Macbeth Character Analysis Essay

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“Macbeth”, written by the great William Shakespeare, is a brilliant tragedy that provides a fascinating plot and allows the audience to gain a detailed insight on the battle of power in a past era. Not only does this play evoke several emotions such as horror, sorrow, and fear within audience members, but it also introduces each character successfully through the use of detailed imagery. Macbeth’s character traits are gradually revealed as the plot thickens. His character shift can be observed through the repetitive, yet clever use of imagery and symbolism, specifically through the reoccurrence of blood, lack of sleep as well as events that take place during certain hours of the night.
One of the most heavily used symbols in this play is ‘blood’ …show more content…
This scene allows the audience to gain a brief insight in to Macbeth’s duplicitous character as it reveals his greed for power and titles. His selfish attitude quickly disappears after the King’s murder as he states, “Will all great Neptune’s ocean was this blood Clean from my hands? No; this my hand will rather The multitudinous seas incarnadine, Making the green one red.” (II. ii. 61-63) Blood appears once again in this scene and causes a major character reveal. This time, rather than the acceptance of blood, Macbeth begins to show signs of guilt and trauma. The blood, specifically Duncan’s, represents his regret and culpability. The imagery presented through the use of blood not only allows the audience to understand his remorse and sorrow, but permits them to take note that Macbeth, despite his wrong doings, still displays signs of humanity. In Act Four, Macbeth’s goal is accomplished as he is finally crowned King. However, witches’ prophecies invoke his insecurities, which manipulate him into murdering his dear friend, Banquo. Subsequently after Banquo’s death, Macbeth’s guilt begins to reappear as he hallucinates his friend as a ghost. The use of blood once again appears as he states, “Blood hath been shed ere now…Than such a murder is.”
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