Tracing the Word “Blood” in Macbeth Act 2 1. 2.1.45-46 a. Quotation and Speaker Macbeth: I see thee still/ Find on thy blade and dudgeon gouts of blood. b. Paraphrase and Clarification I can still see the spots of blood on this blade. Macbeth is hallucinating, the blood isn’t really there. c. Conclusions Macbeth sees blood on the blade as a sign that he must commit the murder, the evil act. Evil is represented by the presence of blood. 2. 2.1.48-49 a. Quotation and Speaker Macbeth: This is the bloody business which informs this to mine eyes. b. Paraphrase and Clarification The evil deed (murder) that I’m about to do is making me see these things. c. Conclusions Bloody also represents
10. 2.3.135-137 a. Quotation and Speaker Donaldbain: Where we are/ There’s daggers in men’s smiles; the nea’er in blood./ The nearer bloody. b. Paraphrase and Clarification If we still stay here, people will pretend to smile at us while hiding daggers. The closer one is related to Duncan, the more likely they will be killed. c. Conclusions There are two meanings to the word blood in this quote. The first one is the biological attachment (family ties) of Donaldbain and Malcolm to Duncan. The second connation given to the word blood is again the unnatural, evil act of murder, except in this case, they are referring to the murder of the two brothers not their father. 11. 2.4.5-6 a. Quotation and Speaker Ross: Thou seest the heavens, as troubled with man’s act/ Threatened his bloody stage. b. Paraphrase and Clarification You can see it in the weather, nature is mad at what has happened and is threatening us. c. Conclusions This quote brings out the same idea of bloody as a synonym to evil or unnatural and how nature is “unhappy” with this. 12. 2.4.22 a. Quotation and Speaker Ross: Is’t known who did this more than bloody deed? b. Paraphrase and Clarification Do you know who committed the murder? c. Conclusions. Again, bloody is used as an adjective in place of the word evil.

General Conclusions: 1. In Act 2, blood has a negative connotation attached to it. It is used as