbeth's...
After the first murder scene, when Macbeth stabs King Duncan in his sleep, he encounters a great deal of guilt towards the murder. This is shown by a quote from Macbeth, "With all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood clean from my hand? No, this my hand will rather the multitudinous seas in carnadine, making the green one red", at this point in the play, blood is resembled mostly by guilt. What Macbeth is really saying is that not even the entire ocean could wash his hands clean of blood from this dirty deed he had committed. He feels that what he had done was so wrong and shameful there is not a way in the world to hide it, the ocean is an excellent way to portray this. After the discovery of Duncan’s murder in the third scene, Macbeth exaggerates the king’s wounds," His silver skin lac’d with his golden blood, and gash’d stabs look’d like a breach in nature..." Macbeth most likely said this to drive away any thought of him being the murderer. The word "golden" resembles the King’s blood, referring to his social status not only as a King, but as a well liked member of society. The word “blood,” produces a dreadful description of the king’s murder which aids the audience in picturing this horrific murder scene.
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...
“.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. The imagery of blood shows Lady Macbeth wants to get rid of her guilt.
In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the theme of guilt and conscience is one of many explored throughout the play. Macbeth, is a well respected Scottish noble who in the beginning of the play is a man everyone looks up to; however as the play progresses he makes a number of bad decisions. Eventually, as a result of his actions he suffers guilt and this plays heavily upon his character until his personality is completely destroyed. Shakespeare uses a range of techniques in order to develop this theme such as, characters, imagery.
This is first shown in Act 2 where Macbeth begins his monologue, “I see thee still, And on thy blade and dudgeon gouts of blood, Which was not so before. There’s no such thing.” (II I 46-48) Before reuniting with Lady Macbeth, Macbeth sees a bloody dagger floating in the air. The dagger appears shortly before Macbeth proceeds to murder Duncan. The dagger in this instance is used to symbolize Macbeth’s hesitation as at this point in time, Macbeth could have chosen to turn back and abandon his pursuit to becoming king. Macbeth chose to persist however, and the blood covering the dagger was a prognostication of the crime he would soon commit. Shakespeare imparts here that emotions like hesitation are meant to be pondered over, not skimmed over. Macbeth took reckless actions, and his abysmal situation reflects that. Macbeth’s inner-conflict is further shown in Act 4 where he states, “For the blood-boltered Banquo smiles upon me And points at them for his.” (IV I 129-130) Macbeth is visibly shaken by the sudden appearance of a bloody Banquo. The appearance of Banquo is due to the three witches summoning him by ceremony, much to Macbeth’s dismay. Macbeth’s petrified reaction tells of how he is still constantly tormented by his murdering of Banquo. Macbeth begins to shout and command for Banquo to disappear. The summoning of Banquo continues to tell of Macbeth’s human nature
Blood is something that we need to live. So it is clearly understood when Shakespeare uses the symbol of blood to represent murder, betrayal, and death, to show all of the evil that was going on. It is a symbol that was used the most in the play Macbeth, and had different meanings.
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 biggest role of blood in the play was becoming a stigma of guilt for characters including Macbeth and Lady Macbeth.
Shakespeare employs symbolism and imagery to explore the themes of Good vs. Evil and Suffering in his play Macbeth. Shakespeare uses blood to portray murder and wrongdoing, “I am in blood, stepp’d in so far that should I wade no more, returning were as tedious as go o’er.” (III. iv. 136). He uses daggers to portray the same idea, and the two are often used with each