The Blood Theme in MacBeth

A detailed Summary of The Blood Theme in MacBeth


Shakespeare's classic play MacBeth is the story of a young and ambitious noble, MacBeth and his wife, Lady MacBeth living in 11th century Scotland. When MacBeth is told by three witches that he will become King of Scotland, his mind begins to wander. He considers killing the current king, Duncan, but he soon dismisses the thought from his mind. When Lady MacBeth hears of the witch's prophecies, she urges him to take fate into his own hands and kill the king. With her help, he commits this treasonous act and becomes King. This one murder is only the beginning as the couple strives to protect their power and maintain their innocence. Both characters fail to take into account the vast guilt that comes with their sinful actions. Shakespeare manifests this guilt in the images of blood and disease.

Duncan makes the fatal decision of paying


an overnight visit to MacBeth's castle. With lady MacBeth's coaxing MacBeth agrees to drug the grooms and murder Duncan. However, Lady MacBeth must go back after the initial killing and frame the sleeping grooms for the murder. Both MacBeth and his wife's hands now carry the blood of the late king, Duncan. "A little water clears us of this deed," is Lady MacBeth's response to this situation. She thinks washing the blood off their hands will also wash the guilt off their minds. Nothing so complicated is ever that easy.

MacBeth has a discussion with the Lady MacBeth's doctor concerning her condition. "Cure her of that./ Canst thou not minister to a mind diseased,/ Pluck from the memory a rooted sorrow,/ Raze out the written troubles of the brain,/ And with some sweet oblivious antidote/ Cleanse the stuffed bosom of that perilous stuff/

Some common words found in the essay are:
Lady MacBeth, Lady MacBeth's, King Scotland, , lady macbeth, Scotland MacBeth, lady macbeth's, blood hands, king duncan, grooms murder, images blood, blood disease,

Approximate Word count = 572
Approximate Pages = 2 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Novels

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