In then play Macbeth the word blood is used several times with several different meanings. In the beggining the word blood carries with it a sence of honor. After Duncans death the word takes on a more evil meaning. Blood is used to signify guilt in various parts of the play. In all the word blood is used fourty two times in this play and all of them have a deeper meaning.
Duncan is told about "brave" Macbeth by the sergeant who had saved Macduff and fought honorably. The sergant says "For brave Macbeth-well he deserves that name- Disdaining fortune, with his brandish"d steel Which smok"d with bloody execution, Like valor's minion carv"d out his passage- In this passage is used to siginfy that Macbeth was honorable on the battlefield.
As the play continues the word blood changes its connotation and meaning several times. After Duncans death Lady Macbeth tells Macbeth "smear the sleepy grooms with blood." the word blood is used to signify guilt. She wants Macbeth the smear the guards faces with guilt.
This same conotation is used again by Lady Macbeth. When she is sleep walking she trys to wash her hands and severl things pertaing to the blood on her hands including "Here's the smell of blood still: all the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand." By this she means she cannot get rid of the guilt she feels no matter what she uses to rid her mind of it.
The word blood traverses several meanings durring the play Macbeth. In the beggening of the play Shakespeare uses it to signify honor or valor. As the play goes on it takes a more sinister role as its meaning changes to that of guilt. Shakesperare choose his words very carefully and even stragitically sometimes to change the meaning of words. Perhaps we will never truly grasp everything he tried to convey to his audience.