Macbeth
...lains to King Duncan of Macbeth’s heroic acts in battle. This is one of the ways that Shakespeare uses foreshadowing. This one conversation between the soldier and King Duncan makes us think of Macbeth as nothing more than a bloody soldier in battle and links him with killing. The next example of blood imagery is after the murder of Duncan. We see Macbeth trying to wash the blood from his hands. Macbeth asks the question, “Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood clean from my hand?” This implies that it would take Neptune’s entire ocean to wash the blood from his hands. Lady Macbeth has another outlook on the situation. As she smears the blood from the dagger on the faces of the sleeping guards, she makes the comment, “I’ll guild the faces of the grooms withal, for it must seem their guilt.” Lady Macbeth feels her conscience will be cleansed at the time she physically cleans her hands. The next use of blood imagery is used during a conversation between Macduff and Ross. They are discussing among themselves the murder of King Duncan. Ross refers to the murder as a bloody deed by asking, “Is it known who did this more than bloody deed?” The final occurrence of blood imagery is very ironic. While sleepwalking, Lady Macbeth is constantly rubbing her hands. She was muttering, “Out damned spot! Out, I say!” This proves the evil deed of killing King Duncan is still on her mind. She also states, “Here’s the smell of blood still. ...