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Example research essay topic: Blood Will Have Blood Macbeth And Lady Macbeth - 1,644 words

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In all of Shakespeare's plays he uses many forms of imagery. In the play, The Tragedy of Macbeth, Shakespeare applies the imagery of blood and water, which are symbolized in the major themes of the play. Images of blood and water are also mainly expressed together as one main symbolic image of several themes. Each detail of imagery contains an important symbol related to the major themes of the novel. Critics approach Macbeth as a study of various themes: treachery, fear, guilt, and evil. (Nostbakken 19).

Water and blood together symbolize the themes of horror, fear, death, honor, treason, guilt and evil as well. Fear and horror is due to the subtle but definite and repeat action of this imagery upon our mind. (Spurgeon 335). These themes are all symbolized by the constant imagery of blood and water. Macbeth is about blood. (Muir 273). Blood is mentioned often in the play and most times in reference to murder or treason. Shakespeare uses the symbol of blood to represent treason, murder and death.

Every act of blood is driven by fear. (Bloom 41). Blood is the most important imagery of Shakespeare's play, Macbeth. The theme of Macbeth is reinforced by the imagery of blood. (Von Doren 338). Shakespeare mentions the word blood, or different forms of it often in the play. The best way to describe how the image of blood changes throughout the play is by following the character changes in Macbeth. First, Macbeth is a brave and honored soldier, but as the play progresses, Macbeth becomes identified with death and bloodshed, along with showing his guilt in different forms.

The first corrupt reference to blood is when Macbeth sees the dagger floating in the air leading him to Duncan's room and he sees on the blade and dudgeon gout's of blood (Shakespeare 2. 1. 46). The next reference is when the symbol of blood changes to show a form of treachery and treason. Lady Macbeth asks the spirits to Make thick my blood (Shakespeare 1. 6. 43). Lady Macbeth knows that the evidence of blood is a treacherous symbol, and knows it will turn the guilt from her and Macbeth to the servants when Lady Macbeth smears the blood from the dagger on the faces and hands of the sleeping servants, Ill gild the faces of the grooms withal, for it must seem their guilt (Shakespeare 2. 1. 55 - 56).

This is another harmful and evil reference to blood, setting up the innocent servants of the king. Again, blood is referred to when Malcolm and Donaldbain are discussing what to do and Donaldbain says, theres daggers in mens smiles: the nearer in blood, the nearer bloody (Shakespeare 2. 4. 141 - 142). Again, blood is being used to describe treason, murder and death. There are constant references to the evil deeds that Macbeth and Lady Macbeth has committed, most of which include references to blood. While Lady Macbeth is sleepwalking she goes through the motions of washing her hands saying Out damned spot! Out, I say (Shakespeare 5. 1. 36), in reference to the blood that stained her hands after smearing it all over the servants.

She also refers to Duncan's murder saying: Yet who would have thought the old man to have so much blood in him! (Shakespeare 5. 1. 40 - 41). All these references are to murder and both include direct references to blood, again linking blood to treachery and murder. Just before the ending of the play, Macbeth has Macduff at his mercy, and lets him go, because of his guilt. Macbeth shows that he is guilt, when he says, But get thee back, my soul is too much charge with the blood of thine already (Shakespeare 5. 8. 5 - 6). Of which, Macduff replies, I have no words, my voice is in my sword, thou bloodier villain then terms can give thee out (Shakespeare 5. 8. 7 - 9).

After the death of Macbeth at the hands of Macduff, the imagery of blood swings back to what it was at the beginning of the play, but it is in the honor of Malcom at this time. The death of Macbeth is honored achievement that they congratulate Macduff for. Images of blood and water occur frequently together throughout William Shakespeare's Macbeth. Shakespeare uses these images to portray the horror of the central action, Duncan's murder. The vibrant images of blood and water also symbolize the unending guilt of the two protagonists, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth.

The blood and water represents their inability to erase the memory of Duncan's murder and the impossibility of ridding their conscience of the unscrupulous deed they committed, (Spurgeon 334). The blood of King Duncan becomes too powerful for any amount of water to rinse it clean from Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's hands. It overpowers their ability to forget their actions and clear their consciences. Duncan's blood on Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's hands is symbolic of the evil crime that they had committed. The blood on their hands is also representative of the guilt, which could not be escaped. Will all great Neptunes ocean wash this blood clean from my hand?

No, this my hand will rather the multitudinous seas incarnadine, Making the green one red, (Shakespeare 2. 2. 59 - 62). No amount of water could clean Macbeth's guilty conscience. Macbeth imagines that all of the water from the ocean could not clean his hands of the burden of guilt that weighed so heavily on his tormented mind. He pictures Duncan's blood staining the entire ocean red (Muir 273). Immediately after murdering Duncan, Macbeth's guilt is brought on much like a large gaping gash while Lady Macbeth's guilt is more like a small cut that in time festers into a massive lesion (Muir 273). Lady Macbeth's remark wash this filthy witness from your hand, (Shakespeare 2. 2. 47).

This illustrates quite clearly that that she has far less immediate guilt for the crime and rather more physical repugnance towards her husbands blood stained hands. It will have blood they say; blood will have blood, (Shakespeare 3. 4. 125 - 126). Macbeth says this knowing that the murder he committed must be avenged. The logical conclusion that can be drawn from this is that foresees his execution as the inevitable conclusion to his evil deeds. This foreshadows his death and highlights how none of his efforts to wash his hands clean of Duncan's murder succeed. The same symbol of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's hateful actions not being washed away is brought out very clearly again.

Now does he feel his secret murders sticking on his hands (Shakespeare 5. 2. 17 - 18). Angus knows very well that the murders could not just simply be forgotten. He also knows that Macbeth will, in time get what he deserves. He realizes that Macbeth can no more escape his fate than relieve his guilt by washing the blood away.

A little water clears us of this deed (Shakespeare 2. 2. 66). Lady Macbeth believes that as soon as Duncan's blood is physically removed from their hands that their consciences would be cleansed as well. She urges Macbeth, at all costs, not to think of the murder or they will be driven mad, These deeds must not be thought After these ways: so, it will make us mad (Shakespeare 2. 2. 34 - 35). Ironically, Lady Macbeth is the one with obsessive thoughts of Duncan's murder and these thoughts result in a mental collapse that ends in her suicide. The bloody hand reappears when Lady Macbeth hallucinates about trying to clean her hands of Duncan's blood. She says Out, damned spot!

out I say! Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him? (Shakespeare 5. 1. 36 - 41). Lady Macbeth becomes overcome with grief and is driven mad. She tries to clear the imaginary blood off her hands but all her efforts are in vain, What! will these hands neer be clean? (Shakespeare 5. 1. 44). When she believes that she has succeeded in ridding herself of the stains of blood, she smells the odor of blood and comes to the inevitable conclusion that the crime can never be forgotten, Heres the smell of the blood still: all the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand.

Oh! oh! oh! (Shakespeare 5. 1. 51 - 53). The guilt of Duncan's gruesome murder, although more present in Macbeth originally, grows in Lady Macbeth until she begins having the same deranged visions of her hands getting bloodier and bloodier and not ever coming clean regardless of how much she washes them (Muir 273). In conclusion, the imagery of blood changes from honor to treachery, and then to guilt. After, it returns to honor again after the villain that changed the imagery of blood from honor to tyranny is killed.

Throughout the play, Shakespeare effectively conveys the theme of guilt, death, murder and treason through the symbol of blood. Every act of blood is driven by fear (Bloom 41). The feeling of fear and horror is increased by the constant and recurring images of blood. (Spurgeon 334). The blood and water in Macbeth may well play the most significant roll.

It very accurately illustrates through symbolism the unsuccessful efforts of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth to rid themselves of their guilty consciences. The blood clings to their hands and makes them unable to forget the repulsive crimes they committed. The blood and water together are best symbolized in the theme of guilt. The end of the play carries the blood and water simile to its inevitable finale (Nostbakken 19). Lady Macbeth's suicide is directly a result of her inability to rid herself of the guilt and Macbeth's execution is directly related to blood will have blood (Shakespeare 3. 5. 125 - 126).


Free research essays on topics related to: evil deeds, duncan murder, blood will have blood, macbeth and lady macbeth, major themes

Research essay sample on Blood Will Have Blood Macbeth And Lady Macbeth

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