How Does Shakespeare Present Internal Conflict In Macbeth

Caroline Thacker Ms. Jones 10th Honors World Literature and Composition 7 October 2022 The Worlds Battle In the play Macbeth, William Shakespeare presents internal conflict through Macbeth deciding if he should kill the king and when Lady Macbeth washes away the guilt, ultimately illustrating everyone’s battles between good and evil. Macbeth struggles between good and evil when he desires to fulfill the witches’ prophecies to become king. Lady Macbeth urges Macbeth to kill the king, but Macbeth expresses, “[he] will proceed no further… he hath honored me of late” (Ⅰ.ⅶ.34-35). Macbeth views King Duncan as a kinsman and says that he needs to be loyal to him. Macbeth sees a dagger hanging before him, and his ambition drives him to kill the King. Macbeth kills the King, and realizes he “ is afraid to think of what [he] has done” (Ⅱ.ⅱ.66). Macbeth feels guilty for killing the king which shows his internal struggle between good and evil. …show more content…

Lady Macbeth wants to step up and kill King Duncan herself and expresses, “unsex me here,” which illustrates her having power and not being weak because she is a female (Ⅰ.ⅶ.48). Lady Macbeth falls into the evilness by setting her mind on becoming Queen. The Gentlewoman tells the Doctor that Lady Macbeth has an “accustomed action of washing her hands” (Ⅳ.ⅰ.30-31). Lady Macbeth washes her hands, which symbolizes her washing away the guilt of Macbeth Murdering Kind Duncan. Lady Macbeth starts hallucinating after the Kings murder because of the guilt she