Shakespeare's Use Of Motifs In Macbeth

For centuries, symbols have impacted the perception of literature. They have extraordinary capabilities and can assist in understanding the theme of a text. In literature, motifs, essentially recurring symbols, can deeply enhance an author’s message about the human experience. The repetition of references to the eyes throughout the play, Macbeth, serves to convey that witnessing the reality of one’s deeds is essential to understanding the world. William Shakespeare’s Macbeth employs the motif of the eyes to show that deceiving oneself against the realities of one’s deeds leads to misery and ultimately a downfall.
To start off, the play begins with a man named Macbeth, and his wife, Lady Macbeth. Both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth have the desire

At first, Lady Macbeth was a fierce, stubborn, and motivated individual whose only desire was to steal the crown, while Macbeth exhibited a sense of fear and apprehension when discussing the plan of the murder. However, throughout the story, the qualities of each character change drastically. The eye motif helps determine why and how the murders in which Macbeth partook, impact both his and his wife’s mental states and well beings. Shakespeare utilizes the motif of the eyes to express the idea that at the end of the day, righteousness will always overpower Tyranny, and guilt often leads to fear, taking over one's life, and eating people alive Morally.
The Motif of eyes deeply impacts many of the characters in the play, especially the highly ambitious Macbeth. As countless murders unfold and Macbeth’s mindset completely differs from its original state, it is clear that his ambition breeds corruption. Before Macbeth murders King Duncan, he goes somewhat manic. In Act 2, before committing the murder, Macbeth experiences some hallucinations; “I have thee not, and yet I see thee still. Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible

Lady Macbeth’s actions during the start of the play were manic and barbaric. Her only goal was to overthrow the king, and the only way she thought it could be done, was through murder. Lady Macbeth made remarks towards Macbeth that depicted him as unmanly, since he didn't agree with his wifes desires at the time. When discussing the plan of murdering the king, Lady Macbeth expresses how her and Macbeth must to act from an outside point of view: 'Look like th' innocent flower, / But be the serpent under't' The author's purpose of this quote is demonstrate how Lady Macbeth wanted to deceive the eyes of the people in society by looking innocent, but having malicious intentions, which in this case, meant murder. After all, Lady Macbeth’s fierce ambition did not last forever. As time passed and the number of murders solely increased, Lady Macbeth’s guilt increased as well. The eyes in the play help define the character that Lady Macbeth forms into. Towards the end of the play, when Lady Macbeth experiences an extreme amount of guilt, she utters: “Here's the smell of blood still. All perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand.” While this quote does not depict the motif of eyes, it clearly exhibits what the motif of eyes and what deceiving everyone in society did for Lady Macbeth. The motif of eyes depict the true utterly distressed