Wednesday, May 6, 2020
Strategic Business Management Dairy Company
Question: Discuss about the Strategic Business Managementfor Dairy Company. Answer: Introduction This paper is a presentation to the board of directors of a business report for the management activities taken for the dairy company operating in an open market with four other competitors. The paper articulates the decisions made and an evaluation of their outcome as justification for why the decisions were taken. At inception in 2013, the second quarter of the year returned no income because production had not started and setting up operations was taking up money, which is expected. The unit began processing and producing dairy products in the following quarter and achieved some sales. However, the period also coincides with the business beginning to seek out market share; at this point the company has minimal market share and therefore engaged in aggressive marketing strategies. The company focused on producing just two products in roughly equal amounts as shown by the sales volumes. Because of aggressively seeking market share, the cost of sales ate significantly into the revenues; further, the company had very little market share so the sales were not much. Coupled with a high proportion of fixed expenses, the business made a loss (Lack, 2013). In the following quarter, the strategy was still to focus on aggressive marketing to seek a market share; here strategies like aggressive pricing t o attract new customers plus very high quality products that attract extra production costs increased production costs. Getting market feedback led to a wider product range to cater to market needs hence the addition of chocolate flavored milk to the product range. The gross profit improved as sales increased, but new product lines and the associated marketing costs led to an increase in operating expenses so for the entire first year the business suffered a loss although the cash flow was positive. A positive cash flow is essential to keep business operations running and help the company gain market share (Reider Heyler, 2003). The new product line showed better returns (gross profit) hence justifying the reason for commencing its production. With market a condition improving, such as research showing the benefits of dairy products, production was increased to reflect market changes. There was still greater focus on the chocolate flavored milk and lite milk because of their higher returns and the fact that the full cream milk market was saturated and hence had lower returns because it has to be priced to keep up with competitors. The strategy at this point was still; to increase market share and gain a foothold in the market (Bentley Davis, 2010). In the second year of operation, the company was able to record improved gross profit in all the quarters due to aggressive marketing and product differentiation as well as effective response to market conditions. For instance news reports stated that dairy conferred health benefits, especially for lite milk; while value addition and product differentiation by pr oducing chocolate flavored milk helped ramp up the sales (Dearlove, 2007). However, the fourth quarter, for instance, returned a loss as operating expenses rose faster than sales, despite increasing gross profits. There was need to increase marketing and advertising as well as raise production to respond to increasing demand for the companys products, hence the company reported a significant net loss with a negative cash flow. The performance in 2014 was not satisfactory hence requiring a change for strategy in the next quarter, specifically to reduce operating expenses such as in advertising and promotion to balance the books. A significant reduction in operating expenses in the first quarter of 2015 helped return the business to profitability and external factors helped the situation. One competitor (the oldest dairy firm) went out of business while dairy prices normalized and competition became less stiff. Eliminating chocolate flavored milk from production was necessary to respond to adverse market conditions and this helped lower operating costs; with a prediction of milk prices increasing, the management needed to take full advantage. Increased dairy prices and reduced competition informed managements decision to restart chocolate flavored dairy milk production; operating expenses were kept at a minimum and this helped the company register a profit, though still with a negative cash flow. It is absolutely essential that a company responds proactively and effectively to changes in the competitive business environment (Porter, 2002). While gross profits increased in the next quarter, operating expenses also increased; the increase is attributed to chocolate flavored milk whose production costs are high hence the company recorded a net loss and a negative cash flow. The 10th quarter since inception resulted in increasing operating expenses and led to net losses and negative cash flows as the companys market share had not hit critical mass to guarantee returns. Effort was still placed on aggressive marketing to gain more market share. Prudent management and higher efficiencies saw operating expenses drop, leading to a profit although the cash flow position remained negative in the 11th quarter. In the 12th and 13th quarter, operating expenses were kept low resulting in profitability despite the cash flows being negative due to heavy investments in gaining more market share. Focus was placed on product segments that brought the highest returns and where the company would compete favorably with the competition while operating expenses were kept low; market share growth started to slacken, although the company returned a profit and had a positive cash flow as operating expenses were further reduced in the 14th quarter. The market conditions, being favorable (with stable prices and a promise of increase in dairy prices), production was maintained and operating expenses kept low while pricing remained competitive. This was maintained in the 15th quarter where profitability and positive cash flows were maintained. While chocolate flavored milk had the lowest sales, it was the second most profitable segment. Maintaining the same strategy for 2017 for the subsequent quarters is considered the best strategy as it guarantees the company can continue being profitable and will help improve the share price, hence leading to an increase in capital (from shareholder contributions); much needed to keep the business afloat in a relatively volatile business environment. Higher efficiencies in using the available capital and assets of the business to generate revenue were considered an important strategy to keep operating expenses low. Especially that the business market share growth was slackening and competitors were becoming more aggressive with new product lines. However, the company sought the strategy of having a niche market of lite milk and chocolate flavored milk with full cream milk produced to cater to the needs of the wider market segment (Patricia, 2017), (Bennett, 2014). The strategy is to increase profits and profitability through value products for a niche market; having fewer products can result in greater profits when combined with having a niche market (Edelson, 2011). This is informed by the fact that having more product lines result in greater manufacturing costs that eventually eat into profits as operating costs rise. Therefore, the strategy is to consolidate manufacturing so that few products that have higher profitability are produced for a niche market. Consumers are gradually showing a preference for fewer product lines (fewer choices) and simple but engaging customer experiences (Ashkenas, 2010). Thus a strategy of focusing on a smaller product line helps reduce overhead costs, especially those associated with manufacturing the many different products such as dairy milk powder, which competitors produce. Maintaining this strategy for 2017 will help ensure the business is fairly shielded from external shocks such as fluctuations in product prices and competitive pressure from competitors. The management prefers a strategy of flexibility and high levels of efficiency as the previous quarters in 2014 showed that aggressive marketing and market penetration tactics, including aggressive pricing resulted in increased overheads and hence high operating expenses that resulted in losses and negative cash flows. These factors served to compound the situation for the company, in light of highly competitive and fluctuating prices. Based on facts and past research, the management figures that consumers prefer smaller product choices and hence the company should focus on its niche markets, responding as required to shocks in the external market. For instance, at one time, the production of chocolate flavored milk had to be stopped for a whole quarter since the business environment was challenging and led to huge losses. Because producing chocolate flavored milk has many overheads, the result was a steep rise in operating expenses that led to losses and negative cash flows. Adopting principles such as activity based costing (ABC) will help allocate costs and overheads more effectively to guarantee higher efficiency in running the business to ensure greater profitability and positive cash flows. ABC coupled with lean principles of eliminating waste such as just in time (JIT) and continuous improvement f processes such as Kanban and kaizen ensure that wastages and hence, operating costs are minimized to ensure continued profitability and positive cash flows (Kaplan Anderson, 2007), (Jones 73). These help keep the share prices up and therefore provide the much needed extra capital from shareholder contributions while also improving shareholder value. The company will also adopt a growth strategy by focusing on expanding the market for lite milk whose health benefits have been reported in the media to increase profitability because 2017 to 2018 and 2019 have seen stagnant growth, with profitability remaining in a plateau. With competitors making substitute products, the company for example experienced a negative cash flow in the 21st quarter as price fluctuations led to zero profits in full cream milk leading to a loss. External factors, increasing competition and aggressive pricing saw another net loss in the 22nd quarter although with a positive cash flow. The production of lite milk and chocolate milk should be increased and that for full cream milk drastically reduced as it is no longer profitable and just adds to overheads that lead to losses. Market forces of normal and increasing milk prices helped the company return to profitability in the 24th and 25th quarters. References Ashkenas, R. (2010). Could Fewer Products Lead to More Profits?. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved 8 February 2017, from https://hbr.org/2010/12/could-fewer-products-lead-to- m.html Bennett, J. (2014). Get Rich in a Niche: The Insider's Guide to Self-Publishing in a Niche Market (1st ed.). New York: Red Bike Publishing. Bentley, W. Davis, P. (2010). Lean six sigma secrets for the CIO (1st ed.). Boca Raton: CRC Press. Dearlove, D. (2007). Business the Richard Branson way (1st ed.). Chichester, UK: Capstone. Edelson, E. (2017). How We Make More Money With Fewer Products. Cbsnews.com. Retrieved 8 February 2017, from https://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-we-make-more-money-with-fewer-products/ Jones, Erick C. Quality Management For Organizations Using Lean Six Sigma Techniques. 1st ed. CRC Press: Boca Raton, 2014. Print. Kaplan, R. Anderson, S. (2007). Time-driven activity-based costing (1st ed.). Boston: Harvard Business School Press. Lack, J. (2013). Plan to turn your company around in 90 days (1st ed.). [New York?]: Apress. Patricia,. (2017). What is niche marketing? And 8 good reasons why you should bother and not worry about losing out - The Design Trust. The Design Trust. Retrieved 8 February 2017,from https://www.thedesigntrust.co.uk/what-is-niche-marketing/ Porter, M. (2002). How Competitive Forces Shape Strategy. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved 8 February 2017, from https://hbr.org/1979/03/how-competitive-forces-shape-strategy Reider, R. Heyler, P. (2003). Managing cash flow (1st ed.). Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley.
Tuesday, April 28, 2020
Purchasing Topics of Argumentative Essay
Purchasing Topics of Argumentative Essay You may continue to keep your argumentative essays for your upcoming job portfolio in case they're highly graded. Our tool may be used to come across great research paper topics too. If you are searching for examples of argumentative essays, here's a sample that will help you out! Whatever the case, attempt to compose an essay all on your own with no help. Argumentative writings is a particular kind of a paper. Researching the topic permits you to find out more about what fascinates you, and should you pick something you really like, writing the essay will be more enjoyable. Argumentative essay topics are so important since they are debatableand it's essential to at all times be critically contemplating the world around us. Argumentative research paper topics are a ton much easier to find than to produce. Writing a college argumentative research paper isn't as simple as it might seem at first. Needless to say, it's so much better when a student is supplied a freedom to select the subject of their essay. By taking a look at examples, you can find a very clear picture of what things to expect, and be in a position to be successful in writing a fantastic college essay outline. When students are writing their argumentative essays which need to find, read and analyze a lot of material to do good. This topic is an instance of a fantastic argumentative paper topic. You're able to observe examples of the argumentative essay outline on the website or look the up on the internet. Click this URL to visit the 102 argumentative essay topics. Take a look at how to produce an essay topic! Inspiration to make your own advertising or media argumentative essay topics isn't difficult to discover. Provide citations for all of the sources you use. Then read this write-up to receive all the crucial info, and you'll undoubtedly construct an excellent argumentative essay outline. To start with, local newspaper papers are sometimes a great place to discover interesting argumentative essay topics. In choosing your topic, it's frequently a good concept to start with a subject which you already have some familiarity with. After you have the topic, answer the question and support your answer with three or more explanations for why you believe it. Learn which of the topics, you presently have a fairly good background on which will make it possible for you to have a relative edge. It's possible to select an intriguing topic from any area of science. There are invariably a wide variety of opinions on the topic of technology, and here are our favourite things to consider on the subject. You may also choose any latest research work that's a little controversial to allure the readers to compose argumentative essay. Our crew of professional writers with the essential experience and writing skills is always prepared to fulfill your demands and exceed your expectations. Thus, it's important to read corresponding formatting guide. Even if you're a specialist in a particular field, don't be afraid to use and cite external sources. In any case, direct and indirect quotes are required to support your understanding of academic writing style. Attempt to acquire a simplified model which provides some information concerning the scenario. As an inexpensive choice for argumentative research papers you are able to do the job. Developing a great argumentative paper is impossible without an excellent outline. Quite frequently, the ideal topic is one which you truly care about, but you also will need to get ready to research it. Selecting an emotional topic is also an excellent idea. It's important to select debatable argumentative essay topics since you need opposing points that you are able to counter to your own points. The Do's and Don'ts of Topics of Argumentative Essay You can be totally sure your paper is going to be delivered in time and be of the maximum quality. Writing quality essays is the principal p urpose of our services. Order top-notch essay at the moment and certified specialists will do their very best to supply you with higher quality at affordable price.
How to Write a Soviet Afghan War Essay Topic
How to Write a Soviet Afghan War Essay TopicBefore you set out to write a Soviet Afghan War essay topics, make sure that you have enough material. There are a variety of ways you can go about collecting the relevant documents, for example, by reading the archives yourself or obtaining them from the people who worked on them in person. If you can visit one of the many war-related museums in Russia's Caucasus region, this is a great way to collect a number of documents that might be useful when it comes time to write the assignment.You will need a number of study materials as well. The first thing you should do is to start looking at books written by Soviet, Afghan, and Western experts. For instance, after reading the books on the Soviet-Afghan war in the library, make a list of passages that interest you, jot down ideas you notice when reading these books, and then make a note of their relevance to your academic work.The other important book to start looking for would be the works of Khlebnikov. They are not the only ones who wrote about the war. A number of authors such as Gulliver, with whom you may be familiar, also had extensive work on the war. What is more, these books could help you get started with developing a firm writing voice.When writing Soviet Afghan war essay topics, one of the things you must do is to remember the facts. Forgetting facts is like forgetting the most basic concept that you need to cover in order to write a successful essay. Hence, you should make sure that you keep your notes. Therefore, you should be sure that you have the appropriate resources and that you will use them in the right way in order to come up with an interesting assignment.Keep in mind that you will need to write a paper from start to finish. Do not panic if you find it difficult at the beginning of the assignment. Rather, simply make a note of the main points that you want to cover. In the end, if you are still unsure about what to write, or you feel that you are m issing some information, you should consider gathering your papers again or finding additional sources.Soviet Afghan war essay topics can be tackled using techniques such as citing secondary sources, weaving them into your paper, and summarizing them in your paper. If you are unsure how to balance your paper and cite primary sources, you can refer to the complete works of Khlebnikov, Gulliver, and others.Another technique you can use when writing Soviet Afghan war essay topics is to weave your thoughts and opinions together in your paragraphs. This way, the arguments you present will be intertwined and this will allow you to present arguments based on evidence that has been proven. When this technique is applied, you will find that your essay is easier to write, and it also becomes easier to read, because you will find it easy to tell what your position is based on evidence.Many students find that when they use these Soviet Afghan war essay topics, their papers become much easier to write. Make sure you get started now, before the assignment deadline passes, so that you will have plenty of time to prepare for it.
Why Study The Marx Research Papers?
Why Study The Marx Research Papers?From the time of Marx's death in 1883, his research papers have been scattered across the world and have now, twenty-three years later, been published. It's not a small number of such papers; we find various articles, essays, papers, postscripts, an additional writing project and many other varieties of publications that mark a common thread with the themes of Marxism and communism.The reception of such papers has turned out to be highly beneficial to the socialist movement as a whole. It is because it has clarified the early background of Marx and his works and how it was influenced by Karl Kautsky and Friedrich Engels. For example, The German Ideology comes in the very first volume of Marx's unpublished writings; this gives some idea about how deeply he had been affected by the philosophy of Ludwig Feuerbach and his influence on him. His work and research are clearly informed by the works of Friedrich Schiller, Karl Kraus, Joseph Dietzgen, Friedri ch Wilhelm Nietzsche, Marx's childhood friend Johann Fichte, and Friedrich Wieser.In The German Ideology Marx expresses what he considers to be his view on religion. He considers it the 'religious root of all thinking' and is a pernicious corruption of human nature and a form of idolatry.In The Holy Family, Marx seeks to show that capital can be liberated by the fact that it is nothing more than property. He presents the basic contradiction that exists between working people and the capitalist and attempts to show that the latter are not really concerned with the general welfare of the working class, but only their own financial interests. This will give some idea about the challenges facing socialism.Marx's best-known work, Capital, is probably the most important study ever made of capitalism, that has received worldwide fame. It has been translated into many languages and is read by millions of people around the world. It discusses how capitalism came into being, how it works, how exploitation takes place, how the surplus value that is created through exploitation is divided, the kind of property owned, how production and distribution of the surplus value are organized, and how it brings about different levels of exploitation.In a short work, The German Ideology, Marx tries to explain the historical process by which capitalism came into being and why it ultimately overcame feudalism and industrial revolution. It's quite clear that in the last analysis, as with any social system, the rich get richer at the expense of the poor. Capitalist exploitation and domination are thus inseparable and cannot be separated, no matter how violent and merciless the capitalist and his henchmen might become. Marx also explains why there has been no real progress for working people despite the abolition of slavery, although the wealth and standard of living for many people have improved considerably.What's interesting is that Marx spent most of his life in prison, so perhaps he understood better than anyone how communism could be formed in society. Today, many different socialist groups around the world have got hold of Marx's research and have used it as a theoretical basis to build up their own communities and to propagandize for their views.
A Self-Description Essay Sample For Writing Your Personal Statement
A Self-Description Essay Sample For Writing Your Personal StatementWhen you first go to college, or even when you are just preparing for your entrance exam, writing a brief description of yourself should be an important part of your preparations. Without a simple answer to this question, you won't know whether you will have the ability to succeed in a career that requires a high level of intellectual and emotional intelligence. In fact, if you think that having the right qualifications is all that is required for success, you are likely to be one of the many overqualified individuals who will be struggling to find a suitable career that will allow them to satisfy their lifelong aspirations. Unfortunately, there is no one 'just the right' job for everyone.This also means that when you write a self-description essay, it is important to be able to describe yourself in such a way that others will find it easier to understand why you should be the best suited candidate for the position. A s mentioned earlier, you need to put yourself in a positive light, and make your chances of being hired much higher if you are able to deliver a good description of yourself. In addition, you must also have a clear understanding of how that statement should sound.It would not hurt to use a self-description essay sample as a means of thinking about how you will accomplish this goal. You should get a feel for how you will want to write your own introduction and also about how you will describe yourself in order to find out how to structure your own introduction.Writing your own resume is another important factor in helping you prepare for your job search. Make sure that you identify the skills and abilities that you have and why you feel that they are important. You also need to make sure that you tell people about the qualities that you will bring to the workplace. When you are prepared with a short and sweet description of yourself, you will be able to easily see the area that you n eed to improve and what you should do in order to get there.When you are writing your own essay, it is important to make sure that you use an example of someone who can relate to your case. As a general rule, you should choose a skill that is relevant to the position that you are applying for. If you are not sure about the skill, then try to go online and find a relevant example that someone else has used.This step should go without saying, but it should be said again - try to write a solid introduction. If you lack the writing skills or you do not have the confidence to write an essay without errors, you may want to consider hiring an essay writer. There are companies that will not only provide writing services, but also will assist you in coming up with a topic that is interesting to your readers. While the end result may not be perfect, you will at least get a working document and you will be able to see the content and its effectiveness on other readers.Writing a self-descriptio n essay is something that everyone can use in order to ensure that they have a professional image and that they are prepared for their future. It is important to remember that self-assessment is not a luxury, but rather a necessity. If you lack the necessary skills and qualities for the position that you are applying for, you will be much better off consulting a professional than trying to figure everything out on your own.
Tuesday, April 21, 2020
Tradgedy In The Commons Essays - Environment, Soil Contamination
Tradgedy In The Commons There has been growing concern about the environment and what is safe and not safe. Several new programs aimed at protesting the environment and human health, have been initiated under the 1990 Amendments to the clean air act (Chicago). But what is it exactly that is really wrong with the environment.. Well, its the people who need to get around using things such as cars that give off pollutants into our atmosphere. The wants and needs of society grow mainly because of population expansion and a growing desire for a more comfortable life. But is the U.S. only dealing with this? Beijing has been proven to be the worlds smoggiest city. The air has diminished so severely that Premier Zhu Rongii and other top leaders have made major cleanup measures. Tiny little vans called an Miandi have been one of the major causes of poor air quality. Although they call for less then 2% of the more then 1.4 million vehicles, they are the sources of 8-10% of the pollution because of their auto gases. The other factors of pollution in Beijing are the restaurants and businesses that use coal to fuel their stoves (Beijing). However, the question is not what caused the pollution but how we will stop it. There are 2 good answers for Beijing. One is to convert the coal burning stoves into stoves that use cleaner fuels. The second is a company that is trying to crack down on pollution called Capital Steel. Capital Steel has been a long time target of environmentalists and by 2003 they plan to spend $100 million on pollution prevention (Beijing). On the other hand, in the US the Environmental Protection Agency has been enforcing air pollution standards on S.U.V.'s, pickups, and mini-vans. The effects of these standards are the rising costs of motor vehicles. The EPA had estimated that these standards will increase the cost of cars on average $100 and trucks about $200 (Trucks). There is a problem however, with creating cars that give off non pollutant materials. This gasoline additive, MTBE, has seeped through into near by wells and has forced and has forced them to close. The result of this is that millions of dollars have been spent in the clean up costs( Gasoline). In conclusion, I guess you could agree with me when I say the world we live in is far from perfect. Things will be proven to be harmful and there will be ways to save us at the mere cost of millions. The reason that air pollution is important is that it shows not only the U.S. is cracking down on pollution prevention but the rest of the world is too, not to mention the hundreds of millions of dollars that are being spent because of the tragedy of the commons. Bibliography Bibliography Hanson, Donald A., William A. Testa. Chicago Fed. Letter. Chicago: The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, 1992. This showed how market based approaches are set up so that goals can be achieved. Kurtenbaeh, Elaine. Beijing moves to clear up chocking smog. USA Today. 19 October 1999. This article talked about how mini vans were leading causes of the air pollution, and how the Capital Steel co. has spent $100 million on pollution prevention. O'Donnell, Jayne. Trucks will have to meet clean air rule. USA Today. 21 December 1999. This article talked about how the EPA standards are raising the prices of cars and trucks. Gasoline additive Cleans air, fouls water. USA Today. 21 January 2000\ This article talked about how this gasoline additive MTBE makes cars burn cleaner, but is also at the same time polluting the water. Economics Essays
Monday, March 16, 2020
Comparison of the use of Blood and Sleep in Shakespeares Macbeth Essay Example
Comparison of the use of Blood and Sleep in Shakespeares Macbeth Essay Example Comparison of the use of Blood and Sleep in Shakespeares Macbeth Paper Comparison of the use of Blood and Sleep in Shakespeares Macbeth Paper Essay Topic: Macbeth In Macbeth, the images and themes of blood and sleep are constantly mentioned throughout the play, particularly in Act 2 Scene 2 and in Act 5 Scene 1. The reason for which Shakespeare decided to write the play in this manner was in order to create a symbolic importance of these two motifs. Blood is generally used to represent death, injury and guilt in the play. An effective instance of this is when Lady Macbeth says Ill gild the faces of the grooms. To gild means to paint with gold, and in heraldry, red and gold are often regarded as equal colours, and so in this case, Lady Macbeth says that she will cover the grooms faces with blood. This is intended to be a play on words, associating the word gild with guilt, which then causes the theme of blood to represent guilt. The image of sleep is employed to symbolise conscience. Sleep is known to rest the mind and allow it to function properly. Sleep that knits up the ravelled sleave of care, The death of each days life, sore labours bath, Balm of hurt minds, great natures second course, Chief nourisher in lifes feast. This is indicating that nobody can survive without sleep, demonstrated clearly in the character of Lady Macbeth. Lady Macbeth is unable to sleep again, because when Macbeth kills Duncan, Macbeth does murder sleep! Lady Macbeth is constantly kept awake by her conscience, which is the primary plot of Act 5 Scene 1, in which she is sleep-walking. Also in Act 5 Scene 1, there are continuous references to the evil deeds that Lady Macbeth has committed, many of which include the theme of blood. When she goes through the motion of rubbing and washing her hands, she says, Out damned spot! Out I say! which tells the audience that she is unable to remove the blood (which she is imagining) from her hands just by washing them. A further idea is put across, that whatever Lady Macbeth does, she cannot eradicate her guilt of murdering the king. Once again, the themes of blood and guilt are associated with each other. During the aftermath of Duncans murder, Macbeth feels extremely guilty about his crime, believing that nothing can be done to undo his deed. Will all great Neptunes ocean wash this blood Clean from my hand? No, this my hand will rather The multitudinous seas incarnadine, Making the green one red. Lady Macbeth differs quite a lot from her husband in this way, as she believes that she will be mentally free of guilt as soon as her hands are physically free of blood. Ironically, it is she who is driven to madness at the end of the play, as this is precisely the way that Lady Macbeth feels in Act 5 Scene 1. She tries to wash her hands to remove the blood from them, and to remove her guilt. Macbeth says that no matter how much he washes his hands, the blood will remain on them, and make the water red instead. This is a sign of Macbeths thought that no amount of repentance can clear him from committing such a ghastly crime. The theme of sleep plays an important role in the play, as it represents Macbeths and Lady Macbeths loss of innocence. In Act 2 Scene 2, Macbeth labels sleep as The innocent sleep. Macbeth has however, murdered Duncan, and in doing so, he has lost his innocence, and therefore his sleep is interrupted with nightmares and disturbances, created by his guilty conscience. Before killing Duncan, Macbeth sees the imaginary image of the dagger in front of him. When he is in Duncans chamber, he hears his conscience warning him of his evil act. Still it cried Sleep no more! to all the house. Glamis hath murdered sleep, and therefore Cawdor Shall sleep no more, Macbeth shall sleep no more. Lady Macbeth is also warned of the trouble to arise as a result of the murder. She goes to kill him, but she loses her nerve at the sight of Duncan, who apparently resembles her father as he sleeps. Because of this, she withdraws and sends Macbeth to do her evil act instead. However, the murder is still on her conscience, and so Lady Macbeths sleep is not natural, but forced. In Act 5 Scene 1, while Lady Macbeth is sleepwalking, she highlights the fact that her hands smell like blood. This is most likely in her imagination, as she is unable to rid herself of the shame of Duncans assassination. Heres the smell of the blood still; all the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand. Lady Macbeth doubts that she is able to do anything which will allow her to stop feeling guilty and to rest properly. The motif of sleep is not only referred to by Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. In Act 2 Scene 3, Macduff discovers the dead body of Duncan, covered in blood. When Macduff sees the body, he says, Shake off this downy sleep, deaths counterfeit, and look on death itself! This quote is designed to tell the audience that sleep and death appear to be very similar, however, true sleep is downy and soothing, but death is an extreme terror. In Act 5 Scene 1, when Lady Macbeth is sleepwalking, she makes many direct references to the image of blood, and in doing so, indirectly refers to the guilt of both herself, and Macbeth. When she says, Who would have thought the old man to have so much blood in him? she is telling the audience about the great amount of blood contained in Duncans body. She has imagined the he bled when he was stabbed, and continued to bleed ever since. This relates to her guilt very effectively, as she believes that because Duncan has continued to bleed, her guilt has continued to affect her. She asks why Duncan had so much blood in him, because Duncans unlimited amount of blood is causing an unlimited amount of guilt for her, by which she is troubled greatly She strives to wash and scent her hands as thoroughly as possible in order to get rid of the evidence and to get rid of her guilt, but her conscience always tells her that her hands are drenched with blood. Before Macbeth murders Duncan, Act 1 Scene 2 also subtly forecasts the vicious acts which will later be performed by Macbeth. Duncan shouts, What bloody man is that? He is actually referring to Macbeth as the soldier emerging victorious from battle, but Shakespeare is hinting murders that will be later committed, with use of the word bloody. For brave Macbeth well he deserves that name- Disdaining fortune, with his brandished steel, Which smoked with bloody execution, This quote extremely successfully illustrates Macbeths brutality, and ties him in with the idea of killing, which then foretells the audience of the assassination which he is soon going to carry out. The audience, at the time that the play was written, would have been very sensitive to subtle hints of this sort. They would have realised that Macbeth had some evil in him. Act 5 Scene 8 shows very clearly that Macbeth is feeling guilty about his murders. Before fighting Macduff, Macbeth expresses his guilt, but also expresses the fact that he is not afraid of Macduff, at the same time. Macbeth tells Macduff not to fight, because Macbeth does not wish to murder yet another Macduff. Of all men else I have avoided thee. But get thee back; my soul is too much chargd With blood of thine already. When Macbeth openly admits that he has had Macduffs family brutally murdered, he is showing the audience that he has remorse for what he has done, making another reference to the image of blood, in order to add in a metaphor, which communicates his guilt with great effect.
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