ABSTRACT
Shakespeare’s play Macbeth was written in about 1606. When the play opens, Macbeth – a Scottish general – hears a prophecy from three witches that he will become king of Scotland. The present king, Duncan, comes to stay at Macbeth’s castle. Spurred on by the witches’ prophecy, Macbeth and his wife resolve to kill Duncan at night. The following passage (Act 2, Scene 2, lines 56–73) occurs just after Macbeth has done the deed, and in fact he is still holding the daggers. There’s a knocking at the castle gates as people seek entry. Macbeth, having just committed the murder, is in a state of great agitation, and the noise makes him nervous. His hands are covered in blood. He asks whether all the seas on earth are enough to wash his hands clean. His answer is no – instead, the blood will, he says, turn the seas red. His wife, Lady Macbeth, tries to reassure him that all will be well – just a little water will wash the blood away. She suggests they put on night clothes, so as not to arouse suspicions. Macbeth expresses the wish that the knocking on the gate might wake up the dead king.
