Madness & Blood

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Madness - Macbeth

Duncan's murder causes Macbeth to go mad. Many see him as a mad ruler because of his tyrannical nature.

Illustrative background for <b>'Fil'd'</b> (3,1)

Illustrative background for <b>'Fil'd'</b> (3,1) ?? "content

'Fil'd' (3,1)

After the murder of King Duncan, Macbeth believes he has ‘fil’d’ his mind (defiled it).
This means that he has harmed his sanity and can’t have peace in his life: 'the gracious Duncan have I murder’d, / Put rancours in the vessel of my peace’. Committing the murder has disturbed him.

Illustrative background for <b>‘O, full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife!’</b> (3,2)

Illustrative background for <b>‘O, full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife!’</b> (3,2) ?? "content

‘O, full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife!’ (3,2)

This is said by Macbeth to Lady Macbeth.
This metaphor suggests that he cannot control his thoughts and that he lives under a constant threat.

‘This is the very painting of your fear; / This is the air-drawn dagger which you said / Led you to Duncan. ...

... O’ these flaws and starts, / Impostors to true fear, would well become / A woman’s story at a winter’s fire.’
When Macbeth sees Banquo’s ghost, Lady Macbeth is angry.
With those words, she tells him it is his imagination, that he is seeing things that old women talk about in fairy tales.

Illustrative background for <b>‘Some say he’s mad; others that lesser hate him / Do call it valiant fury’</b> (5,2).

Illustrative background for <b>‘Some say he’s mad; others that lesser hate him / Do call it valiant fury’</b> (5,2). ?? "content

‘Some say he’s mad; others that lesser hate him / Do call it valiant fury’ (5,2).

This is what Caithness says about Macbeth before the English army advances on Dunsinane.
Many people think Macbeth's mad. His rule has become tyrannical and his supporters are abandoning him. He seems to be losing control.
Menteth thinks that this is because of Macbeth’s own inner turmoil (disorder). Killing King Duncan was so unnatural that he must feel torn inside: ‘Who then shall blame / His pester’d senses to recoil and start / When all that is within does condemn / Itself for being there’ (5,2).

Madness - Lady Macbeth

By Act 5, Lady Macbeth has gone mad and is seen sleepwalking.

Illustrative background for <b>‘Here’s the smell of the blood still; all the perfumes of / Arabia will not sweeten this little hand. O, O, O’</b> (5,1).

Illustrative background for <b>‘Here’s the smell of the blood still; all the perfumes of / Arabia will not sweeten this little hand. O, O, O’</b> (5,1). ?? "content

‘Here’s the smell of the blood still; all the perfumes of / Arabia will not sweeten this little hand. O, O, O’ (5,1).

This is an example of how Lady Macbeth’s words when sleepwalking show all the emotions and thoughts that she keeps bottled up when she is awake.
She is clearly distressed. This is shown by her cries of ‘O’. The adjective ‘little’ describing her hand makes her seem childlike and innocent.

Illustrative background for <b>‘My hands are of your colour, but I shame / To wear a heart so white’</b> and <b>‘A little water clears us of this deed’</b> (2,2).

Illustrative background for <b>‘My hands are of your colour, but I shame / To wear a heart so white’</b> and <b>‘A little water clears us of this deed’</b> (2,2). ?? "content

‘My hands are of your colour, but I shame / To wear a heart so white’ and ‘A little water clears us of this deed’ (2,2).

This is what Lady Macbeth says after they commit murder. It is very different from what she says when sleepwalking.
It’s clear that her subconscious (the part of your mind that notices and remembers information when you are not actively trying to do so) thinks that she can never get rid of the guilt that she feels from the murder.

Blood

Blood symbolises many different things in Macbeth:

Illustrative background for <b>‘smok’d with bloody execution’</b> (1,2) ?? "content

‘smok’d with bloody execution’ (1,2)

These words are used to describe Macbeth's sword and symbolise his bravery.

Illustrative background for <b>‘bloody business’</b> (2,1)

Illustrative background for <b>‘bloody business’</b> (2,1) ?? "content

‘bloody business’ (2,1)

This is how Macbeth calls the plot to commit murder.
He believes that his visions are a consequence of the plot.
For example, the dagger that he sees as a vision becomes covered in blood.

‘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’ (2,2).
These words suggest that Macbeth doesn’t think he will be able to wash the blood from his hands after King Duncan’s murder.
He thinks the blood is so great that it will stain the ocean red if he tries to clean his hands.
Blood symbolises the size of his crime: he will never be able to clean away the evidence of what he has done because it is so horrible.
The blood might wash away, but the memory of it, and the threat of consequences, will always be there.

‘the nea’er in blood, / The nearer bloody.’

This is how Donalbain warns Malcolm after King Duncan’s body is discovered.
Blood here represents lineage and that they have the blood of their father in their veins. They are at risk of whoever has killed him harming them.

Illustrative background for <b>‘It will have blood they say: blood will have blood’</b> (3,5).

Illustrative background for <b>‘It will have blood they say: blood will have blood’</b> (3,5). ?? "content

‘It will have blood they say: blood will have blood’ (3,5).

This is said by Macbeth to Lady Macbeth.
This suggests that murder will lead to other murders and consequences. There will be retribution (punishment) if you kill.
He says: ‘I am in blood / Stepp’d in so far that I should wade no more’. It is impossible for Macbeth to go back now.

Illustrative background for <b>‘Out, damned spot! Out, I say!’</b> (5,1)

Illustrative background for <b>‘Out, damned spot! Out, I say!’</b> (5,1) ?? "content

‘Out, damned spot! Out, I say!’ (5,1)

This is said by Lady Macbeth when she sleepwalks and symbolises that she cannot get rid of the blood that she imagines is on her hands.
Again, blood represents the crimes that she has committed.

1Literary & Cultural Context

1.1Context

1.1.1Tragedy

1.1.2The Supernatural & Gender

1.1.3Politics & Monarchy

1.1.4End of Topic Test - Context

2Plot Summary

2.1Act 1

2.1.1Scenes 1 & 2

2.1.2Scene 3

2.1.3Scenes 4-5

2.1.4Scenes 6-7

2.1.5End of Topic Test - Act 1

2.2Acts 2-4

2.2.1Act 2

2.2.2Act 3

2.2.3Act 4

2.3Act 5

2.3.1Scenes 1-3

2.3.2Scenes 4-9

2.3.3End of Topic Test - Acts 2-5

2.3.4Diagnostic Misconceptions - Ambiguous Ending

2.3.5Diagnostic Misconceptions - Jacobean

3Characters

4Themes

4.1Themes

4.1.1Power & Ambition

4.1.2Power & Ambition HyperLearning

4.1.3Violence

4.1.4The Supernatural

4.1.5Masculinity

4.1.6Armour, Kingship & The Natural Order

4.1.7Appearances & Deception

4.1.8Madness & Blood

4.1.9Women, Children & Sleep

4.1.10End of Topic Test - Themes

4.1.11End of Topic Test - Themes 2

4.2Grade 9 - Themes

4.2.1Grade 9 - Themes

4.2.2Extract Analysis

5Writer's Techniques

5.1Structure, Meter & Other Literary Techniques

5.1.1Structure, Meter & Dramatic Irony

5.1.2Pathetic Fallacy & Symbolism

5.1.3End of Topic Test - Writer's Techniques

6Recap: Main Quotes

6.1Characters Quotes

6.1.1Macbeth

6.1.2Macbeth 2

6.1.3Macbeth 3

6.1.4Macbeth 4

6.1.5Lady Macbeth

6.1.6Lady Macbeth 2

6.1.7Banquo

6.1.8Banquo 2

6.1.9The Witches

6.1.10King Duncan

6.1.11Macduff

6.2Text Structure - Quotes

6.2.1Violence

6.2.2The Supernatural

6.2.3Ambition

6.2.4Armour, Kingship & the Natural Order

6.2.5Appearances & Deception

6.2.6Lady Macbeth's Masculinity

6.2.7Madness & Blood

6.2.8Men, Children & Sleep

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