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Blood Imagery In Macbeth

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Blood Imagery in Macbeth

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Blood Imagery in William Shakespeare’s Macbeth

William Shakespeare wrote the Tragedy of Macbeth in approximately 1606 AD. He loosely based it on a historical event occurring around 1050 AD. Macbeth is the story of a nobleman, who, while trying to fulfill a prophecy told to him by three witches, murders his King to cause his ascension to the throne of Scotland. After the King’s murder, Macbeth reigns as a cruel and ruthless tyrant, who is forced to kill more people to keep control of the throne. Finally, Scottish rebels combined with English forces attack Macbeth’s castle, and Macbeth is killed by a Scottish Thane named Macduff who has sacrificed everything to see peace return to Scotland.

In the play, the word “blood” is mentioned numerous times. Shakespeare’s use of this particular word is significant; he uses it to develop the character of Macbeth and the unfolding events of the drama. The powerful symbolic meaning of blood changes from the beginning to the end.

Near the beginning of the play, after Macbeth and the Scottish army defeated the rebel Macdonwald’s army, a bleeding sergeant comes on stage. The sergeant then proceeds to describe the battle and how bravely Macbeth and his friend Banquo fought, “For brave Macbeth-well he deserves that name- / Disdaining fortune, with his brandish’d steel / Which smok’d with bloody execution, / Like valor’s minion carv’d out his passage…” (Act I, Scene 2, Lines 19-21)

Blood is symbolic of brave...

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Submitted by: 4freeessays
Date Submitted: 03-27-2009
Category: Novels
Words: 946
Pages: 3.78