Motif Of Blood In Macbeth

Guilt, interpreted as the sense of violating one’s moral standards, frequently leads to mental illnesses, such as depression and anxiety disorders. Guilt holds considerable sway over individuals, compelling them to deviate from their usual behaviors. Guilt is especially prominent within the characters of William Shakespeare’s play, Macbeth. Macbeth resides in Scotland, plotting the downfall of King Duncan. Because of their greed for power, Macbeth and other characters are compelled to commit multiple crimes. Through a series of murders and fateful decisions, they encounter the recurring motif of blood. The motif of blood impacts the characters’ behaviors by burdening them with guilt, causing corruption, and evoking feelings of remorse.

Firstly,

Upon learning of his family’s deaths, Macduff “cannot but remember such things that were most precious to me. Did heaven look on? “And would not take their part?” (4.3.229-231). Since Macduff left his family in a time of need, he feels remorseful for his family’s death. Without any warning, Macduff abandoned his family to pursue Malcolm to dethrone Macbeth. Even though they did not conspire with Macduff, Macbeth murdered them because of their relationship. Macduff doesn’t place the blame on Macbeth, but on himself for leaving his family vulnerable. He is under the impression that he is the cause of their death. Despite being disheartened at losing his loved ones, he uses his feelings of remorse to fuel his vengeance. Lady Macbeth is another character who experiences remorse. During her sleepwalking episode, she observed that “there’s a knock at the gate”. Come, come, come, come. Give me your hand. What’s done cannot be undone” (5.1.45-47). Lady Macbeth speaks of the murders that Macbeth has committed. Unlike Macbeth, Lady Macbeth feels remorse for having played a part in the murders. Lady Macbeth’s desire to alleviate her guilt indicates her remorse for past actions. Her isolation from Macbeth and the other characters reflects her remorse. Physical separation is Lady Macbeth’s way of distancing herself from her source of guilt and protecting herself from further turmoil. As her remorse grows, Lady Macbeth becomes unwilling to participate in Macbeth’s schemes. Similar to when she and Macbeth conspired to murder Duncan, Lady Macbeth discerned the sound of knocking. This symbolizes the constant reminder that an individual cannot escape the consequences of their actions. Lady Macbeth acknowledges that the murders she’s taken part in cannot be undone. Therefore, she feels remorse at having taken part in the crime. In the end, she dies at the hands of her own. In conclusion, the motif of