Multiple bloody deaths occur including Duncan, the King of Scotland and Macbeth’s old friend Banquo. Shakespeare uses the symbol of blood to represent honor, treason, and guilt from the moment Macbeth has honor to the moment he is murdered. First, there is an honorable reference of blood in Macbeth. It occurs when Duncan sees the injured, bleeding sergeant after a battle and says “What bloody man is that?” (I:2). This symbolizes the audacious soldier who fought and got injured in the battle for his country.
The character who entered the stage at the beginning is, in the eyes of the audience, completely different person from the character at the end of the first act. He transforms himself from a man of deep morality and honesty to one who is prepared to kill the sovereign king. Even before Macbeth himself appears on stage, he is discussed in admiring terms by the king and the king's eldest son 'Malcolm'. They speak of Macbeth in such glowing terms following his recent successes in the battlefield, whilst in the service of the King. In act I scene 2 a captain describes how Macbeth killed McDonald in battle.
The devices make a suspenseful, shocking, spine-chilling play. This book is nothing short of ironic; Shakespeare uses the rhetorical device irony all threw Macbeth. For example the thane of Cawdor is killed over committing treason and treachery against the king, only to give the title to Macbeth who plans to commit worst things to the king. The king even goes on to state after killing the thane of Cawdor that “There's no art to find the mind's construction in the face He was a gentleman on whom I built an absolute trust” (I.IV.15). To then put his trust in Macbeth only to be betrayed by him.
Symbolism in The Scottish Play In this dark play, the symbol of blood becomes quite apparent. Not only is this dire word mentioned over forty times, but it is also a driving and reoccurring figure that greatly affects a number of characters. Both Macbeth and his wife, Lady Macbeth, deeply feel the guilt and sin that is caused by this symbol. Blood is a haunting stain that symbolically does not leave the hands of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth as it drives them to their downfall. The idea of blood in other works and novels typically evokes the idea of slaughter and massacre.
Within the play, The Tragedy of Macbeth by William Shakespeare, Macbeth sets off from being known as one of the bravest soldiers in Scotland to an appalling tyrant with his ambition getting the best of him. Macbeth is told of a prophecy by three witches early on in this tragedy and once the prophecy comes true, Macbeth is determined to become King, and he will kill anyone who tries to get in way. Obsessed with keeping his title as King, Macbeth puts his faith in the prophecies of the witches. He commits these horrible actions that he would never consider doing such as betraying friends and murder. Throughout the play, there are numerous images that drastically change from beginning to end.
He reveals his ambition through a small aside, where he sees himself killing Duncan: "If good, why do I yield to that suggestion/ Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair" (Act I, Scene III, Ln 145). As the play progresses, it is revealed that Macbeth has always had ambition to be more powerful, and with the witches prophesies, he sees an opportunity to do so. With all considered, it is true to say that Macbeth is completely packed with deception and betrayal. Near the start of the play, those who are good and noble appear to succumb to those who are filled with deception (ie: Duncan getting killed by Macbeth). As the play progresses, it appears that those who cause wrong receive justice, by getting deceived themselves.
“More is thy due than more than all can pay” (1.4.21). King Duncan says this to show how he is grateful of Macbeth for wining the war. As events unfold, Macbeth shows his true character when he kills Duncan to become king. This shows he has a false appearance because Duncan thought the two were friends and Macbeth would not kill a relative. Towards the end of the play Macbeth gets caught up in a killing spree by hiring people to murder Banquo and his son, and by having everybody in Macduff’s castle killed: The castle of Macduff I will surprise, Seize upon fife: give to th’ edge o’ th’ sword His wife, his babes, and all unfortunate
They imagine the blood never leaves their hands, and the truth never leaves their minds. Then King Duncan yells, “ What bloody man is that?” He is referring to a soldier coming in from battle. Lady Macbeth tells Macbeth “To have the same beliefs as she or he would be driven to insanity.” Which this means that they have to make themselves believe they did not do the crime or the guilt will make them go insane. The blood represents their crime, and they cannot escape the sin of their actions. Lady Macbeth believes her sense of right and wrong would be cleansed at the time her hands are actually cleaned.
Macbeth responds, in brief, as a loyal thane to the Scottish king, but the prospect unnerves him. * The audience could see Macbeth’s ambition leading him to cursed thoughts which has been greatly *enforced and twisted* by the* malicious* witches. *The caution from the first apparition causes Macbeth to start a bloody massacre across England, killing families of people who may threaten his position. After this point in the play, we see *that *Macbeth* has* turn*ed* into a ruthless tyrant* in the hope of avoiding fate*, so desensitized to humanity that even the suicide of his wife *could not arouse grief from him. * All he could muster was* “She should have died hereafter”.
Blood has multifarious meanings while our main character Macbeth is an abyss of varying representations. At inauguration bloodshed and Macbeth seem honorable, as we proceed they represent treachery, and eventually blood becomes the inexterminable token of Macbeth’s guilt. Honorable bloodshed seems almost a perfect paradox, yet it retains its value in the world of contention and war. The bleeding soldier is simply a heroic symbol of honor in himself. To validate this point the soldier is basically being interrogated even though he is weakened by blood lost he continues to tell his story of hope and valiance, all the while needing attendance.