What Role Does Guilt Play In Macbeth's Death

Evaluate the factors that played a role in Macbeth’s tragic demise and ultimate downfall.

An individual who succumbs to their unregulated desire for power will experience the cataclysmic consequences of moral transgression and their eventual tragic demise. William Shakespeare’s Jacobean tragedy ‘Macbeth’, skillfully exposes that individuals who blindly follow their ambition will face dire ramifications. It subsequently urges the audience to examine their desire, which overrides their moral judgement. Shakespeare analyzes violence and how it can lead to the desensitization of immoral acts. Additionally, he explores the detrimental impact of guilt and unchecked ambition, exposing how it incites moral and psychological degradation, leading to

Shakespeare skillfully explores this by analysing the consequences when guilt overconsumes moral rationality through his play, ‘Macbeth’. The playwright magnifies the self-destructive nature of guilt that causes individuals to gradually descend into insanity. Shakespeare reflects this notion in the statement spoken by Macbeth in Act 3 Scene 2, “Oh full of scorpions is my mind dear wife!”. The use of metaphor exemplifies how Macbeth is down-spiralling into madness. The word choice of ‘scorpions’ has a negative connotation, demonstrating how his guilt is metaphorically represented as the poison that is disrupting his sanity. This statement directly symbolises how guilt has clouded his sanity, further reinforcing his degradation of mental stability. This foreshadows how the fragmentation of his mind will lead to hallucinations, such as Banquo’s ghost. Shakespeare’s tragedy ‘Macbeth’ additionally explores the ramifications of immense guilt in Act 2 Scene 2 when Macbeth says, “Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood / Clean from my hand?”. The hyperbolic expression alludes to the God of Water in Roman Mythology to showcase the immensity of Macbeth’s guilt and how nothing can ease him from his torment. Moreover, the rhetorical question establishes his unsure and fearful nature to demonstrate the inner conflict Macbeth is experiencing due to guilt. This coupled with the blood motif,

Shakespeare’s Jacobean tragedy ‘Macbeth’ skillfully showcases the calamitous ramifications that follow the pursuit of power caused by unbridled ambition. Shakespeare explores this through Macbeth’s characterisation as a man willing to take unthinkable measures to reach power. This notion is exemplified when Macbeth states in Act 1 Scene 7, “ I have no spur/ To prick the sides of my intent, but only/ Vaulting ambition, which o’erleaps itself/ And falls on th’other.” Through the use of metaphorical language, Shakespeare reveals the self-awareness of Macbeth. The spur directly correlates to the spike on horse riding shoes used to force the horse to run faster, in this context the spur is metaphorically used to highlight his ambition. Macbeth identifies that his ambition is the only ‘spur’ or motivation that is driving him to commit these atrocious acts, such as regicide. Moreover, Shakespeare writes ‘o’erleaps itself/And falls on th’ other’, underlining how Macbeth’s ambition is unbridled to the extent that it becomes self-destructive. This is showcased through the moral fragmentation of Macbeth’s mental state, as his relentless ambition overthrows his mental stability and ethical integrity. Shakespeare denotes how unrestricted ambition can cause the self-destruction of individuals who blindly commit crimes for the ultimate goal of power. Hence, ambition is