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"fountain of your blood"
Metaphor
Act 2,
Scene 3
Lines 94a-97a

An explanation of the metaphorical “fountain of your blood” in Act 2, Scene 3 of myShakespeare’s Macbeth.

Donalbain

What is amiss?

Macbeth

                         You are, and do not know't.
The spring, the head, the fountain of your blood
Is stopped. The very source of it is stopped.

Macduff

Your royal father 's murdered.

Malcolm

Lennox

Macbeth

Macduff

Macbeth

Lady Macbeth

[Lady Macbeth faints]

Macduff

Since the royal bloodline flowed from King Duncan to his sons, Malcolm and Donalbain, his death is like the drying up of a spring or fountain.