The causes of her death was the buildup of guilt in her. In this quote Lady Macbeth was trying to wash off her guilt by using the word blood in comparison. She feels remorseful for her husband sin. They have killed many innocent people to cover up their past faults. Thus this was what she meant by not even the perfume of Arabia can cover up her guilty sin.
After Macbeth finally gives into the pressure and commits the murder of Duncan, his hands are stained with blood, representing his tainted conscience. When Macbeth meets with his wife directly after the murder he panics when he questions “What hands are here!” (II.2.76). Macbeth’s guilt is so heavily weighing upon him that he undergoes an identity crisis, not recognizing these “hangman’s hands” (II.2.37). Macbeth has committed the unthinkable. With his very, own hands he murdered Duncan, an honorable king, which drastically changes his perspective on life.
For example, in the poem “Ozymandias”, the king/ruler probably became too concerned with his power and he forgot about the prior goals he set. This most likely led to the destruction of his “works”. Macbeth somewhat demonstrates the same qualities as the ruler in the poem. Macbeth becomes too overly concerned with power and he forgets why exactly he is taking these actions. An example of this is his lack of any legitimate reasons for killing King Duncan and obtaining the throne except for his own ambition and greed to become king.
In this particular scene, Macbeth attempts to persuade the two murderers to kill Banquo and his son Fleance. He goes into lengthy speech of condemning Banquo and using effective tactics of persuasion to convince the murderers. At first, Macbeth uses logical appeal to sway the murderers into wanting revenge on Banquo for making their lives a living hell. Macbeth exclaims, “That it was he, in the times past, which held you so under fortunes…” (3.1.84-85). He also tells the murderers that Banquo is blameworthy for their tragic, unhappy lives.
“Then yield thee, coward,” Macduff began in the final fight scene. “...And live to show...here may you see the tyrant”, The new protagonist remarkably gives Macbeth a chance to live, but due to the king’s twisted envision of honor, his stubbornness refuses to allow him to bow to anyone. The once bold and noble Thane, now a beheaded selfish
He can report,/ As seemeth by his plight, of the revolt/ The newest state.” (1.2.1-3), to which blood indicates the open wounds Macbeth had caused to him. Shakespeare’s use of blood in this scene represents the loyalty and honor as Macbeth killed Macdonwald in defense of the king. After the battle, Macbeth was rewarded with a new title as the Thane of Cawdor yet he was not completely satisfied as he became greedy. Shakespeare also uses bloody images to foreshadow future events associated with Macbeth’s power. Aside from symbolizing blood as honor, he uses it to demonstrate the character of Macbeth and his drastic personality change as the play progresses.
Macbeth becomes victim to guilt when he kills Duncan for the throne, and guilt then takes over his life, leaving him without control of his own behaviors. “ Sleep no more! Macbeth hath murdered sleep!” suggests that … As it is ambition that had inspired Macbeth to commit the sin of killing Duncan and become victim to guilt, it is also ambition that leads him to a loss
Fie, my lord, Fie! A soldier, and afeard? What need we fear who Knows it, when none can call our power accompt? Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him?" --Act 5, Scene 1, Lines 34-39: Lady Macbeth to herself while sleepwalking Guilt in Macbeth While observing from outside the castle, a doctor and a woman notice some strange habits of a Lady Macbeth, who seems to be in a hypnotic state.
I chose this image and scene because it shows Lady Macbeth seeing a spot of blood on her hand that represents the murder and crimes that she has committed. She is filled with so much quilt that she sleep walks saying these words. While she was sleepwalking the people around her began to listen to what she was saying. She says “Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him” this allows me to believe that Lady Macbeth cannot handle all the crime that she has
This is identified in Act Two, Scene Two where Macbeth converses with Lady Macbeth about the death of Duncan. Lady Macbeth is given a reason to condescend and patronize Macbeth because of his self paralysing guilt, which lead him thoughtlessly not leaving the bloody daggers at the murder scene, leaving Lady Macbeth the dangerous task of returning the daggers, due to Macbeth’s plagued worry. ‘I’ll go no more. I am afraid to think what I have done” (P.39). This demonstrates Macbeths’ weakness in character, also juxtaposes with Lady Macbeth as she is a strong character and shows that Macbeth is easily manipulated.