How Does Shakespeare Use Blood Imagery In Macbeth

Shakespeare is well known for including symbolism in his plays to increase interest to those who watch or read the plays. Blood imagery is essential to Macbeth; it portrays guilt for various reasons, regret and remorse and the evil thoughts of characters, can all be observed through blood imagery. Blood imagery signifies all the emotions and thoughts of the characters in Macbeth, proving that we must think before we act.

The play Macbeth incorporates blood imagery to represent the guilt of crimes done by Macbeth and his wife. It provides a deeper understanding, of the guilt from murder. Guilt of murder is present in, “[y]et here’s a spot.” (William, Shakespeare, 5, 1, 29). Lady Macbeth sees blood all over her hand. Guilt is taking over her

The blood represents the fact that what she did, will never be gone and it will haunt her throughout her whole life. Secondly, Shakespeare portrays guilt created from regicide through blood imagery. Guilt of regicide is evident through, “[w]ill all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood/[c]lean from my hand?” (2, 2, 77-78). Betraying the king is horrific act, but killing the king is even worse. Macbeth, having done such a crime feels as if his crime cannot be hidden or forgotten. Through the blood imagery we see how guilty Macbeth feels, because he thinks that all oceans put together cannot wash off the blood on his hand. In other words his crime cannot be washed away from his mind. Another, guilt that can be proven through blood imagery, is the guilt of betraying a friend. Guilt of betrayal is shown through,” [t]hy bones are marrowless, thy blood is cold.”(3, 4, 115).

The evil thoughts that are created to hide evidence is clearly stated in blood imagery. These evil thoughts are recognized through, “[w]hen we have mark’d with the with blood those sleepy two /Of his own chamber and used their very daggers, /That they have done’t?”(1, 7, 83-85). To be able to blame such a horrific crime on innocent people, one must be very deceiving and evil. Macbeth’s thoughts are very delusional. Blood imagery proves that Macbeth and Lady Macbeth have a very evil thought process and that they do not think about how things will affect them in the future. Blood imagery shows us that both the Macbeth’s have been blind flooded by their ambitions. Secondly, Shakespeare incorporates blood imagery to demonstrate that evil thoughts can influence others in the same way. Lady Macbeth is a woman who can easily persuade someone through her evil ways, “[m]y hands are of your colour, but I shame /To wear a heart so white.”( 2. 2, 81-82). Lady Macbeth is planning to make Macbeth less cowardly so he will not plead guilty of killing King Duncan. She plans to make him think in dreadful ways, so he will be brave enough to get to the throne. She calls him a coward and says she herself is brave, which proves that she is an evil character as she does not feel guilty after seeing so much blood from the king’s body. Lastly, blood imagery puts forth the thought of committing evil deeds. The evil thought process of