Macbeth

Macbeth

by

William Shakespeare

Macbeth Symbols

Read our modern English translation.

Visions and Hallucinations

A number of times in Macbeth, Macbeth sees or hears strange things: the floating dagger, the voice that says he's murdering sleep, and Banquo's ghost. As Macbeth himself wonders about the dagger, are… read analysis of Visions and Hallucinations

Blood

Blood is always closely linked to violence, but over the course of Macbeth blood comes to symbolize something else: guilt. Death and killing happen in an instant, but blood remains, and stains. At the times… read analysis of Blood

Sleep

When he murders Duncan, Macbeth thinks he hears a voice say "Macbeth does murder sleep" (2.2.34). Sleep symbolizes innocence, purity, and peace of mind, and in killing Duncan Macbeth actually does murder sleep: Ladyread analysis of Sleep