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Macbeth's Guilt Essay

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People make decisions based on personal values and social norms around them. When regretting a decision, one may feel guilt, sadness, and remorse. In the play, Shakespeare’s Tragedy of Macbeth, having a guilty conscience is a predominant theme. Macbeth early on feels guilty about killing king Ducan but his guilt reduces throughout the play as he goes on a murderous rampage. Although Macbeth is seen as a vicious tyrant, throughout the play the motif of blood shows his guilt and need for redemption as he makes choices that lead to his downfall. Macbeth's guilty conscience affects his thoughts, emotions, and actions throughout the play. After killing Duncan, Macbeth starts to regret his actions, “A dagger of the mind, a false creation proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain?” (2:1 50-51). When Macbeth is about to kill Duncan, he sees a floating bloody dagger pointing at Duncan's chamber. This makes him feel guilty and second-guess what he is about to do. …show more content…

Macbeth continues to get flashbacks from the murder claiming, “Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood clean from my hand? No, this my hand will rather the multitudinous seas incarnadine, making the green one red' Macbeth” (Act II, Sc. II). Macbeth Highlights in this part that all the oceans in the world wouldn't be capable of washing the blood from his hands saying he is guilty. Throughout the play, Macbeth continues to see recurring images which not only prove he regrets his actions but in some cases foreshadow the future. When lady Macbeth and Macbeth are about to kill the king imagery is shown “What bloody man is that? He can report, As smeeth by his plight of the revolt the newest state.” (Act I,ii). The Imaginary blood represents the guilt of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth which foreshadows the blood of the king when they murder

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