Symbolism is the practice of attributing symbolic meanings or significance to objects, events, or relationships. William Shakespeare’s Macbeth exhibits a great deal of symbolism that is key to the understanding of the play’s central theme of the corruption of power.
One symbol presented continually throughout Macbeth is darkness which symbolizes death and foreshadows something bad is about to happen. For example at the beginning of Act I, the scene opens amid lightning and thunder on the three witches as they discuss meeting with Macbeth. In the third scene, Macbeth and Banquo converse about the severe weather and Scotland’s victory, describing the day as the “foulest and fairest” they had seen (17). The witches then appear and greet them with prophecies. The three address Macbeth first, hailing him “Thane of Glamis!”, “Thane of Coward!”, and predict that he “shall be king hereafter!” (17). However, when Banquo asks of his own fortune they reply paradoxically, saying that he would be “lesser than Macbeth and greater. Not so happy, yet much happier. Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none.” (19). The witches’ prophecies foreshadow the series of events that take place throughout the rest of the play which ultimately lead …show more content…
Blood symbolizes murder and guilt, which Shakespeare uses to characterize Macbeth and help reveal his true feelings on murder. For example, Macbeth hallucinates a dagger floating in front of him approaching Duncan’s room. “A dagger of the mind... on thy blade, gouts of blood, which was not so before” (53). Macbeth’s mind is so “heat-oppressed” about the murder that it projects a symbol of murder. After killing Duncan, blood is used to express Macbeth’s guilt over his crime. “What hands are here! Ha, they pluck out mine eyes. Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood clean from my hand? No, this my hand will rather the multitudinous seas incarnadine, making the green one red.”
One symbol presented continually throughout Macbeth is darkness which symbolizes death and foreshadows something bad is about to happen. For example at the beginning of Act I, the scene opens amid lightning and thunder on the three witches as they discuss meeting with Macbeth. In the third scene, Macbeth and Banquo converse about the severe weather and Scotland’s victory, describing the day as the “foulest and fairest” they had seen (17). The witches then appear and greet them with prophecies. The three address Macbeth first, hailing him “Thane of Glamis!”, “Thane of Coward!”, and predict that he “shall be king hereafter!” (17). However, when Banquo asks of his own fortune they reply paradoxically, saying that he would be “lesser than Macbeth and greater. Not so happy, yet much happier. Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none.” (19). The witches’ prophecies foreshadow the series of events that take place throughout the rest of the play which ultimately lead …show more content…
Blood symbolizes murder and guilt, which Shakespeare uses to characterize Macbeth and help reveal his true feelings on murder. For example, Macbeth hallucinates a dagger floating in front of him approaching Duncan’s room. “A dagger of the mind... on thy blade, gouts of blood, which was not so before” (53). Macbeth’s mind is so “heat-oppressed” about the murder that it projects a symbol of murder. After killing Duncan, blood is used to express Macbeth’s guilt over his crime. “What hands are here! Ha, they pluck out mine eyes. Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood clean from my hand? No, this my hand will rather the multitudinous seas incarnadine, making the green one red.”