Macbeth Motif Quotes

     The second type of literary device that Shakespeare uses in Macbeth is symbolism. The predominant symbol is blood and is used as an effective method to describe the theme of the play. Not only does blood symbolize bravery, it is also a means of showing treachery and treason and probably most importantly, guilt. One example of bravery occurs when the captain says, "For brave Macbeth—well he deserves that name--/Disdaining fortune, with his brandished steel,/Which smoked with bloody execution"(1.2.16-18). Soon after this blood changes into a representation of treachery and treason. Lady Macbeth asks the spirits to "Make thick my blood,/ Stop up th’ access and passage to remorse" (1.5. 43-44). She asks the spirits to take away compassion and make her remorseless for the actions she is about to take. Also, when Ross asks, "Is’t known who did this more than bloody deed?" (2.4.22), he tries to figure out who performed the disloyal act of murdering the king. Blood is also used many times to express the guilt-ridden consciences of the characters. For instance, Macbeth says, "What hands are here? Ha! They pluck out mine own eyes!/ Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash the blood/ Clean from my hand?" (2.3.58-60). Macbeth obviously feels guilty for killing Duncan in cold blood. Later in the play, Lady Macbeth

Before Macbeth goes through with his plan to kill King Duncan, he sees a bloody dagger floating before him. Hallucinating, Macbeth says to the dagger “I see thee still, /and on thy blade and dudgeon gouts of blood, / which was not so before... There’s no such thing: / It is the bloody business which informs / Thus to mine eyes” (Shakespeare, 370). When Macbeth explains the “bloody business” he is referring to the killing of King Duncan. Although Duncan has trusted Macbeth to keep him safe in his home, Macbeth’s thoughts show his contemplation whether to murder King

The violence and the blood that results are important symbols in Shakespeare's Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. The blood imagery for Macbeth and Lady Macbeth is guilty, murder, remouse and power. It shows Macbeth had killed King Duncan, Banquo and the Guards to get what he want for him to be a king in Shakespeare. Lady Macbeth

Every one of Shakespeare 's plays are heavily imbedded with motifs. A motif is any element, subject, idea or concept that is constantly present through the entire body of literature. (motif) I chose to examine the play Macbeth. It is a very intense play full of violence, betrayal, and even the supernatural. It is well known to be saturated with themes and motifs that are repeated throughout the play. These motifs are important because they often foreshadow events on the play. They also create a atmosphere that helps shape the events of the play. I am going to focus on two motifs that seem to play a heavy role in the storyline of Macbeth. The two I have chose to focus on are the motifs of blood and nature. Since Macbeth is know for its violence blood is a very important part of the play. Nature also is representative of things to come and upsetting the natural balance of things. These are only a fraction of motifs that are present in this tragic play.

Act 2 Macbeth Motif During Act 2 of Macbeth, one motif in this section of Macbeth used two different patterns in the motif to give one description of one pattern and the other to describe who the pattern from the first applies to. The reason this motif relates to Macbeth because he is the one talking in the quote, also in the quote he is talking to himself in soliloquy. The first part of the motif is what qualities it describes. After Macbeth hallucinates the dagger in front of him he starts talking to himself about how he has started to dream about unnatural occurrences such as nature dying around him.

The motif is sleep/dreams which relates to the characterization and mood that the audience feels as scary, mysterious, and that the mood is overwhelming. The motif sleep/dreams relates to the characterization and mood that is overwhelming to the audience. When Lady Macbeth speaks to Macbeth and says “I laid their daggers ready: he could not miss em…. My fathers as he slept, I had done it.” (Macbeth 2.1 13-21). The quote relates to the thesis being overwhelming because Macbeth is speaking to Lady Macbeth about the murder of the king which gives a sense of them being overwhelmed. Also, when Macduff is speaking to Lady Macbeth he says, “Shake off this downy sleep death’s counterfeit, And look on death itself. Up, up, and see, The great doom’s

Significantly, the motifs of blood and daggers, in Macbeth, are constantly present throughout scenes in which the struggle for power takes place. Macbeth sees an “imaginary” dagger before him just before the assassination of Duncan this dagger a motif of the changes of power that take place: “…Is this a dagger which I see before me?... or art thou a dagger of the mind?” The theme of the supernatural and also the motif of the dagger being his ambition, serves as strong motivation for Macbeth to carry out what is necessary to obtain and sustain power.

Finally, the murder of sleep is also another important symbol that connects to this quote as well as the rest of the play. In this scene, Lady Macbeth is sleepwalking, and imagining the blood spots on her hands. Prior to this scene when Macbeth murders Duncan, he hears a voice that whispers, “Macbeth does murders sleep.” (Act 2 Scene 2 Line 38). After he’s committed the murder, Lady Macbeth begins to sleepwalk and Macbeth is haunted by his nightmares.

At this point in the play, the image of blood is undoubtedly becoming more intense as Macbeth is beginning to expedite the prophecy of the witches (I.iii.50-53). Originally, blood referred to murder, and

In the beginning of the play, blood imagery is very important. "Till he unseamed him from the nave to the chaps, / and fixed his head upon our battlements"(I.ii.22-23). Macbeth has just killed the enemy and become a hero; Macbeth killed the enemy not for fame or fortune but to defend his land and people. In this next quote Macbeth's

Macbeth shows his true colors when given the task of killing Duncan. Macbeth demonstrates his true desire of becoming king, “ is this a dagger which I see before me, the handle towards my hand? Come, let me clutch thee”(2.2.33-34). Macbeth reaching for the daggers signifies his want for the throne. Shakespeare is revealing Macbeth’s thoughts on murdering the king. Macbeth developes an unquenchable thirst for the throne and will stop at nothing to claim the title of king. He is ready to take on the throne with the help of lady Macbeth.

Blood, sleep and water are all things Shakespeare enjoys implementing into his plays however in ‘Macbeth’ it can show the cruelty, harm and foreshadowing that these things bring with it. Blood was seen multiple times throughout Macbeth, this makes you hypothesize on why we are seeing this blood again and again, to show violence maybe, to foreshadow? Multiple times we saw fake blood throughout the script along with Macbeth and Lady Macbeth but they could never get it off. Blood in my opinion represented the guilt the shadowed them throughout their lives, with the unjust killing of people and the corruption of power, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth would never be able to wash off the vile imaginary blood off their blood-ridden hands. Sleep is a thing

     In the play ‘Macbeth’, Shakespeare uses brutal imagery, with association of blood.  The mood of disgust and horror towards the characters and setting is established by the references to the universal representation of death and pain. The first mention of blood seems to establish a sense of honor. The second mention of blood seems to communicate betrayal.  Lastly the third allusion of blood appears to establish a sense of guilt All of these images of blood help develop the atmosphere and scene and contribute to the over all drama of the play.

The highly acclaimed play called Macbeth often uses many literary devices and imagery to come to a conclusion about a topic. One of the frequent uses of imagery in this play is the imagery of sleep and death. Shakespeare often uses the sleep and death imagery to set a tense and eerie tone in the play. This is seen in the actions of Lady Macbeth in act 5 of the play, the actions of the character Macbeth, and the scene of and following Duncan’s death.

The use of blood imagery also allows the audience to imagine the true gruesomeness of King Duncan’s murder. In Act II of Macbeth, the soliloquy describes how Macbeth plans to murder the king. He describes in detail what he will see. “ I see thee still, and on thy blade and dudgeon gouts of blood, which was not so before.” (Act II, Scene 5. Line1) The dudgeon of a dagger is the hilt of the dagger (123helpme.com, pg. 1) Therefore; Macbeth is describing a sharp dagger, covered in thick blood from its tip to the hilt. One can easily visualize the crime scene and the victim’s body after such a dagger has been plunged into it several times. These deep wounds, the length of said dagger, become the points from which King Duncan’s lifeblood will spill. This particular description relies on its imagery to reveal the transition from honor to that of pure evil and treachery. No good intent, honor, or victory can attach to such a vile act. Blood imagery now intensifies an atmosphere that is thoroughly evil. It exposes the evil plans and actions that have come to dominate the characters of Macbeth and his lady. Lady Macbeth asks the spirits to “ make thick my blood.” (Act I, Scene 5, line. 50) She is asking the spirits to leave her” remorseless and insensitive about the murders she and Macbeth will soon commit. To feel insensitive to such treachery would expose a heart of pure evil.