Duncan's Blood Off His Hands example essay topic
427 words
In the play, the word "blood" is mentioned numerous times. Near the beginning of the play, after Macbeth and the Scottish army defeated the rebel Macdonwald's army, a bleeding sergeant enters. The sergeant then proceeds to describe the battle and how bravely Macbeth and his friend Banquo fought, "For brave Macbeth-well he deserves that name- Disdaining fortune, with his brandish'd steel Which smok'd with bloody execution, Like valor's minion carv'd out his passage... ". (I, ii, 19-21) Blood is symbolic of bravery and courage in this passage. Before Duncan's murder, Macbeth imagines seeing a dagger floating in the air before him. He describes it, "And on thy blade and dudgeon go uts of blood, Which was not so before. There's no such thing: It is the bloody business which informs Thus to mine eyes". The blood imagery in this passage refers to treason, ambition, and murder. Blood, earlier seen as a "positive", is now associated with evil. After Macbeth murders Duncan, he begins to realize the severity of his crime as he tries to wash Duncan's blood off his hands, "Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood Clean from my hand?
No; this hand will rather The multitudinous seas incarnadine, Making the green one red". (II, ii, 71-75) Blood is now a symbol for guilt. This same blood symbolism continues when Macbeth, shortly after he sees the ghost of Banquo, is escorted back to his chamber by Lady Macbeth. He tells her before he goes to sleep, "All causes shall give way: I am in blood Stepp'd in so far that, should I wade no more, Returning were as tedious as go o'er:" ( , iv, 159-161) From now on, Macbeth will be forced to kill more and more people in order to retain control of the throne. Like her husband, Lady Macbeth finally feels extreme guilty of murdering Duncan. She sleepwalks through her bedroom and cries, "What, will these hands ne " er be clean?
... Here's the smell of the blood still: all the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand". (V, i, 40, 46-47). In the play's final scene, as Malcolm sees Macbeth, he says, "I have no words: My voice is in my sword, thou bloodier villain Than terms can give thee out!" (V, v, 8-10) Macbeth and Macduff then start fighting resulting in Macbeth's death. When Macduff mentions blood in this part of the play, it symbolizes revenge.
