Macbeth :: essays research papers

I am going to prove that in the trickMacbeth, a symbol of blood is portrayed often(and with diametric meanings), and that it is a symbol that is developeduntil it is the dominating discipline of the play towards the end ofit. To begin with, I found the word "blood", or differentforms of it forty-two measure (ironically, the word fear is usedforty-two times), with several other passages dealing withthe symbol. Perhaps the best way to head how the symbolof blood changes throughout the play, is to follow thecharacter changes in Macbeth. First he is a festal honouredsoldier, but as the play progresses, he becomes atreacherous mortal who has become identified with deathand bloodshed and shows his guilt in different forms. Thefirst reference of blood is one of honour, and occurs whenDuncan sees the injured sergeant and says "What crashing(a)man is that?". This is symbolic of the brave fighter who beeninjured in a valiant battle for his country. In the next passage ,in which the sergeant says "Which smokd with bloodyexecution", he is referring to Macbeths braveness in whichhis sword is covered in the red-hot blood of the enemy. Afterthese few references to honour, the symbol of blood nowchanges to show a theme of treachery and treason. LadyMacbeth starts this off when she asks the spirits to " sterilisethick my blood,". What she is saying by this, is that shewants to make herself insensitive and remorseless for the whole caboodle which she is about to commit. Lady Macbeth knowsthat the evidence of blood is a treacherous symbol, andknows it leave deflect the guilt from her and Macbeth to theservants when she says "smear the sleepy grooms withblood.", and "If he do bleed, Ill hostelry the faces of the groomswithal, for it must seem their guilt." When Banquo states"and question this most bloody piece of work," and Rosssays "ist cognise who did this more than bloody enactment?", theyare both in quiring as to who performed the treacherous actsupon Duncan. When Macbeth is speaking about Malcolmand Donalbain, he refers to them as "bloody cousins" A finalway, and perhaps the most vivid use of the symbol blood, isof the theme of guilt. First Macbeth hints at his guilt when hesays "Will all outstanding Neptunes ocean wash this blood cleanfrom my hand?", meaning that he wondered if he would everbe able to forget the dastardly deed that he had committed.Then the ghost of Banquo, all gory, and bloody comes to