Good Versus Evil Appearances deceive constantly. Something may look appealing, but come with an unforeseen price. Someone may present a face of kindness, but have a malicious heart. Or, someone may carry out evil actions, however noble his or her cause. In the Elizabethan tragedy, Macbeth, William Shakespeare establishes his perspective on morality, and uses Macbeth’s inner conflict and dialogue to convey the idea that the line that divides good and evil exists in a state of cloudiness, and people need to understand how easily they may stumble unwittingly from one side to the other. Selfish wants entice people and sometimes they do not have the strength to resist. When human greed and desire overwhelms righteousness, a war wages inside his or her blackening heart: "Let not light see my black and deep desires. The eye wink at the hand, yet let that be which the eye fears, when it is done, to see" (Shakespeare I.iv. 58-60). Highlighting the separation between the state of one’s heart and the darkness of one’s deeds with Macbeth’s moral struggle, Shakespeare demonstrates how a lust for power corrupts a previously good man, and turns him into a killer. Shakespeare wants people to see themselves in Macbeth, and to understand that …show more content…
Lady Macbeth feels unbearably guilty for her actions, and states she needs “the smoke of hell” to cover her wretchedness, "That my keen knife see not the wound it makes, nor heaven peep through the blanket of the dark to cry, "Hold, hold!" (Shakespeare I.v. 58-61). The knowledge of her actions weighs heavily on Lady Macbeth, yet not once does she back away from the knife. In the moment in which Lady Macbeth decides to listen to her desires, she crosses the line between good and evil. Shakespeare details the woman’s torment to show the consequences of sin. People must take the consequences seriously and realize that the same punishment may appear in their lives if they choose to act