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Macbeth Guilt Essay

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Oftentimes, the corrupt temptations of people are avoided due to their conscience and fear. The feeling of guilt is frequently used in literature to develop a shift in the character of the protagonist. In Macbeth, Shakespeare explores his definition of guilt and its effects on the characters in varying degrees. Macbeth’s view on guilt and his experience with it in the beginning vs. the end of the play directly correlates with the change in his morals and inner thoughts. Macbeth's feelings of guilt in Macbeth reflects his internal struggle with the immorality of his actions. But his guilt also serves to hasten his ultimate downfall. At the start of the play, Macbeth is depicted as a moral and honorable man. Before Macbeth killed Duncan, it seemed …show more content…

He finds himself feeling like it's meaningless, and the crown isn't even worth it. His wife is unmourned, and his life has no value. At the beginning of the final scene, he looks down on suicide. So he throws his sword away because he'd prefer to die on Macduff's sword rather than his own (Hecht). This is an important moment because Macbeth is showing that he is that same brave, valiant man that he was originally described as. “I will not yield to kiss the ground before young Malcohm’s feet and to be baited with the rabble’s curse” (IV.viii,32-33) Even though he wants to give up at this point and doesn’t see meaning in it, he stays strong in front of Macduff. So although it’s clear throughout that play that Macbeth’s decision making has been skewed by his guilt, this moment shows that at a vulnerable time, when he is about to die, the version of Macbeth that existed before experiencing all of the turmoil and guilt comes out. The exploration of guilt by Shakespeare serves as a way in which the portrayal of Macbeth’s character shifts. Initially seen as a moral and honorable man, Macbeth struggles with the corrupt influences of both temptation and

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