Macbeth's Rites Of Violence Analysis

In “Macbeth’s Rites of Violence” by Derek Cohen, which analyzes the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare, Cohen analyzes and critiques Macbeth’s motivations and reasoning behind his countless acts of murder. He breaks down the omnipresence of violence in the play, how the “primal energies” of the characters “give it momentum and direction” (Cohen). His analysis provides an in-depth look into the significance of each act of violence, and what it means to the theme of the play as a whole. Cohen’s analysis of this classic tragedy argues that Macbeth is primarily centralized around the idea of violence, and is driven by the murderous acts Macbeth commits that surround the concept of blood as not just a tangible object, but also a symbol for guilt.
Cohen first identifies Macbeth’s evil intentions as having begun following his first meeting with the witches, or the Weird Sisters. He then assesses blood as a major symbol of the play, and the idea that although blood is a prominent symbol in the play that is in fact visible, it is also a representation of “the normal product of violence,” meaning that when there is violence, there is blood, so Macbeth is not out of line in terms of violence (Cohen). Cohen also identifies the dagger as “the physical instrument of murder,” making it the instrument of choice by murderers committing acts of violence who need something that can get the job done, and is easily concealable (Cohen). He also addresses the means by which Macbeth reassures
He states that “Macbeth is not the sole author of violence and mayhem in the world,” which tells the audience that Lady Macbeth did indeed play a largely pivotal role in the execution of those at Macbeth’s bloody hands (Cohen). Although committing such violent acts has been seen as a man’s job in the past, women are now taking the lead and simply bringing their husbands along for the ride. Lady Macbeth plays a pivotal role in Macbeth’s violent madness, as it is she who convinces him to act on his greedy intentions and kill for what he wants most. This is ironic however, as while Lady Macbeth is the one who has absolutely no qualms towards killing Duncan, and pushes Macbeth to complete the deed, it is she who kills herself in the end in overwhelming guilt. In this instance, the female counterpart of this duo was more integral in the execution of each of Macbeth’s victims, meaning that murder is no longer a game for men alone, but is also not a game that men are necessarily better at playing.
Cohen is correct in his analysis of the blood in Macbeth, which is ever-present and represents much more than just violence. He addresses the concept that blood is not simply a physical, tangible thing, as it can be “touched, smelled, seen, and tasted” but “participates in the destruction and creation of