Guilt and Conscience

• What is a pervasive theme in Macbeth?

  Guilt
• How does Shakespeare use guilt in Macbeth?

  To explore unchecked ambition and moral corruption
• What are the manifestations of guilt in Macbeth?

  Hallucinations, soliloquies, and mental deterioration
• In which act does Macbeth show initial hesitance about killing Duncan?

  Act 1, Scene 7
• What does Macbeth mean by "Bloody instructions"?

  Teaching others to commit murder returns to haunt
• What does Macbeth fear before killing Duncan?

  Judgment in this life and the afterlife
• What soliloquy reflects Macbeth's inner guilt?

  The dagger soliloquy
• What do the "gouts of blood" on the dagger symbolize?

  Guilt before the crime is committed
• What does Macbeth hear after Duncan's murder?

  "Sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep!"
• What does Macbeth's hand-washing symbolize?

  Guilt that cannot be erased
• Whose ghost appears at the banquet?

  Banquo's ghost
• What does Banquo's ghost signify for Macbeth?

  Growing guilt and paranoia
• What does Lady Macbeth initially call upon to dismiss guilt?

  Spirits to "unsex" her
• What does Lady Macbeth say about water after Duncan's murder?

  "A little water clears us of this deed."
• How does Lady Macbeth's attitude towards guilt change?

  She becomes consumed by guilt over time
• What does Lady Macbeth say during her sleepwalking scene?

  "Out, damned spot!"
• What does the doctor say about Lady Macbeth's condition?

  "Unnatural deeds do breed unnatural troubles."
• What is the tragic end of Lady Macbeth?

  Her suicide
• How does sleep function as a symbol in Macbeth?

  Represents innocence and peace disrupted by guilt
• What does blood symbolize in the play?

  Guilt throughout the play
• What do hallucinations represent in Macbeth?

  Physical manifestations of guilt
• What moral message does Shakespeare convey about guilt?

  It is inescapable and destructive
• How do Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's experiences with guilt differ?

  Macbeth reacts violently, while Lady Macbeth succumbs to madness
• What broader consequences does the play reflect regarding ambition?

  Ambition without morality leads to isolation and death