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Guilt In Macbeth

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Guilt, a pervasive emotion in Macbeth that arises from the conflict with one’s desires and conscience, becomes a driving force and pertinent theme in the narrative, propelling the characters to their own tragic fates. The theme of guilt manifests itself in Macbeth through multiple ways, from the incessant knocks in Macbeth’s castle to the recurring motif of blood. Through this essay, I will be analyzing the motifs of blood and sleep in Macbeth as well as his hallucinations throughout the book to explore the theme of guilt, showing the haunting consequences of succumbing to guilt’s unrelenting grip. Shakespeare explores the theme of guilt in Macbeth through the symbolism of blood. Blood is a recurring motif in Shakespeare’s play of Macbeth, …show more content…

Such an example occurs in Act 2 Scene 2, "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." In this quote Macbeth used the motif of blood to symbolize that his guilt from murdering King Duncan will never be washed off, that even with the immensity of Neptune’s oceans, he won’t ever get rid of the “blood” on his hands. By washing his hands with Neptune’s oceans, it would instead dye the ocean red, which should be impossible due to the vastness of the ocean. This hyperbole shows that guilt is something that will stay with him for eternity, and he will never be able to get rid of it, despite his efforts and desperation. It is also mentioned in the quote that the act of regicide that he committed was so evil that he was able to stain the seas red, which emphasizes the severity of his crimes. It can also mean that the amount of guilt he felt was so immense that he believed that it was able to dye the seas red from his shame. Another example of blood being used to symbolize guilt was in Act 5 …show more content…

One of the psychological effects that Macbeth went through would be hallucinations. An example of a hallucination would be in Act 2 Scene 1 “Is this a dagger which I see before me, / The handle toward my hand?” Before Macbeth carries out his act of regicide. “Is this a dagger I see before me” is implying that even Macbeth himself was unsure whether the dagger he sees is real or not, allowing us to assume that he might be hallucinating it. Macbeth’s questioning of the reality of the dagger also mirrors his internal turmoil of whether to carry out the murder of King Duncan. As then he either gains power and lives his life as a murderer, or continues his life as usual. “Handle toward my hand” reveals Macbeth’s desire to take hold of the weapon to commit his act regicide. It reveals his murderous intentions, while at the same time, a sense of inevitability that he would commit the crime. of also further emphasizes on the fact that if Macbeth carries out the act of regicide, the amount of guilt, burden and responsibility it would bring to his life will be a heavy load. With Macbeth being faced by the handle, it is a foreshadowing to Macbeth’s future as a murderer, as in most murder cases, the one behind the knife is labeled as the murderer. It also shows the control that Macbeth has over his actions, and still had a choice to choose to not commit regicide. The fact that he

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(2,1,32-33) (‘’Is this a dagger which I see before me, The handle toward my hand?”) Meaning that Macbeth is seeing things that aren’t there. An overwhelming focus on power is damaging to mental health this is manifested in Macbeth by him seeing things that aren’t there. Because Macbeth was fixated on keeping the power of the throne he suspected treason everywhere. An additional way that a fixation on the power of the throne can affect the mind is insecurity, when Macbeth put so much time and effort into being king he wants to feel secure in his position (4,1,71-72) (“Macbeth!

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Through the eyes of Macbeth, blood is a stain of guilt that one can not remove. In William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the motif of blood is symbolic of fear, guilt, power and represents the theme, ambition kills. The motif of blood reoccurs continuously in Shakespear’s Macbeth, but does not lose its importance. As the play becomes more somber and gruesome, blood is mentioned more frequently.

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There were once kings who ruled Scotland, but what comes with great power comes with people that want the same power a true king possesses. During the play, Shakespeare creates a character that wishes to have all the power a true king does. He decides he should use a tool and change the ways of Scotland. In the play by Shakespeare, the dagger gives off an uneasy mood and contributes to the character of Macbeth. The dagger affects Macbeth because he feels torn between emotions and is now going to be surrounded by madness and evil.

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The voices he hears that threaten: “Macbeth shall sleep no more” indicate a relationship between guilt and madness. Therefore, the manifestation of the dagger suggests that he feels guilty because of his attempt to murder Duncan. There are three major transitions of thought. First, he contemplates about the dagger’s existence; the second is the invocations of dark images; finally, there is the bell that cuts off Macbeth’s contemplations. The transitions between topics indicate that while Macbeth feels guilty for the murder, his determination makes him ignore

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The idea that the dagger is a tool of fate speaks to Macbeth's fatalistic perspective, in which he regards himself as little more than a piece in a greater cosmic tale. Macbeth neglects responsibility for his acts by giving authority to the blade and believing himself helpless to oppose its guidance. Instead, he attributes his actions to outside forces he cannot control. With the mind manipulation by the hallucination of the dagger, he decides to follow through with the dagger, even though he knows it is a fabrication of his

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Throughout the book Shakespeare depicts Macbeth's sanity as deteriorating after he commits the heinous crime of plotting a usurpation. This can be seen through the quote ‘’ Is this a dagger?’’ This shows Macbeth's mind slowly declining with guilt and paranoia from coveting from the throne. It also foreshadows Macbeth’s resultant downfall. The readers are positioned to question the sanity of Macbeth and his mental status.

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No, this my hand with rather the multitudinous seas incarnadine making the green one red” (II, ii, 78-81). The sight of Macbeth’s blood at the crime scene would be the ultimate proof against his innocence. His guilty conscience convinces him that his blood is so tainted that it cannot be removed and will instead stain. Indeed, Macbeth’s blood symbolizes the omnipotence of his guilt and his inability to fill his mind with thoughts other than those of the murder.

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Shakespeare uses blood both metaphorically and physically to highlight the guilt that characters, specifically Macbeth carries throughout the novel. Blood stains serve as a reminder of people’s past evils and should prevent them from committing said evils again, yet in Macbeth’s case he continues to act seemingly without remorse and do whatever needs to be done to become king and maintain his power. When Macbeth first kills Duncan he questions if “all great neptune’s ocean [will be able to] wash [the] blood clean from [his] hand”(ii.ii.78). Shakespeare implies that Macbeth will always be guilty of his crimes and that nothing can rid him of the atrocities that he will commit in pursuit of power. Macbeth’s view directly contrasts with Lady Macbeth’s perspective.

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In Act 2 Scene 2, after Macbeth kills Duncan, he hallucinates blood on his hands, asking “Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood Clean from my hand? Making the green one red.” This paints a visual imagery of Neptune’s ocean trying to wash away the imaginary blood which symbolises the guilt

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Though first confused by the dagger, he later concludes that is a figment of his imagination from a guilt-ridden mind. The intensity of the dagger hallucinations experienced by Macbeth increases as he states that his eyes are “made the fools o’ the other senses,” showing that his eyes perceive visions of which he knows not to be there (2.1.56). He later reasons that it is the “bloody business which informs/Thus to mine eyes,” as the reason he sees this dagger is due to the murderous journey he

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The recurring image of blood throughout the play symbolizes guilt and the irreparable nature of one’s actions pertaining to murder, highlighting the downfall of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. At the beginning of the play, Macbeth is the perfect image of what a man in power should be. He is brave, kind, and noble and has won over the public, but one stormy night, he

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Some of the significant elements that represent guilt are clear throughout the play; furthermore, guilt is symbolized through visions, blood, and hallucinations. For instance, after Macbeth makes the huge

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For instance, after killing Duncan, Macbeth says, “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” (II.2.60-3). His distraught reaction to the murder and his thinking that nothing will clear his conscience or his hand proves his guilt and remorse for killing Duncan making him a victim, not a villain. Another way the motif of blood represents contrition occurs when Macbeth says, “I am in blood /

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At the beginning of the play, blood can often be seen to symbolise strength, heroism and stereotypical masculinity. The Captain describes Macbeth’s efforts on the battlefield with imagery such as “ smoked with bloody execution” to display blood as a war trophy and badge of bravery. Shakespeare’s use of descriptive language such as “smoked” conveys a tone of achievement and grandeur: which in turn implies that the act of murdering men on the battle field is heroic and praiseworthy, as it is displayed in such an impressive manner. However, Shakespeare shows the audience a very different side to Macbeth after the murder of Duncan. Shakespeare displays Macbeth’s overwhelming guilt and remorse in the words “my hand will rather/ the multitudinous seas incarnadine making the green one red” in which Macbeth states that all the oceans of the world could not wash away the blood from his hands and therefore implies that there is nothing on

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Paragraph 2: In Act 2, Scene 1, Macbeth's presentation takes a dark turn as he becomes consumed by his ambition and the prophecies of the witches. The scene begins with Macbeth contemplating the murder of King Duncan in order to fulfill the witches' prophecy of him becoming king. He is torn between his desire for power and his moral conscience, as he acknowledges the consequences of his actions: "Is this a dagger which I see before me...? Come, let me clutch thee. " Macbeth's soliloquy reveals his inner turmoil and the extent to which he is willing to go to achieve his ambitions.

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