ipl-logo

Macbeth's Guilty Conscience Essay

915 Words4 Pages

“I am afraid to think what I have done; look on’t again I dare not” (William Shakespeare). Macbeth didn’t like to reflect on his history due to his guilty conscience and motions. Macbeth is a tragedy of political ambitions leading to the destruction of moral constraints. A brave Scottish general in King Duncan’s army, when attending the three witches' prediction that he’d become king of Scotland, and the assistance from his wife, kills King Duncan and fills him with deep regret and guilt. Attempting to control the future and burying the past is a regretful choice because his actions brought him to kill King Duncan, his plan to assassinate Banquo, and his remorseful conscience.

In “Macbeth ACT II’ by William Shakespeare, after listening …show more content…

After hearing his news, Macbeth evolved outraged that Fleance escaped in darkness and understands the following prophecy currently fulfilled. What he is experiencing at the moment is irritation, causing him to accuse the murderer of failing his duty. “The worm that's fled / Hath nature that in time will venom breed” (Scene iv; Lines 30 - 31). Understanding his emotions, Macbeth is displeased with the murderer and comprehends his position is now in jeopardy. He starts lamenting himself furthermore in the situation again. Likewise, "Avaunt! and quit my sight! Let the earth hide thee!" (Scene iv; Line 96). This is where he began to see Banquo’s ghost sitting at his table and feels horrified. The consequences of the murder Macbeth performed indicate his guilt and fear. Macbeth is witnessing a contribution to his demise and becomes paranoid due to his measures. Besides, allow us to oppose the statements and provide valuable evidence to prove they are …show more content…

Even so, Macbeth is not the only one to condemn his guilty actions, which suggests an individual has empowered his purpose. “When Duncan is asleep —Whereto the rather shall his day’s hard journey, Soundly invite him—his two chamberlains.” (Scene vii; Lines 62-64). In the circumstance of Macbeth, he should not be the only one accused of his actions, but the wife should also be held accountable for her motives. She has compelled him to murder king Duncan and manipulates his morals against humankind. Overall, Lady Macbeth was the reason why she fetched her husband to low moral standards and recreated his character. Finally, since we gathered all the evidence we connected to our thesis, we can now abbreviate our

Show More
Related
672 Words | 3 Pages

This is shown in the play, when Macbeth faces his consequences, like guilt. Shakespeare uses anaphora to show the audience that what Macbeth is saying relates to something important. Macbeth always had this fear of Banquo, because Banquo has his suspicions of Macbeth and hopes the prophecy about his son will come true. Macbeth is afraid of Banquo because of the witches’ promise that Banquo’s sons will be king so he then said, “To be thus is nothing. But to be safely thus.

Read More
1724 Words | 7 Pages

Shakespeare Selected Plays Imtiaz Jbareen 204495170 A Close Reading of Macbeth Shakespeare’s brilliance lies within subtle details. Therefore, a close reading of his plays, including Macbeth, presents an insight into the structure of the play. Once this is accomplished, one reaches an understanding of the play and characters through their speeches. This paper discusses Act 2 Scene 1, Macbeth’s soliloquy.

Read More
703 Words | 3 Pages

"If it were done when 'tis done, then 'twere well /It were done quickly: if the assassination/Could trammel up the consequence, and catch/ With his surcease success" (1.7.1-4). Macbeth does not want to kill the king but his ambition to become king makes him question if the rewards are worth the risks. As a result, this adds to the theme of guilt because we can see that Macbeth is not fully committed to killing the king and wonders what the consequences will

Read More
1525 Words | 7 Pages

After hearing the witches’ prophecy, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth only focus on the last part of it which was Macbeth becoming king. This relates to the theme because Macbeth decides to take action and kill Duncan in order to make sure he is king. This also shows his disillusionment as he is doing anything for his fate to be proven true. Macbeth feels threatened by Fleance after the witches told Banquo his prophecy, which was that he will have a line of kings. “Fleance, his son, that keeps him company, / Whose absence is no less material to me / Than is his father’s, must embrace the fate / Of that dark hour” (3.2.134-138).

Read More
452 Words | 2 Pages

Macbeth continues to get flashbacks from the murder claiming, “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' Macbeth” (Act II, Sc. II). Macbeth Highlights in this part that all the oceans in the world wouldn't be capable of washing the blood from his hands saying he is guilty. Throughout the play, Macbeth continues to see recurring images which not only prove he regrets his actions but in some cases foreshadow the future.

Read More
460 Words | 2 Pages

In William Shakespere’s tragedy Macbeth, Lady Macbeth’s ambition and support of her husband's actions of murder makes her fall guilty. In act 1, scene 7, Lady Macbeth’s husband, Macbeth is in a debate battle with his thoughts not knowing if he should kill King Duncan or leave him be. He has been dreaming about the killing of Duncan so he can become king and live his happiest life the way he always wanted. The act of murder seems crazy but Lady Macbeth thinks otherwise and instead makes a plan for Macbeth so he can execute it correctly, leaving no evidence behind.

Read More
312 Words | 2 Pages

He hath honour’d me of late” (1.7.31-32) EV4: “Sleep no more; Macbeth does murder sleep” (2.2.34-36) EV5: “O, yet I do repent me of my fury That I did kill them” ( 2.3.105-106) Topic Sentence 2: However, in Act 3, Macbeth relentlessly pursues unassailable power through ruthless butchery, a contrast exposing the absence of his moral compass. EV1: “There is none but he Whose being I do fear” (3.1.53-54) “in such bloody distance that every minute of his being thrusts That every minute of his being thrusts Against my near’st of life” (3.1.114-116) EV2: “O, full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife! Though know’st that Banquo, and his Fleance, lives” (3.2.36-38) EV3: “The shard-borne beetle with his drowsy hums

Read More
441 Words | 2 Pages

Continuously, the death of banquo has revealed their change of relation between Banquo and Macbeth. This is proven when Macbeth he refer to Banquo 's deceased body as “the grown serpent lies”, this Metaphor illuminates that Macbeth no longer saw Banquo as a friend but as a traitor to him and his country. This is know because Macbeth calls him a snake, an animal associated with evil deeds, disloyalty and Lucifer. This scene establish the breakdown of Macbeth 's and banquo 's

Read More
500 Words | 2 Pages

The scene Act 3 scene 2, conveys the theme that killing someone isn't the most proficient way in dealing with problems nor does it make life simpler, instead it creates more complications. Ironically, In this scene Lady Macbeth and Macbeth discuss the death of Banquo; both of them begin to show signs of fear & guilt. Both of them realize the troubles that come with killing Banquo, and recognize that troubles follow; his son Fleance can still cease the prophecy. This is demonstrated in the metaphorical quote “We have scorched the snake, not killed it.” Macbeth refers to Banquo as a snake, who has not yet been killed and is still able to “attack” them.

Read More
1337 Words | 6 Pages

The witches, Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, and other characters seem to act one way, whether it be good or evil, but their intentions are usually impure and meant to harm others in order to benefit themselves. Macbeth’s guilt is caused by the foul play the witches involve themselves in. If not for their prophecy, Macbeth would have never known of his fate and would have gained the kingship without involving murder, leading to his guilty conscious. The use of Supernatural elements is added to the plot of the play in order to show readers what led to Macbeth’s downfall, and what contributed to his guilt. His guilt arose from the

Read More
696 Words | 3 Pages

Throughout the play, Macbeth is viewed with hostility in regard to his unscrupulous actions. However, the fact that it was Lady Macbeth who was the mastermind behind king Duncan’s death is often

Read More
771 Words | 4 Pages

As tragic as Macbeth becomes through the play, his paranoia is also a factor that leads to his ultimate downfall, morally and physically. Macbeth, now a traitor after the assassination of the king, is paranoid of anybody who may threaten his position or how he attained it. After killing the king, Macbeth’s conscience is guilt-ridden and he is no longer able to sleep peacefully. His only worry is that someone may be plotting his murder, just as he strategized the death of the former King. If there was nothing stopping Macbeth from killing Duncan and committing treason, who is to say that no one else will make the same decision, killing Macbeth? After becoming king, his first suspect is Banquo, because Banquo voices his scepticism in regards

Read More
1931 Words | 8 Pages

After killing Banquo Macbeth evokes fear from the audience. Yet at a banquet thrown in honor of Macbeth’s new title of King, Macbeth begins hallucinating about the ghost of Banquo haunting him, this not only ruins the evening, but causes the audience to question the mental deterioration of Macbeth. Yes he is to be feared for his actions taken against Banquo, but the audience is left to question if Macbeth’s actions are not still reactions from the prophecies the witches gave him. They played on his ambitious tendencies and clearly manipulated him, which draws pity, although Macbeth is acting on his own, not under the constructs of any direction which causes fear of what he is capable of. In this moment with the apparition of Banquo the audience has to question the confounds of Macbeth’s sanity, it is easy to fear Macbeth because of what he is doing, but circumstances such as these and the encounters with the Weird Sisters make it difficult for the audience to despise Macbeth, instead they take pity on what they view as a delusional mind.

Read More
1959 Words | 8 Pages

She is malicious not only in words but also in her intent. Her sole object is to obtain power and wealth, with its attendant treasures. Lady Macbeth lacks humanity and regrets that she was not born as a man. She understands that power and violence are synonymous with manhood and bravery. Additionally, Lady Macbeth interests’ and ambition, override her love for even her husband, Macbeth.

Read More
573 Words | 3 Pages

He is tormented by the enormity of his crime, and his guilt intensifies as he commits more murders to maintain his newly acquired power. Macbeth's guilt is evident in his soliloquies, where he reflects on the consequences of his actions, such as when he says, "To know my deed, 'twere best not know myself" (Act 2, Scene 2). Macbeth is aware that his guilt is consuming him, and he tries to distance himself from the reality of his actions.

Read More

More about Macbeth's Guilty Conscience Essay

Related Topics

Open Document