Guilt In Macbeth

Through the eyes of Macbeth, blood is a stain of guilt that one can not remove. In William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the motif of blood is symbolic of fear, guilt, power and represents the theme, ambition kills. The motif of blood reoccurs continuously in Shakespear’s Macbeth, but does not lose its importance. As the play becomes more somber and gruesome, blood is mentioned more frequently.

The symbolism of blood in this case highlights Macbeth’s peripeteia. He returns to his wife, stating that even all of Neptune’s oceans would be unable to erase the red marks of blood from his hands. Essentially, no matter what Macbeth’s actions of murdering Duncan will always haunt him. His character was compromised due to his actions, and he was mourning the once-honorable person that he used to be. The blood symbolizes the permanent suffering that Macbeth must endure due to his actions and the compromise or destruction of his once noble character due to his actions.

Throughout the book Shakespeare depicts Macbeth's sanity as deteriorating after he commits the heinous crime of plotting a usurpation. This can be seen through the quote ‘’ Is this a dagger?’’ This shows Macbeth's mind slowly declining with guilt and paranoia from coveting from the throne. It also foreshadows Macbeth’s resultant downfall. The readers are positioned to question the sanity of Macbeth and his mental status.

There were once kings who ruled Scotland, but what comes with great power comes with people that want the same power a true king possesses. During the play, Shakespeare creates a character that wishes to have all the power a true king does. He decides he should use a tool and change the ways of Scotland. In the play by Shakespeare, the dagger gives off an uneasy mood and contributes to the character of Macbeth. The dagger affects Macbeth because he feels torn between emotions and is now going to be surrounded by madness and evil.

Throughout the play, Macbeth struggles immensely to procure Scotland's throne, and these efforts tore him apart and created internal conflict. Ultimately, these internal struggles led to Macbeth’s downfall and death. Macbeth’s hardships are revealed during his hallucination of the dagger,

“Guilt is worse than greed, for it robs the body of its soul.” (Robert T. Kiyosaki). Since the beginning of time, people in society have made mistakes, it is natural, but the knowledge of causing harm tends to stay with one longer than the knowledge of the action itself. In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, blood is an overarching motif conveying the ever-oscillating theme of fate vs. free will.

In Act 2 Scene 1, Macbeth prepares to kill Duncan, but cannot bring himself to do so as he starts to hallucinate, “Is this a dagger which I see before me, The handle towards my hand? I have thee not, and yet I see thee still.” A dagger is a weapon that is used to kill people. This visual imagery encourages him to blame his intention to kill Duncan on the coincidental appearance of the handle combined with the handle towards him. The fact that Macbeth tries to find something to blame no matter how intangible it might be portrays the immense guilt that he’s facing.

In William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, blood symbolizes honor, treachery, and guilt. The usage of blood and guilt plays a vital role in motivating Lady

Shakespeare uses blood both metaphorically and physically to highlight the guilt that characters, specifically Macbeth carries throughout the novel. Blood stains serve as a reminder of people’s past evils and should prevent them from committing said evils again, yet in Macbeth’s case he continues to act seemingly without remorse and do whatever needs to be done to become king and maintain his power. When Macbeth first kills Duncan he questions if “all great neptune’s ocean [will be able to] wash [the] blood clean from [his] hand”(ii.ii.78). Shakespeare implies that Macbeth will always be guilty of his crimes and that nothing can rid him of the atrocities that he will commit in pursuit of power. Macbeth’s view directly contrasts with Lady Macbeth’s perspective.

Some of the significant elements that represent guilt are clear throughout the play; furthermore, guilt is symbolized through visions, blood, and hallucinations. For instance, after Macbeth makes the huge

Blood is a recurring motif in Shakespeare's Macbeth. It is constantly used to describe or intensity murder or an act of treachery. The excessive use of blood in the play also relates to the guilt and change faced by numerous characters. Blood is seen or mentioned in every act in the play and this is not a coincidence. In the beginning of the story blood was used to display honor and bravery but as the story progressed and as characters developed, blood became a symbol of treason, treachery, and most of all, guilt.

Macbeth, debating what is the right path to follow, believes a dagger is in front of him. The imaginary dagger, ultimately used to kill King Duncan, causes Macbeth to second guess the witches. Macbeth falsely believes the bloody dagger is dragging him to the room to perpetrate the regicide: “Is this a dagger which I see before me… / I have thee not, and yet I see thee still… / A dagger of the mind, a false creation / Proceeding from the heat-oppressèd brain?

Though first confused by the dagger, he later concludes that is a figment of his imagination from a guilt-ridden mind. The intensity of the dagger hallucinations experienced by Macbeth increases as he states that his eyes are “made the fools o’ the other senses,” showing that his eyes perceive visions of which he knows not to be there (2.1.56). He later reasons that it is the “bloody business which informs/Thus to mine eyes,” as the reason he sees this dagger is due to the murderous journey he

For instance, after killing Duncan, Macbeth says, “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.2.60-3). His distraught reaction to the murder and his thinking that nothing will clear his conscience or his hand proves his guilt and remorse for killing Duncan making him a victim, not a villain. Another way the motif of blood represents contrition occurs when Macbeth says, “I am in blood /

Paragraph 2: In Act 2, Scene 1, Macbeth's presentation takes a dark turn as he becomes consumed by his ambition and the prophecies of the witches. The scene begins with Macbeth contemplating the murder of King Duncan in order to fulfill the witches' prophecy of him becoming king. He is torn between his desire for power and his moral conscience, as he acknowledges the consequences of his actions: "Is this a dagger which I see before me...? Come, let me clutch thee. " Macbeth's soliloquy reveals his inner turmoil and the extent to which he is willing to go to achieve his ambitions.