Macbeth

There are a lot of vital lines in the banquet scene that tells us of the characters thoughts. The first Key line is when the murderer enters and tells Macbeth what happened with Banquo's killing and also informs that Fleance "scap'd". Throughout the Banquet scene Macbeth is distracted from the evenings entertainment by 'Banquo's ghost'. Macbeth is visualizing a ghost is sitting in his chair, mainly due to his conscience. He now starts to act strange and unaware of what's going on. This brings confusion to the thanes who decide, "His highness is not well". At this point this shows the thanes and the lords that something is not normal.

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A way in which and perhaps the most vivid use of the symbol blood, is of the theme of guilt. This theme of blood is shown more clearly in the actual live play we saw, red lights were used to this effect when bloody or guilty scenes were being played. However most importantly this blood-guilt theme is also shown in the text. First Macbeth hints at his guilt when he says "Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood clean from my hand?" meaning that he wondered if he would ever be able to overcome the guilt due to the dastardly deed that he had committed. Macbeth is unhappy that he murdered Banquo Macbeth´s guilt. The sight of apparitions at the banquet represents his guilt for the; the ghost of Banquo, all gory, and bloody, is a further sign of murder of Banquo, which he instigated himself. Macbeth shows a bit of his guilt when he says, "It is the bloody business which informs thus," meaning that he did not have the courage to say, "murder" after he had killed Duncan.

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Another way in which these videos, and plays helped me in this study of the play was the fact I got to see what the play meant with themes, lights, and most importantly blood. Throughout the play, Shakespeare effectively conveys theme of death, murder and treason through the symbol of blood. Normally the word blood makes us think about injury and death, being an essential part of life, and the symbol of blood being used in the play is understood by the audience as being essential to life, and in the context it is used, it is a t metaphor for death and murder. Blood is an effective symbol and is used well not only in its liquid form however as lights as well which shows us the 'theme' of blood, guilt, treason and murder.

Mark Long English coursework