Motifs in Macbeth

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“Macbeth Essay” In Macbeth, a play written by William Shakespeare, the use of motif is extremely prevalent and not only adds depth to the play itself but also teach valuable lessons about life, the world, morality and humanity. A motif, a recurring idea, phrase, object, situation, or symbol that possesses a deeper meaning, is commonly used to illuminate and unify a written piece. Among the many motifs included by Shakespeare, two significant and valuable motifs are the “unclean hands” and the “sleep no more” motifs. These two motifs present the theme of guilt, the driving force behind Macbeth’s actions and ultimately the driving force of the play following King Duncan’s death. The recurrent “unclean hands” motif establishes the torturous and debilitating feeling of guilt that stains ones soul and conscience after having committed an evil act. These feelings of guilt plague Macbeth throughout the story and slowly drive him mad following his horrifyingly immoral murder of King Duncan. Shortly after completing the heinous act, Macbeth shouts, “Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood/ Clean from my hand?” (Macbeth 2.2.78-9) while removing Duncan’s blood from his hands. Although Macbeth succeeds in ridding himself of the actual evidence, he fails to remove the permanent mark left on his conscience that haunts him until his death. Lady Macbeth also portrays the “unclean hands” motif through her actions when she suddenly beings sleepwalking and gesturing with her hands as if she is washing them. Lady Macbeth’s gentlewoman worries and consults a doctor to determine the problem. During the examination, the gentlewoman states, “It is an accustomed action with her to/ Seem thus washing her hands.” (Macbeth 5.1.30-1) In this scene, Lady Macbeth demonstrates how negatively Duncan’s death has impacted her, despite her initial eager contribution towards the evil

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