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How Does Macbeth Change Throughout The Play

651 Words3 Pages

Macbeth starts out being an excellent warrior in the battles that he is fighting in for the good. He is spilling blood over the right reasons and in doing so he earned the title of Thane of Cawdor. However, this all begins to change once he and Banquo, his right hand man in battle, meet the three witches and they get their prophecies told to them. This begins the downfall of Macbeth, causing corruption, greed, and guilt coming from the actions after the prophecies are told to them.
Immediately after Macbeth’s mental state switches as a result to the first prophecy coming true already, he begins thinking that he has to kill King Duncan in order to fulfill the rest of them. Yet, he is still uncertain about killing Duncan until he sends a letter to his wife and the true corruption starts then. Following the letter arriving to Lady Macbeth, she is set on Macbeth killing Duncan in order to have the power. Lady Macbeth states, “Yet do I fear thy nature;/ It is too full o' th' milk of human kindness/ To catch …show more content…

Macbeth’s guilt starts as soon as he killed King Duncan with the statement, “Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood/Clean drom my hand? No, this my hand will rather/ The multitudinous seas incarnadine,/ Making the green one red” (2.2.58-61). After this Macbeth thought that he was going crazy but really it was the guilt and it just got worse after the murders of Banquo and Macduff’s family. Lady Macbeth starts out the play being nonchalant about the murders, however the guilt of her assistance in all the acts slowly takes over her mental state. “Out, damned spot, out, I say! One. Two. Why then,/ ‘tis time to do’t. Hell is murky. Fie, my lord. Fir, a soldier and afeard” (5.1.28-29). This line shows when the guilt was at its full effect and soon thereafter Lady Macbeth kills herself because she cannot handle the blood on her hands any

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