Importance of Blood in MacbethIn Shakespeare's tragic play Macbeth, the symbol of blood is an important device. The fundamental physical concept of blood is a clear sign of illness or accident that all humans must share. In Macbeth, the imagery of blood is used repeatedly and it is developed by Shakespeare until it becomes not only a dominant theme but completely integrated into the plot. Perhaps the best way to show how the symbol of blood changes throughout the play is to follow the character changes in Macbeth. At first he is a brave and honored soldier, but as the play progresses, recognized and trusted by his king, he becomes a treacherous person who identifies with death and shedding of blood, and ends up killing Duncan who trusted him so much. This is ironic because Cawdor's previous Thane was executed for treason, which is the first thought that comes to his mind when he is named Thane. He knows that the king's confidence was misplaced; the fact that he murdered his king plays on his conscience and shows his guilt in different forms. The situation becomes worse for him after the murder of Banquo, who was one of his most loyal and trusted friends. A similar idea can also be applied to Lady Macbeth, as her character changes drastically over the course of the play. We can see that his roles and those of Macbeth exchange in some way. When the idea of ​​killing Duncan comes to Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's mind, Macbeth is unsure, he seems withdrawn about the whole idea. Lady Macbeth appears to be evil and bloodthirsty, because she is the one who ensures that the murder takes place. Towards the end of the play however, although both characters show immense guilt for what they have done...... middle of paper...... betrayal, the guilt then comes into focus once again. This symbolic movement is maneuvered by the villain whose actions enable change. Reformation in honor is a sanction after the death of the wicked. Works cited and consulted: Bradley, AC Shakespearean Tragedy. Toronto: Penguin Books Canada Ltd., 1991. Campbell, Lily B. Shakespeare's Tragic Heroes, Slaves of Passion. Gloucester: Peter Smith Publisher Inc., 1973. Edwards, Terence. Interpretations of Macbeth in the twentieth century. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall Inc., 1977. Hunter, G. K. “Macbeth in the Twentieth Century.” Aspects of Macbeth. Ed. Kenneth MuirShakespeare, William. Tragedy of Macbeth. Ed. Barbara Mowat and Paul Warstine. New York: Washington Press, 1992. Scott, Mark W. (editor). Shakespeare for Students. Gale Research Inc. Detroit, Michigan. 1992