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Macbeth Hand Motif Essay

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The significance of words or motifs in writing are not always immediately apparent. In Shakespeare’s works, he uses a number of motifs, and symbols, that one must analyze to understand their true significance. Macbeth tells the story of a Scottish thane that allows supernatural prophecies of becoming king control his actions, even if that means going through with evil endeavors, like murder. In Macbeth, William Shakespeare utilizes the motif of “hand” to portray the connotation of conscience and actions, while also illuminating Macbeth’s shift in character in relation to his guilt.
When Lady Macbeth and Macbeth go through with the murder of Duncan, it is the first time that Macbeth goes through with his malicious thoughts. Immediately after …show more content…

Soon after Macbeth sees the ghost of Banquo and has plans to speak to the witches he says, “Strange things I have in head that will to hand,/ Which must be acted ere they must be scanned.” (3.4. 171-171). Macbeth is saying that he has strange plans in mind, that he wants to put into action, before he can think about them and regret them. The hand is a symbol of actions, as he wants to use his hands and go through with his actions. However, by saying he wants to act on them fast, he reveals truly how impulsively he acts. Similarly, after the witch’s apparitions, and finding out that Macduff has just fled to England, he says, “From this moment the very firstlings of my heart shall be the firstlings of my hand.” (4.1. 166-168). In this aside, he is essentially saying that the moment he has an idea, he will act on it immediately. He will use his hand to do whatever his heart is feeling, even if that means doing something without giving it much thought and rationale. He wants to act impulsively without feeling any remorse for what he is doing and without thinking about the impact it is having on others. Acting impulsively is a way for Macbeth to avoid his guilty conscience, by not giving his decisions much thought. He knows that if he gives it more thought, his guilt will take over and lead to him not going through with the evil actions, and ultimately result in a failure to achieve his goal of becoming king, and proving the witch’s prophecies correct. This represents the shift in his conscience, because he no longer feels guilty upon going through with actions, rather he has an evil conscience that controls his

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