Macbethuses several motifs to contribute to the central themes and ideas of the story. Not all of these motifs work in the same way or communicate the same thing, but they do have one thing in common: they form a pattern over the course of the story. 1. Blood Blood is one of the c...
Just like directors, writers use literary motifs to forward and add depth to their main themes. Let’s take a look at some motif examples from literature. 3. The Blood Motif in Shakespeare’sThe Tragedy of Macbeth Let’s start with William Shakespeare. The bard loves motifs. Pick any play...
To see the difference, let us consider William Shakespeare’s tragedyMacbeth. One of the themes of the play is ambition, and its power to corrupt. We see Macbeth strive for power and kill people in his quest. One of the motifs, on the other hand, is water and the washing of hands. ...
As a writer, repetition is one of the most fundamental tools you have in your toolkit. It is incredibly important when creating motifs or using any kind of repeatingsymbolthat defines something in your story. Writers use repetition in order to emphasize something they find important. This could...
In literature, recurring patterns are known as motifs. As you read, pay close attention to any motifs you recognize because these often communicate a work’s themes. In Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, we see a motif of biblical references. These communicate the novel’s theme of th...
Check out related activities from our guides on Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, A Wrinkle in Time, and The Tragedy of Macbeth. Themes, Symbols, and Motifs View Activity Themes, Symbols, and Motifs View Activity Themes, Symbols, and Motifs View Activity Our Recommended Lesson Plan Overview of...
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Exercise:Pick a famous book or movie and see if you can identify any common motifs within it. 51. Non sequitur Non sequitursare statements that don't logically follow what precedes them. They’ll often be quite absurd and can lend humor to a story. But they’re just not good for maki...
How has the author of the story The Interlopers used irony in his choice of the title? What are the motifs in The Stranger by Albert Camus? What are examples that illustrate the monster's ironic sense of humor in Frankenstein?Explore our homework questions and answers...
Exercise:Pick a famous book or movie and see if you can identify any common motifs within it. 51. Non sequitur Non sequitursare statements that don't logically follow what precedes them. They’ll often be quite absurd and can lend humor to a story. But they’re just not good for maki...