Macbeth Essay
Throughout Shakespears Macbeth, numerous symbols are used. Many of these depict characters actions and appearance, emotions, and events that have happened previously in the play. Although there are many symbols used all threw the play, there are three important groups of symbols that are used most regularly. These are blood, sleep, and animals, which all have different representations.
Blood is an important symbol that is used continuously in the play. In the beginning of the play, blood is something which represents courage and bravery. Those who fought and created blood were thought to be heroic. However, towards the end of the play, blood has become something which everyone fears, it is evil, and symbolizes guilt and murder. An example of this can be found in act three scene four, starting at line one hundred and twenty-three:
Macbeth: It will have blood, they say: blood will have blood.
Stones have been known to move and trees to speak; Augurs
And understood relations have by maggot-pies and choughs and
Rooks brought forth the secrets man of blood. What is the night?
The first line signifies that those who are involved in bloody crimes will someday become victims of them. It is saying that people are always punished at some time in their lives for their wrong doings. The statement also signifies the murder and violence are something that Macbeth is very familiar with. Using blood as a symbol in this passage makes it somehow more emotional and gets its point across while making the viewer or reader think. The symbol of the blood is used extremely well all throughout the play.
Sleep is another of the important symbols used in the play. Sleep signifies the nature and essence of a person, and is something which is very peaceful and innocent. Sleep begins in this way in Macbeth, but as the play progresses, it becomes something the people fear. The characters dont feel safe to sleep, as they are afraid that they will become victims of death if they do. An example that demonstrates this can be found in the act two, scene two line thirty-four:
Macbeth: I thought I heard a voice cry Sleep no more!
Macbeth does murder sleep- the innocent sleep, sleep
That knits up the raveled sleeve of care, the death of each
Days life, sore labors bath, balm of hurt mind, great
Natures second course, chief nourished in lifes feast---
Lady Macbeth: What do you mean?
Macbeth: still is cries sleep no more! to all the houses:
Glamis hath murdered sleep, and therefore Cawdor shall sleep
No more: Macbeth shall sleep no more.
This passage is about the way that Macbeth has murdered sleeping. He has killed an innocent man whilst he was asleep, and now it is something for all to fear. It also describes how Macbeth had murdered his own innocence as well as Lady Macbeths. Their innocence is represented by sleep, and as their innocence has been murdered, they will no longer be able to sleep. It makes them realize how important sleep is, and it signifies that sleep now portrays fear and death. This is why the symbol of sleep is so important and effective in the play.
The third important symbol used all through Macbeth is animals. Many different types of animals symbols are used throughout the play, and many of them represent people. They represent the occurrences and personalities of the character, with the animal representing the deeds that they have done, the way they look or their behavior. Some of the animal symbols also represent death and bad happenings. A good example of this can be found in act two, scene two, on line three:
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