In the eponymous play, Shakespeare presents guilt as the driving force in ‘Macbeth.’ Guilt is a
catalyst throughout the play and explores the consequences of regicide through the characters of
Macbeth and Lady Macbeth.
In act 2 Scene 1, Macbeths guilt overrides him as he hallucinates ‘is this a dagger which I see before
me? ‘The rhetorical question further emphasises his guilt as he questions his own self, portraying
how he has been consumed by how own actions. The noun ‘dagger’ has harsh and rigid connotations
relating to Macbeth’s exterior. The plosive ‘d’ foreshadows the callous action of Macbeth and how
they tournament him. The plosive perhaps suggests an increasing rhythm alluding to Macbeth’s own
guilt increasing, thus creating a foreboding atmosphere for the reader. In the Jacobean era, the
‘dagger’ was viewed as a cowardly weapon for murder, mimicking the protagonist’s nature. Whereas
a sword was seen as noble and cunning which relates back to how Macbeth was idolised in Scene
one. Interestingly, Shakespeare uses this contrast as he was portrayed as ‘noble’ and ‘us[ed] his
sword to great effect’ further emphasising his brave attributes he had. However, his vaulting
ambition led to his psychical guilt and therefore resulted in his hamartia. Therefore, the readers view
his downfall through the excessive guilt he faces.
The excessive guilt he faces can be further seen in act 3, scene 4 Macbeth has realised the depth of
depravity has fallen, as he is ‘cabined, cribbed, confined.’ The asyndetic listing displays the extent of
his desperation – wanting to be cleaned from his sins. Arguably, it also highlights the torment he
faces as this is emphasised through the alliteration of ’c’, indicating his deterioration as ‘cribbed’
allude to isolation. The verb conveys a sense of imprisonment, and his conscience is restrained.
Perhaps, ‘cribbed’ could also suggest a new-borns bed thus implying Macbeth wants to be trapped
back into his innocence and be pure again.
Moreover, guilt can also be seen through Lady Macbeths who disregards weakness and fragility. The
deuteragonist deviates herself from morality and therefore is submerged into nihilism as a ‘little
water clears us from this deed.’ The adjective ‘little’ connotes to how she can be simply disposed
from her gilt emphasising her manipulative character. Interestingly, dramatic irony of ‘clears us’
highlights her inevitability of her downfall, as Shakespeare utilises Lady Macbeth as an arguable
antithesis in society. Furthermore, portraying her to oppose the great chain of being and
predominantly suffer the consequences because of this, illustrating to the readers that as she is a
direct abomination to the strict barriers that have been outlined in society, she suffers by taking her
own life.
In the extract, Act 5 scene 1 Lady Macbeth has been fully consumed by the consequences she
outlined in society, her deterioration to dispose of her guilt will perpetrate as her command of ‘out’
further reinforces this. The imperative reiterates her desire for control and get rid of her guilt, but as
her morality is too far lost her guilt will forever be permanent.
catalyst throughout the play and explores the consequences of regicide through the characters of
Macbeth and Lady Macbeth.
In act 2 Scene 1, Macbeths guilt overrides him as he hallucinates ‘is this a dagger which I see before
me? ‘The rhetorical question further emphasises his guilt as he questions his own self, portraying
how he has been consumed by how own actions. The noun ‘dagger’ has harsh and rigid connotations
relating to Macbeth’s exterior. The plosive ‘d’ foreshadows the callous action of Macbeth and how
they tournament him. The plosive perhaps suggests an increasing rhythm alluding to Macbeth’s own
guilt increasing, thus creating a foreboding atmosphere for the reader. In the Jacobean era, the
‘dagger’ was viewed as a cowardly weapon for murder, mimicking the protagonist’s nature. Whereas
a sword was seen as noble and cunning which relates back to how Macbeth was idolised in Scene
one. Interestingly, Shakespeare uses this contrast as he was portrayed as ‘noble’ and ‘us[ed] his
sword to great effect’ further emphasising his brave attributes he had. However, his vaulting
ambition led to his psychical guilt and therefore resulted in his hamartia. Therefore, the readers view
his downfall through the excessive guilt he faces.
The excessive guilt he faces can be further seen in act 3, scene 4 Macbeth has realised the depth of
depravity has fallen, as he is ‘cabined, cribbed, confined.’ The asyndetic listing displays the extent of
his desperation – wanting to be cleaned from his sins. Arguably, it also highlights the torment he
faces as this is emphasised through the alliteration of ’c’, indicating his deterioration as ‘cribbed’
allude to isolation. The verb conveys a sense of imprisonment, and his conscience is restrained.
Perhaps, ‘cribbed’ could also suggest a new-borns bed thus implying Macbeth wants to be trapped
back into his innocence and be pure again.
Moreover, guilt can also be seen through Lady Macbeths who disregards weakness and fragility. The
deuteragonist deviates herself from morality and therefore is submerged into nihilism as a ‘little
water clears us from this deed.’ The adjective ‘little’ connotes to how she can be simply disposed
from her gilt emphasising her manipulative character. Interestingly, dramatic irony of ‘clears us’
highlights her inevitability of her downfall, as Shakespeare utilises Lady Macbeth as an arguable
antithesis in society. Furthermore, portraying her to oppose the great chain of being and
predominantly suffer the consequences because of this, illustrating to the readers that as she is a
direct abomination to the strict barriers that have been outlined in society, she suffers by taking her
own life.
In the extract, Act 5 scene 1 Lady Macbeth has been fully consumed by the consequences she
outlined in society, her deterioration to dispose of her guilt will perpetrate as her command of ‘out’
further reinforces this. The imperative reiterates her desire for control and get rid of her guilt, but as
her morality is too far lost her guilt will forever be permanent.
