Guilt and its Effects and Roles in Macbeth
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Shakespeare's tragedy Macbeth tells the loosely based historical tale of the Scottish King Macbeth's rise to the throne, and his eventual downfall and demise. There are many key factors that contribute to and develop the plot, and are instrumental in understanding why the characters act the way they do. Guilt (and its effects) is one of these factors. Guilt, particularly the guilt of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, played an instrumental role in the development of their characters, and ultimately the downfall of themselves and their ambitions.
Early on in the plot, Lady Macbeth realizes the danger of remorse and guilt interfering with her plans to make Macbeth king. In fact, she calls on the spirits to "Make thick my blood, / Stop up the access and passage to remorse, / That no compunctious visitings of nature / Shake my fell purpose, nor keep peace between / Th' effect and it!" (I. vi. 42-46). For a time her plea seems to have worked; after Macbeth has murdered Duncan Lady Macbeth both chastises Macbeth for feeling guilty and paranoid and keeps her cool, having the presence of mind to take the daggers from Macbeth and placing them next to the guards and making sure both her and Macbeth wash their hands and change into their nightclothes...