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Macbeth Blood Motif Essay

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During the Renaissance, writers utilized motifs to expand themes in texts through patterns, images, sounds, repeating words, and even symbols to represent a sundry variation of themes. Motifs can highlight something about a character to help the reader understand them better, establish the mood of the story, or introduce and reintroduce the theme throughout the reading. In Shakespeare's work Macbeth, the motif of blood is specifically targeted and reestablished throughout the reading. Macbeth is set in a period where bloodshed and violence are utilized to establish authority. A person is unworthy of serving as a true leader if they are not willing to draw blood. 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. When Macbeth started to have thoughts about murdering his own King, he began to hallucinate. Macbeth could not …show more content…

With Macbeth finally becoming the masculine character, Lady Macbeth turns to the feminine role. She begins to feel overwhelmed with guilt and can not take it. Lady Macbeth ends up seeing a doctor due to sleep problems. She spills secrets while being examined by the doctor and nurse. “Out, damned spot! out, I say!...Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him?” (Act 5, Sc. 1, 32-37). Lady Macbeth is sleep talking and having nightmares about failing to wash out a bloodstain, which is from an “old man.” The reader knows the old man to be Duncan, but the doctor and nurse have not a clue yet. The bloodstain Lady Macbeth is worried about is a symbol of guilt that she can not seem to get rid

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Macbeth is one of Shakespeare’s most memorable plays. Macbeth was first performed in 1606 during the reign of King James I. The symbolism of blood can be found all throughout Macbeth. Shakespeare uses blood to symbolize the guilt Macbeth feels for killing Duncan. Macbeth says “What hands are here!

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In Act 2 of Macbeth by WIlliam shakespeare, Tthe blood motif is associated with being nervous and fearless which contribute to the character trait. s. This contributed to the character trait of In Macbeth, tThe blood motif links to being anxiousnervous because Macbeth is thinking about killing Duncan. When Macbeth is talking to himself in his bedroom, “IS this dagger which I seeI see before me? The handle toward my hand? Come let me clutch thee.

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When Shakespeare first introduces Macbeth, he automatically is displayed as a fierce, gruesome general. Blood represents his beneficial doing. Captain quotes, “... with bloody execution... he unseamed him from the nave to th’ chops, and fixed his head upon our battlements” (I.ii.20). Macbeth slashes Macdonwald, a traitor, from his belly to his jaw, and decapitates him.

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In Shakespeare’s play Macbeth the symbol of blood is often represented. The symbol of blood changes throughout the play. The imagery of blood is used in two different ways, good and evil. There are several examples of this throughout the play. The symbol of blood is very important in Macbeth.

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