What makes a moral person? Although morality is malleable, no truly moral person escapes the natural human instinct of guilt. These universal ideas are conveyed throughout Shakespeare’s 17th-century play ‘Macbeth’ and Mark Brozel’s 2005 modern film adaptation, ‘Macbeth Retold’. But why is Shakespeare still relevant in this day and age? Well, “William Shakespeare’s work is not of an age, but for all time”. I agree with this because his work incorporates his perspectives on life and many timeless themes. Shakespeare delves into the notion that when unethical actions go unchecked by moral restraints, they will have consequences. Macbeth, initially an honourable soldier, goes on a murder spree driven by desire to be king. This loss of morality …show more content…
Shakespeare and Brozel engage with the idea that it's impossible to avoid guilt and that it can haunt individuals through hallucinations. After the murder, Lady Macbeth tells her husband to "wash this filthy witness from your hand". The motif of blood symbolises guilt and water represents purity and life. In parallel, Ella tells Joe, "A little water and we’re clean". The irony of this situation is evident as they continue to wash their hands with a basin filled with water, highlighting their overflowing paranoia and guilt. Nonetheless, guilt ultimately drives the two to insanity. On the other hand, Macbeth and Joe are aware that their guilt extends beyond the literal "blood" on their "hand[s]" and the metaphorical "blood" on their souls is permanent. For example, Macbeth asks, "Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood clean from my hand?" This dramatic dialogue and hyperbole suggest that they cannot avoid the consequences of their actions. Furthermore, the blood motif represents Macbeth's guilt and the belief that his actions will forever haunt him. The film also conveys this through the repetitive jump cuts of shots zooming in on Ella in the shower and close-up shots of Joe watching as she begins to shower in blood. Brozel takes a more literal approach to Shakespeare's blood motif, using the imagery of blood to show how guilt haunts Joe's conscience and causes him to hallucinate. Therefore, both composers propose
Both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth see more and more imaginary blood as the time goes on in the play, they feel guilty for what they have done and the blood is a
Macbeth is at a serious loss of integrity in these moments as he does the horrific deed by following an apparition, “Is this a dagger I see before me?”. It can be questioned whether the apparition was something more than his own desire to kill and him needing a reason or excuse to get blood on his hands without feeling guilt and with this he doesn’t take responsibility for the actions he carried out. Although Macbeths actions against the king were moments of extreme lack in nobility and integrity, he follows through with great guilt “To I know my deed twere best not know myself. Wake Duncan. I would thou couldst” “all Neptune’s ocean cannot clean his hands”, this metaphor/hyperbole brings back his original character of honor where he is saying that no amount of Neptune’s water can clear his guilt or wash away the blood on his hands or the mistake he has made.
Lady Macbeth's anguished conscience driven by guilt is conveyed through the use of symbolism and tone. When the doctor arrives to inspect Lady Macbeth’s condition, she begins to sleepwalk, during which she confesses her crimes. Recalling the murder of Duncan when she vigorously washes her hands, she repeats this action in her drowsy state. Her attempts to clean the blood off her hands symbolizes her obsessive desire to atone for her sins. Not only to repent, but also to be liberated from evil thoughts and obtain a pure mind can be inferred by the readers.
Macbeth, in his despair, exclaims, "Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood / Clean from my hand?" (2.2). This statement highlights the inescapable nature of their guilt and the impossibility of erasing the consequences of their actions. The blood becomes a constant reminder of their treachery, haunting their thoughts and staining their souls.
Through the eyes of Macbeth, blood is a stain of guilt that one can not remove. In William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the motif of blood is symbolic of fear, guilt, power and represents the theme, ambition kills. The motif of blood reoccurs continuously in Shakespear’s Macbeth, but does not lose its importance. As the play becomes more somber and gruesome, blood is mentioned more frequently.
Macbeth's guilt haunts him throughout the play, ultimately leading to his downfall. It is a warning that the pursuit of power at any cost can lead to disastrous consequences, not just for an individual but for an entire
In Shakespeare's play, Macbeth, blood is more than just what keeps all of the characters alive, it symbolizes guilt and eventually regret. Macbeth is one of these victims of guilt. His evil heart is pumping all of the regret and guilt through his veins and making him miserable. Three quotes that illustrate the power between blood and guilt are “act II, scene ii lines 60-66”, “act III scene iv lines 122-140”, and “ act V scene i lines 31-36”. “Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood Clean from my hand?
Closely followed by this treacherous act, they continue these bloody atrocities until it leads to their own deaths. From the perspective of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, blood symbolizes the heavy burden of guilt shown through the many crimes they committed, the high amount of significant references to blood, and the psychological struggles that they faced. Horrendously, Macbeth commits his first murderous crime in the second act. Leading up to this moment, the doubt, fear, and straining pressure offer no mercy to him.
In Macbeth, blood is a symbol used to represent guilt and how one's guilt will cause them to act with concupiscence. If an individual feels guilty about an action they will do anything to try to make up for that action or clear their conscience. They may cross a line in which they never had thought of crossing before in order to fight their guilt. In the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare, Macbeth feels guilty about the many murders he has committed and his guilt has turned to paranoia. His paranoia is evident in his conversation with lady Macbeth about banquo when he says, “Come, seeling night, / Scarf up the tender eye of pitiful day /
“Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood clean from my hand?” (2.2.27). In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the motif of blood and water represents the crime a person has committed and the “cleansing” of guilt. This motif reoccurs numerous times during the play and is best represent by Macbeth and his wife after they feel the guilt of their crimes.
Shakespeare uses the recurring symbol of blood to emphasize the effect of death and violence on the human psyche. The connotation that Macbeth associates with blood switches from a primary motivator to a guilty reminder. Prior to Duncan’s murder, Macbeth witnessed a floating dagger covered with blood (II.i.33). Macbeth had experienced violence and Blood is also used as a reminder of the guilt and trauma from the murder of King Duncan, the guards and Banquo. Macbeth refers to his hallucination of the ghost of Banquo: “It will have blood, they say.
No, this my hand will rather the multitudinous seas incarnadine, making the green one red” (2.2. 60-63). Macbeth its prey of his guilt, he expresses his concern by taking notice of the blood on his hands that are proof of his crime and of his extreme guilt towards what he has done. At first, while Macbeth feels terribly guilty, his wife seems to have a clear conscience, despite her criminal acts and thoughts.
Through this quote, it is depicted that Macbeth’s exaggerated feelings of guilt and remorse are filling his mind despite being such a renowned warrior. Macbeth alludes to Neptune’s great ocean, a body of water that is powerful and immense. This enhances his worry as it shows that nothing will be able to wash away the evidence and guilt (the blood on his hands). He further states, instead of washing his hands clean he will instead dye the ocean from green to red, this exaggeration can illustrate the huge and uncontrollable amount of guilt and worry he is facing. The symbol of blood/bloody hands can also allude to the “Clean Hands Principle'' although it does not tie directly with Macbeth as he knows he is guilty and does not try to hide it, it connects more with Lady Macbeth as there are many instances where she is washing her hand and stating “water clears us of this deed.”
From Macbeth feeling “drowned in blood”, to Lady Macbeth not being able to wash her hands, shows how guilt will always come from making bad decisions. One wrong choice can ruin a person's life
Shakespeare’s play “Macbeth” explores a man’s fall from morality through committing the act of regicide, as well as ideas of guilt, greed and corruption. A motif of blood is used throughout the play to aid Shakespeare’s character development of Macbeth and it also facilitates further exploration of the figurative moral compass and culpability. Blood is used as a symbol and physical manifestation of guilt within characters throughout the play. Firstly, Shakespeare uses the motif of blood to emphasise the moral deterioration of Macbeth 's character.