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Blood In Macbeth

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Blood in Macbeth

Blood in Macbeth

In the play Macbeth, a symbol of blood is portrayed frequently and has different meanings throughout the play, this symbol is developed until it eventually becomes the main theme of the play. The first use of blood is one of honor and respect, and occurs when Duncan sees the injured captain and says "What bloody man is that"(1.2.1). This symbolizes the braveness shown of the soldier who been injured in the battle. In the next instance it is used the injured captain says "Which smok'd with bloody execution"(1.2.18) , he is referring to Macbeth's braveness in which his sword is covered in the blood of the enemy.
After these few references to honor, the symbol of blood now is changed to show a meaning of treachery and treason. Lady Macbeth begins this meaning of blood when she asks the spirits to "make thick my blood"(1.5.44). What she is saying is that she wants to make herself ruthless and guiltless for the act that she is about to commit. Lady Macbeth knows that the evidence of blood is a treacherous symbol, and she knows it will remove the guilt from her and Macbeth and instead go to the servants when she says "If he do bleed, I'll gild the faces of the grooms withal, for it must seem their guilt"(2.2.54-56).
Another way that blood is symbolized is as of guilt. First Macbeth hints at his guilt when he says "Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood clean from my hand"(2.2.59), meaning that he wondered if he would ever...

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Submitted by: 123student
Date Submitted: 07-23-2008
Category: English
Words: 658
Pages: 2.63