Macbeth And The Conscience Analysis

Our conscience is the main factor that guides our thought process, leading into our decision making. Overall, people tend to distinguish right from wrong through what their conscience tells them, and morals that they’ve learned. The majority of people choose to make the right decisions on their own, but occasionally need assistance and guidance from others to aid in making a decision. These outside influences can benefit you as well as expose you to the wrong things. Through our encounters with these people we realize that others’ opinions can often affect the decisions we originally made by ourselves. In Shakespeare’s play, Macbeth, Shakespeare reveals that the exposure to negative influences can alter our behavior and affect our conscience,

During Lady Macbeth’s first attempts of tempting Macbeth, he continues to refuse, believing it was wrong and he dares only to do “all that may become a man” (I.vii.47). Even after Lady Macbeth tries to tempt him, Macbeth sticks to what he believes is right, but it didn’t take long for Macbeth to cave and commit to the crime, announcing that all is settled and he dedicates “each corporal agent to this terrible feat” (I.vii.80). Although he was firm in his decision to do the right thing, after much pressure and persuasion from Lady Macbeth, Macbeth’s thoughts and conscience are no longer what they were before. Macbeth’s exposure to Lady Macbeth caused him to crack under pressure and temptation regardless of his earlier

Lady Macbeth tried to reassure him everything would be okay, and eased his mind claiming their crime “must not be thought after these ways” (II.ii.32) because it would drive them both crazy. By implementing the idea that ignoring their guilt would make everything better, Macbeth slowly learns that to feel less worried, he should ignore his conscience and guilt. Ever since Macbeth became a part of the murder of King Duncan, he has also noticed a change within himself. He is aware that his actions are not the real him, or what the original Macbeth would have done. Because the shame of his sin made him feel so heavy and paranoid, he talked himself into believing that it was better to not think or look back on his faults, he claimed “‘twere best not know myself” (II.ii.71). By assuming that being completely unconscious would allow him to live better off with his guilt, it proves how much sin he’s trying to hide. He wishes he couldn’t feel the guilt or his conscience constantly reminding him of his wrong doings. Ever since Lady Macbeth insist that Macbeth not think of his crime, Macbeth grew more and more heartless. After surviving his first murder, Macbeth already begins to plot against Banquo, remarking that bad deeds “begun make strong themselves by ill” (III.ii.56). Because his first murder ended successfully, Macbeth believes another murder could go just as well. Macbeth doesn’t experience