Wm. Shakespeare's "Macbeth" Essay title - "All That Bleeds Is Not Dead"

Essay by yourname146High School, 12th grade May 2004

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Write a paper in which you clearly discuss the contribution of one of the motifs in Macbeth. Your essay must demonstrate how a particular motif contributes to the general theme of the play - the destructtive effects of unchecked ambition. Remember, this is an anylitical essay. Retelling the story does not constitute an anylisis. Please do not consult any secondary sources for this assignment.

Red blood cells are the most important cells in the human body. Without them, one could not give oxygen to vital parts of the body, and die. Shakespeare uses this fact, and makes blood a symbol of destruction. "What bloody man is that?" So opens one of the most popular plays ever written, Shakespeare'sMacbeth. It also introduces one of the major themes of the play: blood and blood symbols to distinguish the disastrous effects of unchecked ambition. Blood is often seen today as disgusting, and some sicken at the sight of it.

However, in Macbeth it takes on several forms. It is both literal (as in the opening scene) and figurative (like in Lady Macbeth's sleepwalking scene). Throughout, it represents the destruction caused by the careless advancement of one's self.

In the literal sense, blood comes to show us the methods of destruction used by the different characters. The second scene is located at the site of a great battle. Already, we can tell that there must be a great deal of bloodshed. The first spoken words are "What bloody man is that?" describing the sergeant, who is covered in the gore of war. Contrary to the rest of the blood in the play, this blood carries good news, because the Scottish forces have defeated the Norse. This is significant in showing us that Siward's ambition lead to his own defeat. Later, the tables...