thesis statement for guilt in macbeth

If you get a question about guilt in the exam, there are two ways you can approach it:

A) you can look at how macbeth and his wife feel guilty about what they've done - of course they do: they killed a good king and, when it comes to it, they don't have a clue what they're doing. they weren't made to be rulers. they're rubbish at it. so what happened was that they killed a good king and were rubbish at ruling the state., b) who was guilty for killing duncan because if macbeth was begin controlled by a magic spell then was it fair to say that he takes responsibility for the crime, in short: any: question about guilt can approach either of these ideas and still do well., i've written more about lady macbeth here as i find her a more interesting character when looking at guilt, but there's plenty for both of them....

Macbeth's guilt

During the opening of the play, macbeth makes it clear that he doesn't want to kill duncan. he calls the idea a "horrid image" and says that it will "shake his single state of man" so violently that he won't be able to do it. he argues that he should be "shutting the door" against anyone who wants to kill duncan, and that duncan's death will be so awful that even the angels will rage "trumpet tongued" against his death. so macbeth seems to know that killing duncan won't get what he wants, but he does it anyway. as a result, quite predictably, he feels really guilty afterwards ., here are some key quotes looking at macbeth's regret for what he did to duncan:, i had most need of blessing, and 'amen' stuck in my throat - just after killing duncan, macbeth must have said a prayer but he cannot say amen which suggests that god cannot bless him., methought i heard a voice cry 'sleep no more macbeth does murder sleep', the innocent sleep . - the fact that macbeth stops being able to sleep is commonly cites as being a result of him feeling guilty. however, although there are repeated connections between sleep and innocence the line "sleep no more macbeth does murder sleep" is written in speech marks, and macbeth clearly says that he "heard a voice cry" it, and it's what the witches did to the sailor during the opening, so it would seem to make much more sense that macbeth can't sleep as a result of the witches' magic spell than any sense of guilt., i am afraid to think what i have done; - macbeth doesn't fear the norwegian army, but he is afraid to face what he's done., will all great neptune's ocean wash this blood / clean from my hand - the image of having bloo d on your hands runs through macbeth, and here he's arguing that even all the water in the sea won't wash his hands clean of their guilt., we sleep / in the affliction of these terrible dreams / that shake us nightly: - regardless of who caused his inability to sleep, macbeth cannot sleep throughout most of the play. here, he talks about his sleep being haunted by terrible dreams that shake him awake again. this is a clear reference to how he cannot escape his guilt for what he's done., better be with the dead .. . than on the torture of the mind to lie / in restless ecstasy. - in this quote he can't sleep, but lies with his mind being tortured. in fact, it is so bad that he would rather be dead, o, full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife - t his is the classic line to show macbeth's unstable mental state. sc orpions attack from both ends, they're desert dwellers - like the serpent from the bible - and they're inside his brain; the centre of his sense of self., however, despite this macbeth quickly finds himself in a position where he can't go back. he says that he is "in blood stepp'd so far that should i wade no more, returning were as tedious as go o'er." which is essentially a way of saying that he's already done so much wrong that it would be as bad to go back as to continue. and so, although he feels guilty, he doesn't turn back and eventually kills banquo as well as macduff's wife and child, and seems pretty non-plu s sed about his wife's death when that gets announced. as a result of all this, it's tough to feel that sorry for him., below, i've gathered a collection of quotes from the play that reflect the mess that macbeth is in by the end. he feels bad about killing more people, but can't seem to stop himself:, i am in blood / stepp'd in so far that, should i wade no more, / returning were as tedious as go o'er: - this is a great line when looking at macbeth's mental state. here, he claims that he's so knee deep in blood that it's as "tedious" to continue killing people as it would be to try to return to his old state of decency. "tedious" is a pretty crazy word to use to describe what he's talking about, but the image is clear: he's over committed now, so he may as well see the whole thing through..., i have almost forgot the taste of fears; - remember when macbeth was afraid to think on what he'd done well by the end that is not the case... he's committed so many terrible acts that he's forgot what it feels like to be afraid of anything his life is a big old mess and that's pretty much how he ends up..., lady macbeth and guilt:, lady macbeth's guilt, when it comes to guilt, lady macbeth comes up most often. she starts the play being adamant that she will feel no regret - she's the classic image of the psychopathic killer. she remains like this for acts 1, 2 and 3 (though there are four lines in act 3 where she's a bit sorry.) she doesn't appear in act 4 at all, then, suddenly in act 5 she's so full of regret that she commits suicide., so, in a nutshell, her character arc goes:, act 1: no remorse act 2: no remorse act 3: no remorse act 4: no appearance act 5: suicidal regret, on the back of this, it's not unreasonable to argue that her character arc is a little lacking. when did she change her mind did something happen to change it what motivated her to rethink her actions why did she just suddenly realise what she'd done, and go through one of the biggest u-turns in literary history, entirely off-stage shakespeare never really explains, and it's absolutely reasonable to argue that this constitutes a considerable missing element in the play., quotes about lady macbeth not feeling any guilt :, stop up the access and passage to remorse - in lady macbeth's m agic spell from act 1 scene 5 she asks the spirits to stop her from feeling any "remorse" - which means regret or guilt. so here, she is using magic to stop guilty feels from being able to access her., the bit when she said she'd kill her own baby - if ever there was a sign that someone lacked the capacity to feel regret or remorse it's the fact that they say they'd kill their own baby to fulfil a promise. lady macbeth really is psychotically ruthless., these deeds must not be thought / after these ways; so, it will make us mad - one thing with this play is that the characters quite often predict what will eventually happen to them. here, lady macbeth recognises that if they spend too long thinking about what they've done - if they dwell on their feelings of guilt - that it will make them mad. which is exactly what happens to her, my hands are of your colour; but i shame / to wear a heart so white. - h e re, lady m a cbeth claims that her hands are as bloody as macbeth's but she'd be ashamed to pretend that she was pure. she accepts what she's done and won't pretend to feel guilty when she doesn't. she won't pretend to have a pure white heart when she knows her heart is bad., things without all remedy / should be without regard: what's done is done. - here , she's basically saying that if you can't do anything to fix something, you shouldn't think about it. she's arguing that because they can't change what they've done they shouldn't worry about it anymore. there is no time or space in lady macbeth's world for feelings of guilt., note : there are loads more of these, but they're a pretty good selection, four lines in act 3:, nought's had, all's spent, where our desire is got without content: 'tis safer to be that which we destroy than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy., these four lines from act 3 are really important as they're the only time prior to her sleepwalking scene that she expresses anything close to any regret for what they've done. really, to take her character from not feeling any guilt to feeling so much that she's suicidal takes a change in her character which we don't ever see., but really, if you look closer at these lines she's not actually feeling regret for what they've done, she's just angry that they've got what she wanted but still aren't happy. she's also troubled by the fact that they're not safe in their position, which isn't really a feeling of regret at all but just a concern for their position., so really, she doesn't actually express any regret until she suddenly becomes suicidal., quotes about lady macbeth feeling regret:, out, damned spot out, i say - here, lady macbeth is sleepwalking a nd trying to wash the blood from her hands. the most common argument here is that she cannot escape what she's done - she has blood on her hands and she cannot escape that fact. she discovers, in fact, that you can boss other people around, but she cannot manage her own conscience. this is what eventually brings her down., what, will these hands ne'er be clean ... here's the smell of the blood still: all the / perfumes of arabia will not sweeten this little hand. - these t wo lines come from the same scene where she's fretting about the blood on her hands., it is very telling though that lady macbeth's expressions of guilt come while she's sleepwalking. sleeping - and dreaming - are often considered to be interesting states as they allow us to get in touch with our subconscious. here, it could be that shakespeare is saying that although lady macbeth may seem like she feels no guilt, she is actually just repressing it. it's possible that shakespeare is really just saying that even someone as evil as lady macbeth can't escape her subconscious feelings of guilt., why did shakespeare leave her lacking so much detail, this is a completely reasonable question and if you're going to mention this idea in an essay you should really look at this. without being able to ask shakespeare himself, i've put together a few ideas that seem reasonable:, a) if we'd spent time with her, going through the slowly dawning process of remorse, there was a danger that we'd develop some sympathy for her position. shakespeare didn't want this. because the whole point of the play was to put people off doing what she did, any element of sympathy for her would have been frowned upon by king james. as a result, shakespeare cut out her descent into madness, and made sure we feel no sympathy for her at all., b) she was a woman and, as such, her character didn't need to be as developed as the male characters on stage. the play itself is really a study in macbeth's motivations anyway, and although his wife steals the scenes she's in she's only ever a secondary character. you could argue that there was just no need to delve into her reasons that deeply., c) she never actually felt any regret consciously... this is a tough one to argue but the fact is that the only time we see her feeling regret is when she's sleepwalking; so she really only dreams the regret that we see. here, shakespeare could be highlighting the way that you can't escape your actions, even if it only in your sleep that they come back to haunt you. this argument is complicated a little when you consider that she killed herself, but...., did she definitely kill herself, the fact is that we think lady macbeth killed herself because malcolm says that macbeth's "fiend-like queen, who, as 'tis thought, by self and violent hands took off her life." but this is the only reference to her having killed herself., during the action of the play, we hear some women screaming off stage and then a character called seyton (whose name sounds suspiciously like satan) goes to check on her and comes back saying she's dead. now, i'm not saying that satan killed her and then malcolm just cast it aside on the grounds that she was dead and he didn't need to know anymore, but it actually makes a lot more sense of her character arc if she was killed by seyton and his minions rather than that she killed herself., whichever way you choose to look at it, the fact remains that shakespeare doesn't spend long enough on her regret for me to find her character arc very believable, and although you should avoid directly criticising shakespeare you're well within your rights to observe this., who was guilty, essentially, if you're going to argue that macbeth wasn't in control of himself when he killed duncan you'll need to refer to the sections on ambition and the supernatural ., but, if you do this, it's important to bear in mind that macbeth did kill duncan., so while you can argue that he was being controlled by a magic spell or being manipulated by his wife, you can't avoid the fact that he was holding the knife that ended duncan's life. and that's a fact....

Macbeth Key Theme: Ambition ( AQA GCSE English Literature )

Revision note.

English Senior Content Creator

Ambition in Macbeth

Although it is important to stress that Shakespeare explores many other themes in Macbeth, and that you should aim to revise those other themes in some detail, it can be argued that, at heart, Macbeth as a play is an exploration of ambition and its consequences. On this page you will find a summary of how Shakespeare explores ambition in Macbeth, and also tips on how to answer an exam question on the theme of ambition.

How does Shakespeare present ambition in Macbeth? When we talk about “ambition” in Macbeth, we are not talking about a desire to do something or determination to succeed towards a set goal. Instead, we should understand ambition in the play as a negative character trait: not just a desire to achieve something, but an unnatural desire to achieve something at any cost.  Indeed, Shakespeare has Macbeth speak the lines “vaulting ambition, which o’erleaps itself” in Act I, Scene VII. “Vaulting” means jumping over, suggesting that Macbeth, in order to achieve his ambition (to become king), knows that he must overcome an obstacle that stands in his way. This obstacle is King Duncan, and the only way to remove this obstacle is to murder him. To murder a king was a shocking, unnatural act in Jacobean  England (for more on Jacobean society and its beliefs, see our Macbeth: Context page), but Macbeth is prepared to commit regicide  to realise his ambition. Ultimately, the cost he will pay for his ambition is his own life.

Below you will find a summary of the ways in which Shakespeare explores the theme of ambition in Macbeth. For more detailed revision notes on ambition, please see the Macbeth: Themes page.

Ambition is Macbeth’s fatal character flaw, his hamartia:

In tragedy , a tragic hero  must have a tragic flaw

In Macbeth, as in most tragedy, the tragic hero’s hamartia is the cause of their own downfall:

Macbeth’s ambition to gain, and retain, the throne leads to him committing more and more evil acts

Other characters seek revenge for these acts of murder

Macbeth’s own conscience also begins to terrorise him

Ultimately, a combination of his own mental disintegration and avenging heroes sees him killed by the hand of Macduff

At heart, Shakespeare is presenting a morality play to the audience:

Allow yourself to be consumed by ambition, or hubris , and prepare to suffer dire consequences

It can also be seen as a warning against those who seek to undermine – or overthrow – the rule of a rightful king:

Shakespeare may also be suggesting that those unaccustomed and undeserving of power will be destroyed by it

Shakespeare is suggesting that kings are legitimate rulers, but tyrants  are not

Answering an exam question on ambition in Macbeth

In order to get top marks for your essay, it is very important that you know the format and requirements of the exam paper, and the nature of the exam question. It is also vital that you know how to plan an answer in the Shakespeare exam, and are aware of what you need to include to get the highest grade. In this section you will find:

an overview of the exam

a plan for a question on ambition

an ambition essay model paragraph

Overview of the Shakespeare Exam

Your Shakespeare question would be part of Section A of Paper 1 of your GCSE

The essay is worth 34 marks: 30 for the quality of your essay, and 4 for the level of your spelling, punctuation and grammar

In your question paper, you will find an extract from the text of Macbeth and only one question

You must answer the question that is set and refer to the extract, but also the rest of the play

This is challenging because the exam is what’s called “closed-book”, meaning that you will not have access to a copy of the text (other than the printed extract) in your exam

Therefore, in order to refer to the play as a whole, it is important to:

revise the plot of the play 

revise some selected quotations from different parts of the play

For a much more detailed guide on answering the Macbeth question, please see our revision notes on How to Answer the Shakespeare Essay Question .

Plan for a question on ambition in Macbeth

Below you will find a template for a plan for the following exemplar question on ambition. It is always worthwhile spending a good deal of time planning an answer at GCSE, with examiners repeatedly reporting that the highest marks are awarded to those students who have clearly set aside time to plan their essays. For more information on planning a response, and approaching the Shakespeare question in general, see our comprehensive revision notes here .

Exemplar question

‘Macbeth’s ambition proves to be his downfall’

Starting with this moment in the play, explore how far you agree with this view.

Write about:

How Shakespeare presents Macbeth’s ambition in this extract

How far Shakespeare presents Macbeth’s ambition as the reason for his downfall in the play as a whole

AO4 [4 marks]

Act I, Scene VII

Macbeth is contemplating whether or not to go through with the plan to murder King Duncan

   If it were done when 'tis done, then 'twere well

   It were done quickly: if the assassination

   Could trammel up the consequence, and catch

   With his surcease success; that but this blow

   Might be the be-all and the end-all here,

   But here, upon this bank and shoal of time,

   We'd jump the life to come. But in these cases

   We still have judgment here; that we but teach

   Bloody instructions, which, being taught, return

   To plague the inventor: this even-handed justice

   Commends the ingredients of our poison'd chalice

   To our own lips. He's here in double trust;

   First, as I am his kinsman and his subject,

   Strong both against the deed; then, as his host,

   Who should against his murderer shut the door,

   Not bear the knife myself. Besides, this Duncan

   Hath borne his faculties so meek, hath been

   So clear in his great office, that his virtues

   Will plead like angels, trumpet-tongued, against

   The deep damnation of his taking-off;

   And pity, like a naked new-born babe,

   Striding the blast, or heaven's cherubim, horsed

   Upon the sightless couriers of the air,

   Shall blow the horrid deed in every eye,

   That tears shall drown the wind. I have no spur

   To prick the sides of my intent, but only

   Vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself

   And falls on the other.

Ambition in Macbeth Essay Model Paragraph

Despite the fact that Macbeth is clearly aware of the dire religious consequences of regicide, his ambition means he proceeds with the murder of King Duncan anyway, indicating that his ambition overrides all other sensibilities. In this scene, Shakespeare uses the semantic fields of religion throughout Macbeth’s soliloquy: he refers to “Heaven”, “cherubin” and “angels”, as well as “damnation”. Ostensibly, this language is being used because Macbeth is discussing King Duncan’s prospective life after death. However, it could also be argued that this language betrays Macbeth’s own acknowledgement that committing the planned act of regicide (a mortal sin in the Jacobean era) will instead send him to eternal “damnation”. Indeed, later on in the play, Shakespeare has Macbeth speak the lines: “That summons thee to Heaven, or to Hell”, again, on the face of it referring to Duncan’s passage to the afterlife, but in reality speaking about his own fate. Indeed, both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth use the language of Heaven and Hell throughout Act I and the beginning of Act II, suggesting that they are both – on a subconscious level at least – mortally concerned for their future should they commit the sacrilegious act of murdering a sitting monarch. It can be argued that the regicide of King Duncan is the catalyst for Macbeth’s ultimate downfall. In terms of tragedy, this is the inciting incident, after which a tragic hero’s fate is sealed. Therefore, the language that Shakespeare has Macbeth use prior to the murder is very illuminating. Before the murder, Macbeth admits in this soliloquy that – despite the acknowledgement of his own eternal punishment – that it is “only vaulting ambition” which is tempting him to overthrow the king. This is indeed Macbeth himself identifying that his ambition is the “only” reason that he himself identifies to commit the murder, and by extension, it is his ambition that sets the wheels in motion for his ultimate demise.

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• Macbeth Essay: Guilt & Crimes

What is guilt and is it shown in the play Macbeth? Who demonstrates this guilt, and why is it being displayed? Guilt is a feeling that haunts the conscience for a while. Usually, this feeling comes when one has committed an offence, crime, violation, or wrong act. It is the feeling of responsibility for this poor action that has been committed.

In this play, there are many themes, but guilt is one of the most significant ones. It teaches crucial lessons to the readers, with everlasting morals. In Shakespeare’s play Macbeth, the theme of guilt is established through Lady Macbeth, blood imagery and Macbeth’s internal conflict.

Lady Macbeth is a strong-willed character who will do anything to have her way. Her desire for Macbeth to become King is even greater than that of Macbeth. Throughout the play, Macbeth is forced to commit unforgivable sins to achieve the position of King. Lady Macbeth shows her guilt towards the deaths of Duncan, Banquo, Lady Macduff and her family.

Lady Macbeth’s guilty conscience is displayed near the end of the story when she is sleepwalking. She discusses her feelings, but mainly she reiterates her guilt. “The thane of Fife had a wife. Where is she now? What, will these hands ne’er be clean? No more o’that, my lord, no more o’that. You mar all with this starting.”(V. i. 38-40). This demonstrates how Lady Macbeth is feeling guilty about Lady Macduff’s murder and how Macbeth has ruined everything with his nervousness.

Lady Macbeth also shows another form of guilt when she says “Wash your hands put on your nightgown. Look not so pale. I tell you yet again, Banquo’s buried; he cannot come out on’s grave.”(V. i. 54-56). This confirms how Lady Macbeth is constantly thinking about the deaths that she was part of, and how the feeling of guilt is taking over her life. Lady Macbeth shows her guilt throughout this whole scene.

She writes a letter, but the reader does not know what the letter says. It is possible she is writing about her guilty feelings, or writing an apology letter. Although the content of the letter is unknown, Lady Macbeth does end her life as a result of her guilty conscience.

Blood represents guilt as it is a significant image pattern in the play. Blood also represents murder, which results in the guilt of the characters in Macbeth . Duncan and Macbeth are loyal friends to each other, but once Macbeth finds out that he needs to kill his loyal kinsmen his feelings change. He is hesitant to commit this crime, but as a result of Lady Macbeth’s persistence he ends up murdering Duncan.

Macbeth makes the choice to kill Duncan. “Will 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. 63-66). This illustrates that Macbeth is feeling guilt towards the death of Duncan. He is asking if the ocean will wash his hands clean, but instead he will stain the water red, from the blood on his hands.

The blood shows an image of guilt, the guilt is on his hands, and how Macbeth wants it to go away. Another form of blood is represented when Lady Macbeth says, “Here’s the smell of the blood, still, all the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand.”(V. i. 44-45). This shows that Lady Macbeth’s hands still have traces of blood on them and even the best perfumes will not rid her of the smell.

This blood is from the killings she has taken part in, and it shows that the guilt can not be easily rid of, but will stick with her for a long time. Finally, blood is also shown through the murders that were committed. The murders formed a feeling of guilt, which is connected to why blood is an image of guilt through the deaths, but this may only be shown in Macbeth’s point of view.

Guilt is displayed a number of times through the internal conflict of Macbeth. Macbeth has to make many decisions throughout the play that revolve around his guilty conscience. Macbeth’s conflict at the beginning of the play is whether or not he should kill his kinsmen. He shows a guilty feeling before and after the crime is committed.

He is guilty before when he is deciding to kill his best friend, and he is guilty after because he went and killed his best friend, and as a result, he is guilty of committing this crime. Another form of internal conflict is when Macbeth says, “I’ll go no more: I am afraid to think what I have done; Look on’t again I dare not.”(II. ii. 53-55). This shows that after killing Duncan, Macbeth regrets his decision.

He is saying that he can not go back and that he is afraid to think about what he has done. This proves that he feels guilty over what he has done and that he can not go back in time. However, if he could, he would not have killed Duncan. He was faced with a conflict that he had to resolve, but he realized that he did not make the right decision. It also shows that in the play, Macbeth is not able to say “Amen”. Only because he can not agree with what people have to say, because he regrets his actions, and feels guilty for what he has done.

In conclusion, guilt is displayed through various representations in the play . The theme of guilt is expressed by Lady Macbeth, through blood imagery and Macbeth’s internal conflict. Guilt is a major factor in people’s lives and will continue to haunt the characters of Macbeth for a long time. Guilt can be a result of many things, as it is a feeling that remains forever.

Usually, this feeling occurs when an offense, crime, violation or wrong act is committed. It is the feeling of responsibility for this poor action that has been committed. Macbeth commits this poor action just to be happy, but in the end, he was only left with much remorse.

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• Blood in Shakespeare's Macbeth
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'Macbeth': exploring the theme of internal conflict

I can create a detailed essay plan about how Macbeth is a conflicted character.

Lesson details

Key learning points.

• Act 3 is an important scene as it signifies a shift in Macbeth’s behaviour and his relationship with his wife
• Tormented by guilt and fear, he plots Banquo’s murder without informing Lady Macbeth
• The relationship between Macbeth and his wife becomes particularly estranged during Act 3, Scene 4
• Arguably, Macbeth is in conflict with both himself and his wife in Act 3
• Thesis statements should present an overarching argument

Common misconception

Thesis statements have to be very general.

Thesis statements can be specific, but they should offer opportunity to consider different interpretations.

Tormented - Some who feels tormented is experiencing severe physical or mental suffereing.

Deteriorating - If something is deteriorating it is becoming progressively worse.

Estranged - When a relationship is described as being estranged it is means there is no longer closeness between the couple.

Paradoxical - A situation that is paradoxical is self contradictory or made up of two opposite elements.

You will need access to a copy of Shakespeare's 'Macbeth' for this lesson.

Content guidance

• Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
• Depiction or discussion of serious crime

Supervision

Adult supervision required

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The Theme of Guilt in "Macbeth"

The bloody dagger is one manifestation of the Scottish king's remorse

Francesco Zuccarelli / Wikimedia Commons 

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One of Shakespeare's most famous and fearsome tragedies, " Macbeth " tells the story of the Thane of Glamis, a Scottish general who hears a prophecy from three witches that he will one day be king. He and his wife, Lady Macbeth, murder King Duncan and several others in order to fulfill the prophecy, but Macbeth is wracked with guilt and panic over his evil deeds. 

The guilt Macbeth feels softens the character, which allows him to appear at least slightly sympathetic to the audience. His exclamations of guilt before and after he murders Duncan stay with him throughout the play, and provide some of its most memorable scenes. They're ruthless and ambitious, but it's their guilt and remorse which are the undoing of both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. 

How Guilt Affects Macbeth — and How It Doesn't

Macbeth’s guilt prevents him from fully enjoying his ill-gotten gains. At the start of the play, the character is described as a hero, and Shakespeare persuades us that the qualities which made Macbeth heroic are still present, even in the king's darkest moments. 

For example, Macbeth is visited by the ghost of Banquo, whom he murdered to protect his secret. A close read of the play suggests that the apparition is the embodiment of Macbeth’s guilt, which is why he nearly reveals the truth about King Duncan’s murder.

Macbeth's sense of remorse is apparently not strong enough to prevent him from killing again, however, which spotlights another key theme of the play: a lack of morality in the two main characters. How else are we expected to believe Macbeth and his wife feel the guilt they express, yet are still able to continue their bloody rise to power?

Memorable Scenes of Guilt in Macbeth

Perhaps the two best-known scenes from Macbeth are based on a sense of dread or guilt that the central characters encounter.

First is the famous Act II soliloquy from Macbeth, where he hallucinates a bloody dagger, one of many supernatural portents before and after he murders King Duncan. Macbeth is so consumed by guilt that he's not even sure what's real:

Is this a dagger which I see before me, The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee. I have thee not, and yet I see thee still. Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible To feeling as to sight? Or art thou but A dagger of the mind, a false creation, Proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain?

Then, of course, is the pivotal Act V scene where Lady Macbeth tries to wash imaginary bloodstains from her hands. ("Out, out, damned spot!"), as she laments her role in the murders of Duncan, Banquo, and Lady Macduff :

Out, damned spot! Out, I say! — One, two. Why, then, ’tis time to do ’t. Hell is murky! — Fie, my lord, fie! A soldier, and afeard? What need we fear who knows it, when none can call our power to account? — Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him.

This is the beginning of the descent into madness that ultimately leads Lady Macbeth to take her own life, as she cannot recover from her feelings of guilt.

How Lady Macbeth’s Guilt Differs From Macbeth's

Lady Macbeth is the driving force behind her husband’s actions. In fact, it could be argued that Macbeth’s strong sense of guilt suggests that he would not have realized his ambitions or committed the murders without Lady Macbeth there to encourage him.

Unlike Macbeth’s conscious guilt, Lady Macbeth’s guilt is subconsciously expressed through her dreams and is evidenced by her sleepwalking. By presenting her guilt in this way, Shakespeare is perhaps suggesting that we are unable to escape remorse from wrongdoing, no matter how feverishly we may try to cleanse ourselves. 

• Lady Macbeth Character Analysis
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Home — Essay Samples — Literature — Macbeth Guilt — Macbeth’s Character And His Guilt

Macbeth’s Character and His Guilt

• Categories: Macbeth Macbeth Guilt

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Published: Jan 12, 2022

Words: 733 | Pages: 2 | 4 min read

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Macbeth: the Psychological Effects of Guilt

This essay will analyze the theme of guilt in Shakespeare’s “Macbeth.” It will explore how guilt affects the characters, particularly Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, and its influence on the play’s events and psychological depth. PapersOwl offers a variety of free essay examples on the topic of Conscience.

How it works

Guilt plays a large role in human society and how humans work. It’s a powerful feeling and if it gets put on the back burner, it might just explode. An example of this is Macbeth by William Shakespeare. In Macbeth, Lady Macbeth slowly lets her guilty conscience eat at her sanity before she goes crazy. Her insanity causes her to commit suicide. Her experience is shown through words and her actions. She doesn’t address her conscience which makes her go crazy.

Contradicting her story is Claudius from Hamlet, who is able to address his guilt and keep his sanity. In the long run, Lady Macbeth’s tragic story helps readers understand that guilt is a destructive feeling and will only lead to demise if it isn’t acknowledged.

Shakespeare intertwines the theme of guilt perfectly through his characters’ words and actions. He shows that guilt can be destructive when he has the Doctor say Unnatural deeds/ Do breed unnatural troubles (Act 5, Scene 2). The Doctor says this as he explains Lady Macbeth’s hallucinations and confessions. When he speaks of unnatural troubles, he is alluding to the supernatural consequences that people suffer under after they commit a wrongful act. These consequences can be ghosts or hallucinations that reminds the wrongdoer of their sins. This quote can refer to Lady Macbeth when she tries to wash blood off of herself. Shakespeare understands that people who know what they’ve done wrong will feel guilty subconsciously or consciously. Lady Macbeth isn’t consciously aware of her guilt, so her subconscious creates hallucinations to make her aware of what she’s repressed. These hallucinations slowly start to drive her crazy and reveal what she has been hiding.

Her delusions aren’t her only symptom of guilt, so are her confessions. When Infected minds/ To their deaf pillows will discharge their secrets is said by the Doctor in Act 5, Scene 2, that quote can refer to her sudden blabberings about the people she’s killed. Shakespeare is aware that guilty people have strong urges to confess their evil acts, because it eases the overwhelming feeling of remorse. Lady Macbeth’s mind is manifested with immense remorse, which causes her to unconsciously blurt out her all her sins. Her sudden confessions are a prime example of a last-ditch effort to keep her sanity. Maybe, if she had eased her immense contrition instead of repressing it, she wouldn’t have let her insanity kill her.

A character who does ease his guilt and keeps his sanity is King Claudius from Hamlet. King Claudius expresses his remorse and prays at an altar for forgiveness. His attempt to get rid of his sins in Act 3, Scene 3 of Hamlet, ultimately help him keep a clear mind and keep his common sense. He is the complete opposite of Lady Macbeth who holds onto her toxic feelings and becomes deranged. Claudius probably wouldn’t have been able to continue his evil facade with a guilty conscience. He is a strong example of how effective it can be to acknowledge pent up guilt.

In essence, Macbeth is a great play with a perfect representation of the effects of guilt. Lady Macbeth’s attempt to get rid of her repressed feelings is truly tragic. Shakespeare helped his readers learn through his character’s solid words and actions that it is important to recognize a guilty conscience before it does any harm. This claim is still true today; many people confess their sins to priests in church or they turn themselves in to the police. Instead of these people restraining their remorse, they choose to address it before it hurts themselves. It is vital to learn from them and Lady Macbeth that if guilt is placed on the backburner, the heat should be turned off and it should be checked on before it explodes.

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Macbeth: The Psychological Effects of Guilt. (2019, Apr 18). Retrieved from https://papersowl.com/examples/macbeth-the-psychological-effects-of-guilt/

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PapersOwl.com. (2019). Macbeth: The Psychological Effects of Guilt . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/macbeth-the-psychological-effects-of-guilt/ [Accessed: 16 Oct. 2024]

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"Macbeth: The Psychological Effects of Guilt," PapersOwl.com , 18-Apr-2019. [Online]. Available: https://papersowl.com/examples/macbeth-the-psychological-effects-of-guilt/. [Accessed: 16-Oct-2024]

PapersOwl.com. (2019). Macbeth: The Psychological Effects of Guilt . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/macbeth-the-psychological-effects-of-guilt/ [Accessed: 16-Oct-2024]

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