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Symbols And Symbols In Macbeth

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Symbols are a very important element of everyday life. From symbols on road signs to symbols on social media, symbols allow people to have an understanding of what is happening around them. In William Shakespeare’s poetic tragedy Macbeth symbols are used to develop characterization and display the motifs and themes that have been present throughout the play. The play gives out important symbols such as blood, a cauldron, and sleep to represent the motifs of ambition, fate, and guilt. Based on these motifs given by the symbols, readers are able to discover the progression in characterization and learn the theme of leaving fate as it is. Therefore through the symbols in the play, the readers are able to not only develop a greater understanding of the theme but also how it has changed and created different …show more content…

16-19). The use of blood displays Macbeth as a hero and characterizes him as loyal and courageous. The blood also represents the ambition he had to bring success for the king, which further supports his loyal characteristics. Unfortunately, things soon begin to change after Macbeth learns his fate in becoming king. “‘Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood / Clean from my hand? No, this my hand will rather / The multitudinous seas incarnadine, / Making the green one red’” (2.2.61-64). The blood on Macbeth’s hand presents to be Duncan’s blood, showing how Macbeth has murdered the person who trusted him the most. This blood symbolizes ambition because as Macbeth desires to become king, he does everything he needs to do in order to fulfill that desire. As a result, Macbeth develops a murderous and untrustful characteristic, which greatly contrasts his character from the beginning of the play. Lady Macbeth on the other hand enhances her brutal and cruel characteristics with the symbol of blood, which also reveals her ambitious mindset. “‘That fears a painted devil. If he do bleed, /

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He wonders if “all great Neptune’s ocean [will] wash this blood/clean from [his] hand” (2.2.78-9). Macbeth knows what he has done is wrong and he is shaken by his actions. Back then killing on the battlefield was much more respected than cowardly murder on a defenseless opponent. There was a purpose to fighting for an individual’s own country and brave soldiers were very highly revered. Macbeth is seen as this gallant and fearless warrior at the beginning of the play by his captains as they describe how “he unseamed [the enemy] from the nave to th’ chops” (1.2.24).

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Here’s the smell of the blood still. All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand.” (V.i.l 25, 33-34). The blood symbolizes the guilt that Lady Macbeth has after being involved in the murder of Duncan. The Macbeths believe that cleaning their hands with water would make the sin of the murder not be in connection with them.

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The smell of blood, and the blood itself on Lady Macbeth’s hands exhibit her guilt over Duncan’s murder. Thus the guilt she feels for causing her husband to do horrible things and creating the guilty conscience her husband now posses. The hallucination of the blood on her hands and her extreme effort to wash it off shows

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Throughout the play blood is used as a way to show the evil intentions of not only Macbeth but other characters of the famous play, demonstrating their ambition, anger, and guilt. Undoubtedly, the

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In the play Macbeth, Shakespeare uses many motifs and symbols to help develop the theme. The most effective symbols and motifs that Shakespeare uses are the birds, blood, and sleep. In Macbeth, birds are mentioned many times. "The raven himself is hoarse /

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Blood is something most people see as gruesome and disturbing, and not something ordinary people enjoy to be in the presence of. In the play Macbeth, the playwright William Shakespeare uses the motif of blood to expose a character's thoughts and personality. Blood is an important motif constantly shown throughout the play. Macbeth, the main character, thinks he can advance to the throne without any consequences. Blood exemplifies the guilt he is now stuck with, and due to Macbeth's excessive ambition, and overwhelming guilt, he is now faced with the consequences.

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No this my hand will rather the multitudinous seas incarnadine, making the green one red. ”(II.ii.79-81) He sees water, which was once pure like his conscience, now forever polluted by the blood resulting from his evil deed. This image acknowledges that Macbeth knows with killing Duncan there is no coming back from what he has done. This guilt and panic causes him to disconnect with reality and hallucinate infinite amounts of blood.

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Shakespeare uses the blood symbol to express Macbeth’s horror and guilt over his crime. Blood reveals Macbeth’s feelings about murder. Overall, the constant presence of blood in Macbeth repeatedly reminds us about how serious the consequences of the characters actions

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Macbeth explores many different themes and symbols throughout the play including blood, ambition, the sense of right and wrong, and hallucinations. Hallucinations play a strong role in this play and create vivid imagery in Macbeth. The specific accounts that can be used to prove this thesis are Banquo’s ghost, Lady Macbeth’s invisible blood stains, and the witches apparitions. The climax of the play has already passed with Macbeth taking his first life, King Duncan.

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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.

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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.

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They have dirtied their hands and now are forever stained. In Macbeth, Shakespeare uses the motif of blood to show the never-ending guilt weighed upon a person after a terrible deed. Haunted by guilt, Macbeth changes from a good, loyal soldier, to an evil heartless tyrant. Initially, Macbeth is shown as a hero with

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Macbeth went through so much pressure to do the crime he later regretted and suffered and battles with himself and his paranoia. Lady Macbeth only saw the effects of blood visually she did not see how the blood stain was eating Macbeth from the inside. Once again Lady Macbeth is pushing Macbeth to forget about what happened and move on, the murder does not affect Lady Macbeth but the way Macbeth is acting shows that he was never ready to commit this

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