Theme of Blood Flashcards
Where does the theme/ motif of blood appear in the play?
Carries on throughout the entirety of the play.
Shakespeare uses blood as a recurring symbol of guilt for Macbeth and Lady Macbeth.
What is blood a symbol of?
A symbol for the repercussions of tyranny.
Tyranny= being a cruel and oppressive leader
What is blood a manifestation of?
Blood keeps cropping up as a symbol: it is a manifestation (physical sign) of guilt and the repercussions of being a tyrannical leader.
Is Macbeth tyrannical?
Yes. He is cruel and oppressive because he goes on this murderous rampage, he kills lots of people in pursuit of his ambition to become King. But this has a repercussion, it has a consequence and it stains his conscience with guilt.
How does blood represent guilt?
He is continually feeling guilty. He faces the repercussions of his tyranny and that is seen through the motif/ theme of blood.
Quote that represents blood?
“Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood clean from my hand?”
Act 2.
The repercussions of his tyranny is a physical manifestation of blood that is now staining his hands, which is a representation of his conscience being stained with guilt.
How is Macbeth presented as feeling guilty?
Macbeth shows guilt over killing King Duncan through the symbolic use of blood. The natural image of the oceans links to Macbeth’s awareness that he has disturbed the world’s natural order.
His guilt is also indicated in, “Macbeth shall sleep no more”, where the modal verb presents a personal consequence for his actions.
