Macbeth Symbolism essay PDF

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Tusa 1 Ada Tusa Mrs. Morlas English IV AP 21 October 2014 Blood: Vital to Life and Death Across recorded time, literature is replete with the use of various symbols that are employed to convey an author’s intent. As such, symbolism is a core element of theme development. Throughout the course of the play The Tragedy of Macbeth , William Shakespeare incorporates a vast variety of symbols to emphasize key events and emotions. The witches, representative of fate, inadvertently drive the once-fearless and innocent Macbeth to become an unsound and bloodthirsty creature. Although blood represents the success and grandeur of Macbeth at the opening of the work, the motif soon transforms itself into a manifestation of guilt and violence which catalyses Macbeth’s tragic downfall. The contrast between the initial and ultimate roles of blood in The Tragedy of Macbeth can be demonstrated through the actions in the first scenes. Prior to his encounter with the witches, Macbeth associates honor and valor with the concept of bloodshed and violence, for he, as reported by the bloody sergeant, “disdain[s] fortune” (I.ii.19) and “redouble[s] strokes upon the foe” (I.ii.43) as a hero in war. Conversely, upon learning of his fate from the prophetic witches, Macbeth becomes consumed with his ambition, and he finds his imagination filled with horrifying plans to murder King Duncan. As revealed through Macbeth himself, “[the] present fears / [a]re less than horrible imaginings,” (I.iii.157-158) meaning that his current threats frighten him less intensely than do his thoughts. Furthermore, his statement is ironic in the sense

Tusa 2 that his present struggles are minimal compared to his marked affiliation with blood that is yet to come. It is Lady Macbeth who goads and persuades Macbeth toward his future actions. She expresses that destiny pushes its plans upon him through the supernatural witches, since “fate and metaphysical aid doth seem / [t]o have [Macbeth] crown’d withal” (I.v.26-27). Lady Macbeth’s comfort with violence and blood in the work’s opening scenes serves as a contrast to Macbeth’s initial concerns. He refers to his potential violent crimes as “bloody instructions” (I.vii.9) from a teacher that will require justification. This also foreshadows the outcome of the tragedy, for the resultant repercussions are far greater than that which Macbeth contemplates. The pernicious witches include the blood and venom of various creatures in their brews. This directly links the witches to an etiology of Macbeth’s bloodthirsty passion and ambition. The contents of the sickening stews and apparitions exposed to Macbeth trigger a key transformation in his personality and motivation. Hecate, the queen of the witches, shares her plans for Macbeth’s doomed future, as she states that he will “spurn fate [and] scorn death” (III.v.30) and will think he is above wisdom, grace, and fear. Her plans include illusions and specters that mislead Macbeth into believing his murders are justifiable and that he will not be attacked. Indeed, bloody phantoms in the forms of an armed head and child appear, sharing advice to be “bloody, bold, and resolute” (IV.i.86). The final apparition shown to him includes a spirit of Banquo, and Macbeth cries out, “The blood-bolter’d Banquo smiles upon me” (IV.i.135). This demonstrates that Macbeth continues to be haunted by his evil deeds, and, as a result of the witches’ antics, he evolves into an unstable and unenviable monster. In addition to the presence of literal blood in The Tragedy of Macbeth , imaginary blood contributes to Macbeth’s guilt. Prior to committing Duncan’s murder, Macbeth experiences a

Tusa 3 hallucination of a floating, bloody dagger prepared for his usage. He concludes that his “eyes are made the fools o’ the other senses, / [o]r else worth all the rest” (II.i.52-53). Macbeth questions both his eyesight and sanity with this foreboding phrase; he is becoming consumed by the idea of murder and bloodshed. Another textual appearance of fantasized blood occurs at a banquet in Macbeth’s palace after both Duncan’s and Banquo’s death, where Macbeth imagines the presence of Banquo’s ghost with “gory locks” (III.iv.63) at the dinner table. Macbeth exclaims to the phantom, “Thy bones are marrowless, thy blood is cold” (III.iv.113). Macbeth is in disbelief at Banquo’s existence, and he begins to comprehend that revenge will be executed. He previously hoped that his fears would die along with his victims; however, he now finds himself being eternally haunted by his deeds. Macbeth is not alone in his fear of blood and its negative embodiments, as Lady Macbeth is also emotionally affected. Throughout the work, Lady Macbeth gradually succumbs to grief and blame as a result of her exposure to violence. She displays remorse by means of somnambulism and somniloquy, through which she reveals that “[a]ll the / perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten [her bloody] hand” (V.i.45-46). The aftereffects of her husband’s serial murders are indelible, even as she exclaims, “Out, damned spot! Out, I say!” (V.i.31). The emotions originating from these events ultimately culminate in her suicide. King Duncan’s murder engenders a multitude of emotions for Macbeth and his wife. Macbeth describes Duncan’s corpse in terms of its “silver skin laced with … golden blood” (II.iii.124), establishing that the king’s rich, life-giving blood was torn from him unnaturally. King Duncan was inarguably a deserving and honorable ruler whose murder is seen as twisted and angering. Subsequent to the murder, Macbeth admits that his bloody, evidence-filled hands are a “sorry sight” (II.ii.28). Macbeth’s guilt is epitomized by his claim that he dares not to look

Tusa 4 at the body of King Duncan any further. He also asks himself if all of Neptune’s seas will wash his hands clean, yet he answers his own question by stating that he instead will “make the green one red” (II.ii.79). In turn, Macbeth acknowledges the revenge that will be enacted against him with comments to his wife that “blood will have blood” (III.iv.149). This purports that the dead will unquestionably have their revenge and that the most devious murderers will be exposed. It is at this point in the tragedy that this perspective affords Macbeth an assurance that all suffering will eventually come to an end, albeit unfavorably. The employ of bloodlines, or family ties, denotes another manifestation of the recurring symbol of blood. As a cousin of King Duncan, Macbeth defies the moral rules of kinship by committing regicide. Additionally, through Macbeth’s destructive attempt to advance fate, he allows ambition to overwhelm his actions. In an aside, he recognizes the wickedness that will lead to familial bloodshed as he proclaims: “Stars, hide your fires; / [l]et not light see my black and deep desires” (I.iv.57-58). Likewise, Lady Macbeth perceives that the murder of Duncan is unnatural, for she expresses that the sleeping king resembles her own father. Moreover, Macbeth acts boldly in his treatment of his once-foil Banquo and Banquo’s son Fleance. Macbeth’s murder and attempted murder of Fleance and Banquo, respectively, divulge the efforts to which Macbeth extends himself in order to achieve his aspirations. He refers to Fleance, the successor to the throne and escapee of execution, as a “worm that’s fled / that in time will venom breed” (III.iv.32-33). Macbeth despises Banquo’s lineage, for he knows that Fleance will eventually develop into a ruler with poison in his blood. Overall, the recurring idea of blood symbolizes guilt and, ultimately, acceptance. The presence of Banquo’s ghost is a primary projection of Macbeth’s guilt. His conscience allows

Tusa 5 him to function under the notion that he has converted from integrity to insanity. Macbeth, once guilt-free, soon becomes guilt-ridden. Correspondingly, Lady Macbeth, initially a patroness and condoner of crime, is overtaken by self-condemnation, as shown when she complains, “What, will these hands ne’er be clean?” (V.i.39). Later in the work Macbeth accepts his fate, whereas Lady Macbeth, committing suicide, decides not to confront the consequences. When Macbeth is met with the option to kill Macduff, Macbeth reveals that he has avoided this encounter for the reason that “[Macbeth’s] soul is too much charged / [w]ith blood of [Macduff’s] already” (V.viii.6-7). Macbeth discerns that he has done much wrong in the killing of Macduff’s family, and his conscience halts more violence. Furthermore, Macbeth notes that he is “stepp’d so far [in blood] that, should [he] wade no more, / returning were as tedious as go o’er” (III.iv.165-167). This metaphor of a person immersed in a river of blood depicts Macbeth’s rationale for following through with his final deeds: he cannot undo his wretched alteration of fate, and he is trapped in a path of sin which would require too much effort to escape. The blood motif utilized by Shakespeare in The Tragedy of Macbeth  symbolizes the evolution of brutality and shame as well as the development of emotional depravity for two leading characters. As a result of the evil witches’ schemes, Macbeth is driven to crave the crown, and Lady Macbeth metamorphoses into a mentally unhinged entity. Blood is a valuable commodity as it vigorously courses through an individual’s vasculature in life, but it coagulates into an amorphous gel of clot in death. Such is the fate of both Macbeths as they meet their ultimate doom, transforming from life-form to corpse....