Examples Of Guilt In Macbeth

In the play Macbeth the main character goes through many different stages of guilt. The way he internalizes his guilt leads him to make some very questionable moral decisions. As Macbeth goes through his life the guilt from his one unredeemable crime begins to haunt him.

In Act I of Macbeth, the protagonist lives the normal life of a thane to a king. On the way back from a quest Macbeth runs into three witches that change his life for forever. They tell him that he is destined to be the next king and this information weighs heavy on Macbeths soul. Macbeth shows some guilt from the thoughts that are going through his head and the acts that will be committed. The main reason Macbeth feels guilty is the thought of having to kill King Duncan. “We still have judgement here; that we but teach bloody instructions, which being taught, return to plague the inventor” (I. VII. 8-10). What Macbeth is means is, by doing this deed it will come back to haunt him. Macbeth feels guilty for killing Duncan because he is

In this act he confronts himself with all his awful deeds and renders them off as easy tasks any one can fulfill. “The mind [he] sway’s by and the heart [he] bear shall never sag with doubt nor share with fear” (V. III. 9). Macbeth has not had to fear any because he has killed if all threats to become king. Macbeth is going to kill the messenger because he had killed everyone else that had been a threat to him. Then, the messenger comes to him and tells him that the Great Birnam woods were moving and Macbeth per usual does not believe him. “upon the next tree shall thou hang alive” (V. I. 39). In Macbeths final moments he realizes Macduff is not born a woman. Macduff present the option for Macbeth to surrender but he says he will not bow down to Macduff “[He] will not yield” (V. VIII. 27.). Knowing he was going to die, Macbeth faced his death for what it was. With Macbeth let go of any guilt he had