Guilt And Guilt And Conscience In Shakespeare's Macbeth

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A person’s guilt and conscience plays a significant role in the decisions he or she makes. The strength of a person’s conscience varies. Some people’s conscience is not as prominent as others, therefore they do not feel as much guilt as a person who has a strong conscience. By ignoring the voices in your head and making rash decisions, the person’s ability to feel guilt can eventually fade over time. They can become ruthless and inhumane. Shakespeare’s play Macbeth, gives an example of how guilt and conscience changed the main character Macbeth from a loyal to a power-hungry man.
Previously to the murder of King Duncan, Macbeth lived as a loyal, and honorable man. He never thought of assassinating his beloved King. It was only when the witches …show more content…

In Act Two, Macbeth says, “Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood clean from my hand? No; this hand will rather the multitudinous seas incarnadine, making the green on red.” (2. 3. 59). Macbeth feels that nothing will be able to free him of his guilt. He is still a caring, compassionate human being. Macbeth took the life of someone who did not deserve it, and then felt utterly guilty about it, as should any human being. Being a loyal man for an extensive time, the change from loyal to disloyal was a huge shift for him. He was not used to the feeling of tremendous …show more content…

In Act Three, Macbeth says, “Ay, and since too, murders have been performed too terrible for the ear.” Macbeth is talking about the murder of Banquo. The trust and friendship between longtime friends is very valuable. To stab your friend in the back is a terrible offense. Macbeth, however, not only stabbed Banquo in the back, but in addition, murdered him. Deep down, Macbeth knew what he did was wrong. Being a loyal man all his life, it is very important to him. Therefore, when he saw Banquo’s ghost, he was reminded of the loyalty he broke. That guilt messed with his mind and drove him insane. This shows that he is still affected by his guilt. Furthermore, this proves that he is not a heartless

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