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Examples Of Guilt In Macbeth

Decent Essays

A person’s shown guilt can display an enormous amount of character. In the work Macbeth, Macbeth displays an abundant amount of guilt in the first two acts;however, as the work continues, Macbeth’s guilt begins to slowly disappear which illustrates his negligence to feel remorse for other people.
In act one, Macbeth begins to think of reasons why he should kill King Duncan; however, he can only conclude that he has a growing ambition to become king and stay king. His thoughts are filled with “black and deep desires”(1.4.51) that he doesn’t want anyone to see. He feels so guilty for these thoughts that he doesn’t even want to “let light see”(1.4.51) them. When the king comes to visit his castle, Macbeth must put on a “false face”(1.7.80-82) to hide his guilt so he can encounter Duncan with a friendly demeanor. Macbeth’s guilt is only caused by his thoughts because he has no actions to feel guilty for yet. However, in act two, Macbeth cannot tame his guilt. …show more content…

He kills King Duncan while he is sleeping and brings the evidence out to greet his wife. When Lady Macbeth questions him about bringing the evidence out of the crime scene, he is in a state of shock. He says he can “go no more”(2.2.51) because he is “afraid to think what he has done”(2.2.53). Macbeth cannot begin to fathom what he has just done and what he is capable of. He asks if “great Neptune’s ocean can wash this blood clean from his hands”(2.2.60-63)because he is consumed with the thought that there is nothing that can clear his involvement from this deed. After this murderous action, he does “best not know

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