Tracing the Word "Blood" in Macbeth Act 2

Tracing the Word “Blood” in Macbeth Act 2 1. 2.1.45-46 a. Quotation and Speaker Macbeth: I see thee still/ Find on thy blade and dudgeon gouts of blood. b. Paraphrase and Clarification I can still see the spots of blood on this blade. Macbeth is hallucinating, the blood isn’t really there. c. Conclusions Macbeth sees blood on the blade as a sign that he must commit the murder, the evil act. Evil is represented by the presence of blood. 2. 2.1.48-49 a. Quotation and Speaker Macbeth: This is the bloody business which informs this to mine eyes. b. Paraphrase and Clarification The evil deed (murder) that I’m about to do is making me see these things. c. Conclusions Bloody also represents evil here as Macbeth recognizes the murder is an evil deed. 3. 2.2.52-53 a. Quotation and Speaker Lady Macbeth: Go carry them and smear/ The sleepy grooms with blood. b. Paraphrase and Clarification Take the daggers and put them near the guards the cover them with blood. Lady Macbeth is telling Macbeth to frame the guards. c. Conclusions The literal meaning of blood is used here. However the theme Appearance vs. Reality can be applied as blood is used to make other people look guilty. 4. 2.2.58-60 a. Quotation and Speaker Lady Macbeth: If he do bleed/ I’ll gild the faces of the grooms withal, / For it must seem their guilt. b. Paraphrase and Clarification When Duncan bleeds, cover the faces of the guards with blood so they look guilty. c. Conclusions As the previous passage, blood is used to change the appearance of these and the people found with it are deemed evil. 5. 2.2.63-64 a. Quotation and Speaker Macbeth: Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood/ Clean from my hand? b. Paraphrase and Clarification Can all the water in the ocean wash the blood (guilt) from my hands? c. Conclusions Blood represents guilt again here as well. 6.