In all of Shakespeare's plays he uses many forms of imagery.

There are constant references to the evil deeds that Macbeth and Lady Macbeth has committed, most of which include references to blood. While Lady Macbeth is sleepwalking she goes through the motions of washing her hands saying "Out damned spot! Out, I say", in reference to the blood that stained her hands after smearing it all over the servants. She also refers to Duncan's murder saying: "Yet who would have thought the old man to have so much blood in him!" All these references are to murder and both include direct references to blood, again linking blood to treachery and murder.

Just before the ending of the play, Macbeth has Macduff at his mercy, and lets him go, because of his guilt. Macbeth shows that he is guilt, when he says, "But get thee back, my soul is too much charg'd with the blood of thine already". Of which, Macduff replies, "I have no words, my voice is in my sword, and thou bloodier villain then terms can give thee out". After the death of Macbeth at the hands of Macduff, the imagery of blood swings back to what it was at the beginning of the play, but it is in the honor of Malcom at this time. The death of Macbeth is honored achievement that they congratulate Macduff for.

Images of blood and water occur frequently together throughout William Shakespeare's Macbeth. Shakespeare uses these images to portray the horror of the central action, Duncan's murder. The blood of King Duncan becomes too powerful for any amount of water to rinse it clean from Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's hands. It overpowers their ability to forget their actions and clear their consciences. Duncan's blood on Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's hands is symbolic of the evil crime that they had committed. The blood on their hands is also representative of the guilt, which could not be escaped. "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," No amount of water could clean Macbeth's guilty conscience. Lady Macbeth's remark "wash this filthy witness from your hand, " This illustrates quite clearly that that she has far less immediate guilt for the crime and rather more physical repugnance towards her husband's blood stained hands. " It will have blood they say; blood will have blood", . Macbeth says this knowing that the murder he committed must be avenged. The logical conclusion that can be drawn from this is that foresees his execution as the inevitable conclusion to his evil deeds. This foreshadows his death and highlights how none of his efforts to wash his hands clean of Duncan's murder succeed.

The same symbol of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's hateful actions not being washed away is brought out very clearly again. "Now does he feel his secret murders sticking on his hands" . Angus knows very well that the murders could not just simply be forgotten. He also knows that Macbeth will, in time get what he deserves. He realizes that Macbeth can no more escape his fate than relieve his guilt by washing the blood away. "A little water clears us of this deed" . Lady Macbeth believes that as soon as Duncan's blood is physically removed from their hands that their consciences would be cleansed as well. She urges Macbeth, at all costs, not to think of the murder or they will be driven mad, "These deeds must not be thought After these ways: so, it will make us mad" . Ironically, Lady Macbeth is the one with obsessive thoughts of Duncan's murder and these thoughts result in a mental collapse that ends in her suicide. The bloody hand reappears when Lady Macbeth hallucinates about trying to clean her hands of Duncan's blood. She says "Out, damned spot! out I say! ...Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him?" . Lady Macbeth becomes overcome with grief and is driven mad. She tries to clear the imaginary blood off her hands but all her efforts are in vain, "What! will these hands ne'er be clean?" . When she believes that she has succeeded in ridding herself of the stains of blood, she smells the odor of blood and comes to the inevitable conclusion that the crime can never be forgotten, "Here's the smell of the blood still: all the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand. Oh! oh! oh!" . In conclusion, the imagery of blood changes from honor to treachery, and then to guilt. After, it returns to honor again after the villain that changed the imagery of blood from honor to tyranny is killed. Throughout the play, Shakespeare effectively conveys the theme of guilt, death, murder and treason through the symbol of blood. The blood and water in Macbeth may well play the most significant roll. It very accurately illustrates through symbolism the unsuccessful efforts of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth to rid themselves of their guilty consciences. The blood clings to their hands and makes them unable to forget the repulsive crimes they committed. The blood and water together are best symbolized in the theme of guilt. Lady Macbeth's suicide is directly a result of her inability to rid herself of the guilt and Macbeth's execution is directly related to " blood will have blood".