| so well thy words become thee as thy wounds; the smack of honour both -act 1, scene 2: duncan | at first in the play, blood is a sign of bravery and strength |
| make thick my blood -act 1, scene 5: lady macbeth | lady macbeth asks the spirits to make her brave enough to murder duncan |
| on thy blade and dudgeon gouts of blood, which was not so before -act 2, scene 1: macbeth | macbeth sees duncan’s blood on the dagger as he resolves himself to commit the murder |
| will all of neptune’s ocean wash this blood clean from my hand? -act 2, scene 2:macbeth | this is echoed later in lady macbeth’s sleepwalking, when she feels the same level of guilt |
| my hands are of your colour but I shame to wear a heart so white -act 2, scene 2: lady macbeth | lady macbeth still views the red blood as a sign of bravery, but criticises her husband for his fear of being caught. this is ironic, as earlier in the scene she says ‘th’attempt and not the deed confounds us’ |
| a little water clears us of this deed – act 2, scene 2: lady macbeth | lady macbeth assumes that washing the blood from their hands will show their innocence, foreshadowing her sleepwalking, where she cannot rid herself of the blood on her hands |
| blood will have blood -act 3, scene 4: macbeth | one murder will cause another, and macbeth sees that this bloodtrail will ultimately lead back to himself |
| I am in blood stepp’d in so far that should I wade no more returning were as tedious as go o’er -act 3, scene 4: macbeth | macbeth recognises the extent of his murders, shows a last ounce of remorse, but ignores it |
| bleed, bleed, poor country -act 4, scene 3: macduff | … |
| out, damned spot! -act 5, scene 1: lady macbeth | lady macbeth imagines a spot of duncan’s blood remains on her hand, as a manifestation of her guilt |
| what will these hands ne’er be clean? -act 5, scene 1: lady macbeth | … |
| all the perfumes of arabia will not sweeten this little hand -act 5, scene 1: lady macbeth | echoes macbeth’s comment from act2sc2. the smallness of her hand makes it seem strange that she could have committed such a crime, as it makes her seem childish |
| now he does feel his secret murders sticking on his hands -act 5, scene 2: angus | the blood on macbeth’s hands, as he suspected, has not gone away |
| clamorous harbingers of blood and death -act 5, scene 6: macduff | blood is once again a sign of bravery and virtue when it is used against evil ie macbeth |
| my soul is too much charg’d with blood of thine already -act 5, scene 8: macbeth | macbeth shows regret at killing macduff’s family as it might save his life |
english gcse – macbeth blood quotes
November 21, 2019