Conscience And Guilt In Macbeth

Words: 854

Pages: 4

Open Document

Hunger for power motivates action in everyone’s lives. However, one’s conscience and guilt will drive them to take forth in certain actions to obtain power. William Shakespeare’s play, Macbeth demonstrates how a need for power can completely alter one’s judgement. In order to gain power, Macbeth must ignore his conscience which also allows him to avoid feelings of guilt; thereby, giving him the crown. At the beginning of the play, Macbeth obtains a conscience which leaves him with guilt when he finds ways to obtain power. Although Macbeth is determined to acquire everything he desires, his conscience tells him to hide his murderous thoughts, “For in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires! Let not light see my black and deep desire. The eye …show more content…
Previously, killing a man made Macbeth feel that, “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” (Ⅱ.ⅱ.81-84). After Macbeth is aware of just how much power he can obtain, he ignores his conscience, allowing him to kill someone he cares about, and is left with little feelings of guilt. Banquo is a good friend to Macbeth, however Macbeth explains that, “ To be thus is nothing, But to be safely thus. Our fears in Banquo Stick deep, and his royalty of nature Reigns that which would be feared” (Ⅲ.ⅰ.52-55). Continuing to overlook his conscience, Macbeth does not feel guilty about the murders he has committed and instead feels that “Is the initiate fear that wants hard use. [They] are yet but young in deed” and that he and Lady Macbeth simple need more practice (Ⅲ.ⅳ. 178-179). Despite Macbeth transforming into a very powerful man and paying no attention to his conscience, the witches feel as if Macbeth needs to be slightly more confident in order to accomplish even more irrational

Macbeth Guilt

Timed Write Macbeth is a work of literature that forces the protagonist, Macbeth, to contend with an aspect of the past: his guilt. Stemming from one of the first few acts of the play, Macbeth is constantly bombarded with reminders of his greed and guilt, which reinforces the play’s theme; nobody is immune to the destructive nature of guilt and greed. His deplorable actions and guilt had a lasting impact on his life and decision making process, which further proves that Macbeth is not immune to…

Words 751 - Pages 4

Essay on Macbeth and Guilt

Manifesting guilt in the tragedy of Macbeth According to The Dictionary of Psychology, guilt is defined as an emotional state produced by the knowledge that one has violated moral standards. Most authorities recognized an emotional state as guilt only when the individual has internalized the moral standards of the society (thus it is distinguished from simple fear of punishment from external source). Based on this definition guilt is a powerful feeling of remorse that haunts the conscience, is self-administered…

Words 1708 - Pages 7

FINAL macbeth essay

FORM OF AN EXTENDED RESPONSE THAT EXPLAINS WHY MACBETH AND LADY MACBETH PLUNGE INTO DESPAIR, DESPITE THE SUCCESS OF THEIR PLAN TO ASSASSINATE KING DUNCAN. In the 17th century play ‘Macbeth’, by William Shakespeare, it can be seen that the characters Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s plunge into despair results from their guilt and ambition. Although they succeed in their plans to become King and Queen, their success is restricted due to their guilty consciences and the deterioration of their psychological…

Words 1323 - Pages 6

Guilt In Macbeth

Macbeth. Guilty or not guilty? You be the Judge. Guilt is a recurring theme explored throughout literature and drama. Guilt can be explored through various language and dramatic techniques. Within Macbeth, Shakespeare suggests Guilt and Conscience is a powerful force which drives characters to mentally deteriorate. This is communicated in Macbeth's Dagger soliloquy in Act 2 Scene 1, where he has a hallucination of a bloody dagger and asks himself" Or art thou but a dagger of the mind, a false creation…

Words 530 - Pages 3

Essay on Macbeth: Macbeth and Macbeth’s Character

A Mentally Changed Man in William Shakespeare’s Macbeth Visions and hallucinations many times occur in Macbeth as reminders to Macbeth of his assassinations. When Macbeth meets the three witches, they convince him that he will be Thane of Cawdor and later King. Though Macbeth is said to be an immensely powerful and heroic lord he later has a mental breakdown and encounters many sleepless nights. Macbeth allows the thoughts of being king and so much more, to corrupt his mind and drive him to multiple…

Words 680 - Pages 3

Role Of Demonology In Macbeth

likely led to the characters of the three witches in Macbeth. Macbeth is a tragic play written by William Shakespeare in 1606 for King James I. Macbeth follows the story of the Macbeths as they transform from ordinary nobles to power-hungry murderers. Following Duncan’s assassination, both of the Macbeths begin to change as their selfish desire for power grows. The mental effects of their guilt lead them both to insanity, and even lead Lady Macbeth to suicide. Shakespeare employs blood and eye/hand…

Words 772 - Pages 4

Banquo's Supernatural

extraordinary appearance of these wicked women created mysterious surrounding to the whole play. In Act 2, the appearance of Banquo's ghost at the banquet provided an insight into Macbeth's anxiety and guilt conscience. Banquo's ghost was considered to be the supernatural symbol of the acts committed by Macbeth. Ghosts, visions, and apparitions…

Words 201 - Pages 1

Essay on Macbeth 1

Macbeth Essay Lady Macbeth shows even more ambition and greed than Macbeth because she is already planning the death of Duncan. The reader can see this where it says in lines 37-51 'The raven himself is hoarse That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan Under my Battlements.' meaning this is quite obvious Lady Macbeth callls on the spirits of evil to rid her of feminine wealness"unsex me here" means she wants to also block out the guilt. She wants no normal pangs of conscience,'computions visitings…

Words 660 - Pages 3

Macbeth: Macbeth and Lady Macbeths Sleep Essay

The events of Act 2, Scene 2 takes place the fiery night of the murder of king Duncan and is cast with the Macbeths, drenched in the aftermath of their “bloody deeds”. The scene depicts Lady Macbeth elated by the success of her evil plan and Macbeth, frozen in his state of guilt is almost as icy cold as his wife’s bitter heart. This passage sets the scene for the demise of Macbeth from valiant soldier to wretched tyrant, and it is this, the beginning of the bloody course on which he embarks that…

Words 701 - Pages 3

Macbeth Essay Final

Shakespeare’s Macbeth Is Revealed Through Other Characters Jessiya Vandenberg May 15th, 2015 When comparing one with another one will undoubtedly see many contrasts. Humans are all very different in personality and comparing two reveals aspects of both peoples personality. It may reveal good aspects and some bad also. This process shows the true character of both people when looked at from different angles. In William Shakespeare’s play Macbeth, Macbeth’s cruelty and loss of conscience and humanity…

Words 1337 - Pages 6