Question

What do the birds symbolize in Macbeth?

Answer 1

They symbolize ill-omen, foreshadowing, etc. For example, the raven symbol comes before Duncan dies, the "marlet" or swallow appears traversing the "breath of heaven", and the owl screeches when McB is going to kill the king. These are all moments that show that something horrible is happening / going to happen / has happened. For example, the owl screeches to Lady MacBeth and she knows then that her husband is killing the king. Yet she chooses to be quiet, even feeling pleasure at the owl screech because she knows it is done. Later, she becomes very tormented by the blood that is on her hands because she didn't heed the warning call of the birds.

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