Water by William Shakespeare is used as an image in Macbeth.
This is not present in Act 1, but it does show up when Macbeth is making a soliloquy.He is considering whether or not to kill Duncan.He means that he wants his tears to be thick enough to stop the wind from blowing.The tears come from his regret of killing Duncan.This is a representation of how much power the water has, as it can keep the winds from blowing.The passage says that his regret will be so strong that he won't know what to do after he kills Duncan, because he ruined everything.The fact that the water in this passage is coming from him means that he is a really powerful person and if he doesn't know how to use that power wisely, he will eventually be screwed over.
I liked the analysis of the quote.It is interesting how you explained the meaning of water in this situation.You made it clear how the character was feeling in the scene by using water as a theme.It was a good idea to come up with a symbol because it gives more meaning to the analysis.In the following posts, I would look for quotes where water is not scene in tears, and in rivers, seas, etc.Readers can discover new meanings for water and what it means in different situations.
Go get some water, and wash this filthy witness from your hand.
Water is seen more in this Act than in Act 1.The meaning of this time is more profound and easy to follow than in Act 1.After Duncan was killed, Lady Macbeth told Macbeth to wash his hands.She said, "Go get some water, and wash this filthy witness from your hand."The water here is a sign that it can take away the dirty stuff.The water has a certain power.It can be used to get rid of what he did.One step closer to forgetting the crime he committed and possibly convincing himself that he isn't a bad person is by cleaning himself.Shakespeare wants to show the audience how filthy he is when he has blood in his hands.Water and blood are both bad and good in this case.The water has the power to clean blood away from it's surface.He will feel better once he cleans himself because the water can make his actions less than they really were.When Lady Macbeth leaves to return the daggers to the room, she says to herself, "Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood clean from my hands?"He is wondering if he can come clean with himself.He is questioning the power of the water.Then he said, "No, this my hand will rather the multitudinous seas incarnadine, making the green one red."He means that no amount of water will ever be enough to wash away what he did, he will have done it no matter how hard he wants it to go away.He understands that besides it not going away, he is notspoiled, so to speak, because this one bad act that he did will turn all the others to be bad as well.He acknowledges that no matter how powerful it is, it won't wash away his sins.
Water has the power to relieve mistakes, and Macbeth thinks that no water will make his guilt go away.
Your analysis helps to understand the significance of water in this act.Even though there are only two quotes that mention water, you were able to analyze a lot.
You gave an in-depth explanation of the context and significance, even though there were only two quotes about it.I liked the way you compared blood and water.
Your post helped me understand the meaning of water.The general conclusions in the bottom were helpful, and I liked the way you explained the context.
Act 3 says, "Let your remembrance apply to Banquo, present him eminence both with eye and tongue: unsafe, while that we must lave out honors in these flattering streams."The second scene.The lines are 35 and 37.Page 93.
According to the left hand side of the page, Macbeth is telling Lady Macbeth to treat their guest well because they are under suspicion and haven't yet had the chance to be calmed down by what they did on the previous Act.He told her that they are still unsafe because they haven't cleared their reputation.
Water is present when Macbeth says that they are still in the process of washing themselves and when he says they will be washed by a flattering stream.The word flattering can be analysed in two different ways.One is in its original definition of pleasing and wanted.The king and queen would want their reputation and guilt cleared so the water that would do this would be very much welcome.They judge themselves lower than the power because they aren't capable of clearing their minds and they need the water to do that.It is possible to say that the water is portrayed as supernatural in this play because of its powers.Since this is a theme, the idea of purification and that water will clear their conscious is still used in the same way.The second way of seeing the word flattering is out there, but I think it can still be applied.Flattering could mean that the stream that flatters them has powers to flatten them.Once the water passes through them, they will become flat again, as they had been before the murder, because they became so full of guilt.The quote "lave our honors" is in the left page.Again, this is showing how water can clean them from their bad habits and show them a clear future that they desperately crave for.They are so sure of the idea that water can purify them that they don't do anything except wash themselves.They chose to ignore the past and just move on with their lives.There is a clear shift in Macbeth's character here.He shows more influence over Lady Macbeth as he becomes more brave and daring.This was seen as the opposite of previous scenes where Lady Macbeth had to be calm.He was afraid that Neptune's oceans wouldn't be able to clean his deed.He was frightened.He is under control and even calms Lady Macbeth by telling her their next actions.Lady Macbeth has changed because she is less influential over her husband.It seems like their positions were changed.
It will be raining tonight.The murderer said, "Let it come down!"Scene 3.The lines are 22-23.Page 97.
Banquo has not yet seen the murders and does not suspect anything.They all attack Banquo after one of the murders yelled.
Banquo's quote is small but significant.Shakespeare probably means another thing when he says that it will be rain tonight.It can mean that water is very different from other parts of the play.The same is done with the water because Macbeth is killing his own best friend, going against what is expected.We can say that water is a symbol for bad things to come because of this analysis.The atmosphere of suspense is set by the fact that something big will happen soon.The characters aren't completely aware of each other's presence in this scene.The Murderers see Banquo but he doesn't see them.When the rain comes down, it will clear the confusion of the play, meaning that Macbeth will be revealed.This is consistent with the other appearances of water in the play because it holds the power of cleaning things up and making things clear again.It would clear up the doubts about what happened to Duncan and make him the only guilty one.The next scenes in the play will either be worse or better and this is a sign of that.It can be used to alert the crowd and keep them engaged in the play.If one of the characters says something to the audience that will alert them to something happening in the play, it will keep them on their seats, since they are worried that something will happen to them.It's like saying that the water can come done because he will be responsible for one of the bad things that will happen.Since the rain is dependent on Banquo's death, he has the power to make it come down.The rain will come if he succeeds in killing Banquo.He will die if he says that Banquo can come down.
It was interesting to do this form of the post.It has a good analysis of the quote and its context.I like the analysis of rain and the comparison with some of the characters in the play.
Malu, your post is very interesting to read.In order to help us understand what was happening in that exact time, you gave a brief explanation before analyzing the quote.I had no idea that water can be used to relieve mistakes.Well done!
Water is not present in this act.The act is full of battles and this doesn't reflect the purposes of water in the play.Water is present in mysterious scenes such as the witches, but it has always been a symbol for purity.There are two times in Act 5 when we can see this motif; once when Lady Macbeth is sleepwalking and the second time when she is talking to the Doctor about her disease.
When Lady Macbeth is sleepwalking, we can see the scene through the eyes of the Gentlelady and the Doctor.
Their sense is shut.DOCTOR: What is she doing now?She rubs her hands.I have known her to wash her hands for a quarter of an hour.Lady McKay said, "Here's a spot." (Act 5, Scene 1, Lines 27-33).
In this scene, water is portrayed as a carrier of power that can wash away guilt.She is haunted by the murder she committed and relies on the powers of the water to take that horrible memory away from her.One of the themes in the play is that cleaning one's self can diminish guilt.This is what Lady Macbeth wants to do.She is washing her hands in order to get the water to come to her.This is her last chance.The water cures her.
Water is seen in the act for the second time on the third scene, where Macbeth is having a conversation with the Doctor.He says the following.
Come, sir, dispatch.If doctor, cast the water of my land, find her disease, and purge it to a sound and pristine health.
There are two interpretations of this quote.Lady Macbeth's health is the first one.She is having a mental breakdown and no one notices that mental issues can't be cured.He wants the doctor to take a sample of her urine to see if she has a disease so he can cure her.The disease of his wife seems to be setting him back from being able to exercise his reign.The water here is a representation of the situation.The water carries the truth.The Doctor will find out if Lady Macbeth is really sick through the water.Shakespeare uses personification to describe the function of the water.This is the first time in the play that we see the water as carrying the truth.
The Doctor should discover the disease that his wife and the kingdom of Scotland are suffering from.I was able to conclude this because of the notes on the left-hand page where the line "cast the water of my land" is explained.It says to examine the patient's urine to diagnose an illness.He wants the Doctor to extract water from Lady Macbeth to cure her and he wants him to diagnose Scotland's disease.It's not clear how the Doctor is going to do it, and I don't think he will be able to, but this is what the doctor is supposed to be doing.
I can make a prediction about how Macbeth wants the doctor to cure Scotland.As I read on the next scenes, my hypothesis was disproven because I deducted this from context clues.I thought that the doctor was going to brainwash the citizens of Scotland so that they would be cured from their disease after reading these lines.First of all, I don't know how much Macbeth thinks the Doctor is capable of, and second, maybe brainwashing was a metaphor for some medicine that the doctor could give the people and suddenly make them in favor of him.This was just a hypothesis that proved to be wrong, as we learn in the last scene that Lady Macbeth killed herself because the Doctor couldn't fulfill his duty to cure her.The water is a symbol for purity.If the Doctor was able to brainwash them, the water cast over them would cure them since they had a disease before.We are able to conclude that the water has healing powers, as we have seen before in previous acts, because of this.
Water carries the truth and has the power to make people's minds pure again.
Malu great analysis!In order to understand better the character's behavior and the plot, your connection of water with purity and truth was really helpful.The audience could get a better understanding of the play thanks to the different interpretations of evidence you gave.The relationship you had with the theme of getting rid of the guilt was very interesting and your conclusion was straight to the point.
Malu, I believe that your comment on the theme of water for Act 5 is complete and amazing.I didn't think water could represent so many things.It was nice to see you explain why water wasn't present in Act 5.Excellent work!
Malu, I had no idea that water had meaning behind it.I like the way you summed up the key ideas and connected them with a theme in the end.Awesome job!
Malu, your post helped me understand the story.I like how you show the truth behind the story.I believe you were able to defend your analyses using specific examples.I liked the way you predicted the character's intentions and added your own interpretation at the end.Good job!