theme of guilt

• What is the role of guilt in Macbeth's downfall?


  Though it is Macbeth's immoral ambition and greed, along with the harsh pressure from Lady Macbeth, that acts as his hamartia and eventually provokes his downfall, it is guilt and paranoia that actually breaks him. Without the guilt of his evil and cruel acts, Macbeth wouldn't have gone insane. And without paranoia, Macbeth may have stopped his murderous spree at Duncan and not gone on to kill his friend Banquo.
• Summarise Macbeth's guilt


  Macbeth’s guiltis focused solely on the murder, as he expresses his remorse both before and after killing King Duncan. Yet after that, his guilt comes in the form of paranoia as he fears he will meet the same end as the former king, this sends him to kill all his opponents, such as Lady Macduff and Banquo, even young Fleance, simply because they threaten his throne.
• Summarise Lady Macbeth's guilt


  Lady Macbeth’s guiltmakes her go into herself. She closes herself off from everyone else, cannot be in darkness, and sleepwalks as she is trapped in her own guilty thoughts. The way her guilt takes over is gradual but destructive, showing how even the most callous (insensitive and cruel) and cold people aren’t immune to God’s judgement and their own human conscience.
• Give 3 quotes about how religion plays a role in guilt


  1.7: "We'd jump the life to come,"

  2.2: I could not say 'Amen'

  2.2: "I had most need of blessing and 'Amen' / Stuck in my throat,"
• Analyse 1.7: "We'd jump the life to come,"


  Macbeth knows committing murder will sacrifice his life in Heaven. The threat of this is enough to make Macbeth reconsider his plan, showing the power religion and belief had over people at the time. Shakespeare shows the moral and religious consequences of being guilty.

  Macbeth feels that this act risks his soul as he will be condemned to hell after betraying God's commands
• Analyse 2.2: I could not say 'Amen'


  He is deeply distressed and upset by this experience. It seems Macbeth is scared because he has been denied God's forgiveness, so knows he is damned.

  This is almost like a confirmation that he has jeopardized his soul and has destroyed his loyalty to God
• Analyse 2.2: "I had most need of blessing and 'Amen' / Stuck in my throat,"


  "I had most need of blessing" reveals his regret, for he is desperate to reclaim his innocence.

  The metaphor "stuck in my throat" evokes the image of a barrier blocking Macbeth from God.
• Give 3 quotes for how euphemism and masculinity play into guilt


  2.2: "I have done the deed"

  2.2: "I am afraid to think what I have done / Look on't again, I dare not"

  2.2: "To know my deed, 'twere best not know my self,"
• Analyse 2.2: "I have done the deed"


  Macbeth uses equivocal/euphemistic language to refer to the murder he has just committed as he cannot admit it even to himself

  The plosive 'd' sound creates a dark and heavy feeling to represent the strain of guilt Macbeth is experiencing
• Analyse 2.2: "I am afraid to think what I have done / Look on't again, I dare not"


  AGAIN, Macbeth uses euphemistic language to avoid his murderous act, displaying how not only can he think about it, but he can't even bring himself to say it

  The use of "dare" displays masculinity, with daring often associated with masculinity and strength, he cannot dare to think about it, showing he doesn't even care about his masculinity and what his wife had said
• Analyse 2.2: "To know my deed, 'twere best not know my self,"


  "To know my deed, 'twere best not know my self,"

  Guilt is presented as an intense fear of knowing yourself and facing what you have done.

  The perception of himself as an honourable hero has died along with Duncan. He would rather be unconscious or forget who he is than look at what he's done.
• How does the motif of sleep play into guilt?


  Shakespeare uses a motif of sleep to portray the idea that the reward of sleep separates the innocent and the guilty. Macbeth suffers from serious insomnia upon his murderous acts as he is wracked with nightmares. Macbeth actually realizes immediately that he has lost his ability to sleep claiming he has "murdered sleep"
• What does sleep symbolise?


  Sleep symbolizes the ignorance that many characters find themselves facing throughout the play and the ways in which this leaves them vulnerable. Murdered while he sleeps, Duncan is quite literally unaware of the danger he is in. Likewise, Lady Macbeth frames Duncan's own servants, themselves also sleeping. Both actions suggest sleep poses a threat to the characters by rendering them exposed and defenceless.
• Give 2-3 quotes for the motif of sleep and guilt


  2.2: "Sleep no more! / Macbeth does murder sleep," the innocent sleep"

  2.2: "There's one did laugh in's sleep, and one cried 'Murder!'"

  5.1: "Out, damned spot"
• Analyse 2.2: "Sleep no more! / Macbeth does murder sleep," the innocent sleep"


  To Macbeth, sleep is not only a necessity of life, but something that makes life worth living, and he feels that when he murdered his King in his sleep, he murdered sleep itself.
• Analyse 2.2: "There's one did laugh in's sleep, and one cried 'Murder!'"


  To him, it's as though those men, even in their sleep, could see his bloody murderer's hands.

  Lady Macbeth frames Duncan's own servants, themselves also sleeping. Both actions suggest sleep poses a threat to the characters by rendering them exposed and defenseless.
• Analyse 5.1: "Out, damned spot"


  A quote of Lady Macbeth when she is sleepwalking, the sleep links to this continued symbol of the importance of sleep. Lady Macbeth appears restless and is still haunted by her actions even in her sleep, showing she gets no freedom from her guilty conscience.

  Sleepwalking is a very neat device for Shakespeare to use here, as it taps perfectly into the question of agency that hangs over the whole play
• Give 2 quotes of paranoia and guilt

  3.1: "For Banquo's issue have I filed my mind"

  3.2: "O, full of scorpions is my mind,"
• Analyse 3.1: "For Banquo's issue have I filed my mind"


  Paranoia is portrayed as a poison that is relentless and inescapable. Macbeth loses all his heroic qualities because of his fears, and he becomes murderous even as he descends into madness

  He feels he must continue this murderous spree as otherwise, he may lose his crown and authority, deeming the murders useless as they don't provide him with any benefit
• Analyse 3.2: "O, full of scorpions is my mind,"


  His paranoia of losing his power is almost painful yet he cannot avoid or ignore it as it continues to plague him.
• Give quotes for how guilt affects Lady Macbeth


  1.5: ​​"Stop up th'access and passage to remorse"

  3.2: ​​"'Tis safer to be that which we destroy / Than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy,"

  3.2: "Nought's had, all's spent / Where our desire is got without content"

  3.2: "What's done, is done,"

  AND

  5.1: "What's done cannot be undone,"
• Analyse 1.5: ​​"Stop up th'access and passage to remorse"


  This indicates that she is capable of feeling guilt, but wants to repress these feelings because she views them as weaknesses. The only way to overcome guilt is to not feel it, as Shakespeare implies guilt is too powerful to ignore.

  She seems to be more knowledgeable of the possible outcomes of their actions, as though they not only affect the people around them, they also will affect them with serious guilt
• Analyse 3.2: ​​"'Tis safer to be that which we destroy / Than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy,"


  This suggests she envies the dead for their peace of mind.

  Lady Macbeth is becoming aware of the infinite cycle of violence they have got themselves into to satisfy their paranoia. Shakespeare shows that sins and crimes are never rewarded so the perpetrators are only left with their remorse.
• Analyse 3.2: "Nought's had, all's spent / Where our desire is got without content"


  "All's spent" illustrates how there is a cost for being guilty of a crime, and may also allude to her mental exhaustion - she is "spent".

  She displays a very nihilistic attitude in this rhyming couplet
• Analyse 3.2: "What's done, is done,"

  AND

  5.1: "What's done cannot be undone,"

  Suggesting they can't change their fate and will just have to live with the consequences. Shakespeare suggests that greed and ambition can't predict the guilt that comes with making fantasies into reality.

  The line becomes a refrain for her, as later she mutters to herself in her sleep. The repetition makes it appear like she is trying to convince herself to let go and get the courage to face reality. The change from "is done" to "cannot be undone" gives the impression that her guilt and desperation have increased.