Macbeth Motifs and Themes Flashcards

Blood

• Symbolizes guilt and the inability to escape one's actions; Macbeth is haunted by his consciousness after Duncan's murder.
• Lady Macbeth experiences sleepwalking episodes, obsessively attempting to wash the imaginary blood from her hands, representing her guilt.

Appearance vs. Reality

• Macbeth presents a facade of loyalty and innocence while concealing his ambition and treachery.
• The couple feigns ignorance of their crimes while playing innocent victims; the Bloody Captain serves as a reminder of the true chaos behind appearances.

Fate/Fortune

• Macbeth’s rise to kingship instigates his descent into madness, leading to paranoia and his eventual demise.
• The prophecy serves as both motivation and curse, illustrating the theme of destiny versus free will.

Darkness and Light

• Many key events unfold during dark hours, emphasizing the moral corruption within the characters.
• Lady Macbeth's use of a candle symbolizes her desire to maintain control and light in a world filled with darkness.

Sickness and Health

• Lady Macbeth’s remark about Macbeth being "sick since he was born" alludes to the moral decay and madness arising from guilt.
• MacBeth's hallucination of Banquo's ghost is perceived as a sign of his deteriorating mental state.

Birds

• The raven symbolizes imminent death, foreshadowing the dark events to come throughout the play.
• Owls serve as representations of fate and death, reinforcing the ominous atmosphere following Duncan’s murder.

Sleep/Sleeplessness

• Macbeth’s sleeplessness after Duncan’s murder signifies his overwhelming guilt and fear.
• Lady Macbeth’s descent into sleepwalking highlights her psychological unraveling as guilt consumes her; the cursed sailor reference emphasizes the motif of disrupted sleep.

Strange Natural Events

• Unnatural occurrences accompany Duncan's death—stormy weather, falling chimneys, and nature's disturbance—symbolizing the disruption of the natural order.
• These events reflect the chaos unleashed by Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's actions, serving as a commentary on their moral corruption.