Lady Macbeth's Guilt After The Murder Of King Duncan

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Macbeth shows a significant amount of remorse and guilt after the murdering of King Duncan. His first shown expression of remorse occurs in a speech right after the King's body is learned of by Macduff. Macbeth had hoped to be dead with his wife when the body was found. Both of them deliberately pretended to be asleep, but the surprising knocking at the gate forced Macbeth to have an entrance because no one was replying to the knocking. Then, it turned out that it was initiated by Macduff who had been commanded to awake the King. Macbeth was obligated to go with him and was standing right outside the King's door when Macduff raised the alarm. Macbeth is required to see the dismay of all the guiltless people, including Macduff, Lennox, Banquo, Malcolm, and …show more content…

The final presence of Lady Macbeth before she sleepwalks onto the stage is the banquet scene and its outcome, Lady Macbeth does consent the guilt for her part in the murder up to this point. She infers that any remorse or sorrow he feels over the murder is a sign of a coward. Lady Macbeth endures her part in the murder and has her own guilt. She reveals the gloomy side of the penalties of the murder and its guilt on her saneness. But, even though Lady Macbeth arrogantly endures her part in the murder and its guilt, there is some ironic foreshadowing of what is to come for Lady Macbeth. The reference of Lady Macbeth asleep during the healing for Macbeth's confused mind, is ironic because it will be her absence of sleep and her agitated sleepwalking that reveal how her guilt has robbed her of her peace of mind. However, it is Macbeth who understands that he must shake off his regret and remorse. Throughout the remainder of the play, he is the one who willingly admits to his own guilt while continuing to murder and commits sinful deeds with a free conscience. It is, ultimately Macbeth, who is consumed and taken down by her own feelings of remorse and

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