Blood Imagery in Macbeth
Shakespeare's Macbeth is a story taken from Scottish history and presented to the Scottish king James I. Shakespeare took this gory tale of murderous ambition, however, and transformed it into an imaginative tale of good and evil. Shakespeare brought about this transformation by relying upon "imaginative verbal vigor" that imbeds itself in the brilliantly concentrated phrases of this literary work. Critics have dubbed it his darkest work, along with King Lear. In his critique of Shakespeare's works and plays, Charles Haines describes Macbeth as "one of Shakespeare's shortest plays, containing just 2,108 lines." He further states that it is a vigorous, headlong drama, a relentless spectacle in red and black. (Haines, p. 105) This red and black spectacle reveals itself to the reader and audience through the use of blood imagery. Blood, or the imagery attached to it, appears 42 times in this play. This imagery of blood begins as a representation of honor and progresses into one of evil, then guilt, and finally returns to represent honor. The symbolic use of blood roots in the opening lines of Macbeth when Macbeth accepts honor for his bravery in battle. Duncan sees the injured captain and says, " Wha
After this advantageous victory, Macbeth listens to the three witches as they make predictions of the immediate future. Macbeth and his lady then set forth a chain of events to bring about the predictions of these "three weird sisters. Shakespeare's use of blood imagery then begins a rapid descent to reach the point where blood warns of deep evil, treachery, and murder. 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 the end. This tragedy therefore ends with the same form of blood imagery as it began. However, the character that kills Shakespeare's first character to gain honor through the shedding of an enemy's blood wins the honor.
Some common words found in the essay are:
King Duncan's, Lady Macbeth, William Shakespeare, Act Scene, II Scene, Thane Cawdor, Act II, King Duncan, Lady Macbeth's, Macbeth Shakespeare's, blood imagery, lady macbeth, king duncan's, blood act, act ii, king duncan, macbeth's guilt, scene 2, enemy's blood, act scene, 123helpmecom pg 1, shakespeare's blood imagery, act ii scene, blood act scene,
Approximate Word count = 1957
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)
|
