Warning: Use of undefined constant referer - assumed 'referer' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays on line 102

Warning: Use of undefined constant host - assumed 'host' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays on line 105

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays:102) in /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays on line 106

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays:102) in /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays on line 109
Macbeth - Blood As An Image In Macbeth - Paper

Macbeth - Blood As An Image In Macbeth

Shakespeare uses the symbol of blood in MacBeth to represent treason, guilt, murder and death. These ideas are constant throughout the book. There are many examples of blood representing these three ideas in the book.
Blood is mentioned throughout the play and mainly in reference to murder or treason. The first reference to blood is in MacBeth's soliloquy in Act 2, Scene 1, Lines 33-61, when Macbeth sees the bloody dagger floating in the air before him. Also in this soliloquy on line 46 he sees "on thy blade and dudgeon gouts of blood", this means that there is blood on the handle and spots of blood on the handle. This is implying that the dagger was viciously and maliciously used on ...

Want to read the rest of this paper?
Join Essayworld today to view this entire essay
and over 50,000 other term papers

treason. Also in this scene is the first reference of blood pertaining to guilt. MacBeth says this in Act 2, Scene 3, Line 60, "Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood clean from my hand?" This is an example of blood representing guilt, because MacBeth wishes he could just wash his guilt away.
Again, blood is referred to again when in Act 2, Scene 3, Lines 123-134 Malcolm and Donaldbain are discussing what to do and Malcolm says in Line 128, "There's daggers in men's smiles, the nearer in blood, the nearer bloody." Meaning that their closest relatives are likely to kill them. Again, blood is being used to describe treason, murder and death.
Act 5, Scene 1 is the famous sleepwalking scene. While Lady MacBeth is sleepwalking she makes many references to the evil deeds that Macbeth and herself have committed, most of which include references to blood. In Act 5, Scene 1, Line 31, She goes through the motions of washing her hands saying "Out damned spot! Out, I say" in ...

Get instant access to over 50,000 essays.
Write better papers. Get better grades.

Already a member? Login

CITE THIS PAGE:

APA
MLA
Chicago
Turabian

Macbeth - Blood As An Image In Macbeth. (2008, February 3). Retrieved April 18, 2025, from http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Macbeth-Blood-As-An-Image-Macbeth/78450

"Macbeth - Blood As An Image In Macbeth." Essayworld.com. Essayworld.com, 3 Feb. 2008. Web. 18 Apr. 2025. <http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Macbeth-Blood-As-An-Image-Macbeth/78450>

"Macbeth - Blood As An Image In Macbeth." Essayworld.com. February 3, 2008. Accessed April 18, 2025. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Macbeth-Blood-As-An-Image-Macbeth/78450.

JOIN NOW

Join today and get instant access to this and 50,000+ other essays

PAPER DETAILS

Added: 2/3/2008 08:18:04 AM
Category: English
Type: Premium Paper
Words: 542
Pages: 2

Save |

Report

SHARE THIS PAPER

SAVED ESSAYS

Save and find your favorite essays easier