Impact of Guilt on MacBeth :: essays papers

Impact of Guilt on MacBethWhat is guilt and what major impact does it have in the play Macbeth by WilliamShakespeare? Guilt is be as the fact or state of having offended someone or some social occasion. Guilt may cause a person to have misgiving sleeping and difficulty in relationships with others. The effects of guilt tie into Macbeth with the groundwork of nightand sliminess. Guilt causes the main characters consciences to overcome them mentallyand physically do their downfalls. In the tragedy Macbeth by William Shakespeare,the recurring theme of night and darkness is used to symbolize guilt and conscience suchas when Macbeth and skirt Macbeth want the darkness to conceal their corruptive deeds and inthe end, when peeress Macbeth is afraid of the darkness and nighttime. In Act I, after King Duncan name Malcolm the Prince of Cumberland, Macbethis already plotting to kill Duncan. He asks the darkness to come and cloud his evil deedsso no one would see the terrible thing he was about to do. He says Stars, hide your fires let not luminosity see my black and deep desires The eye wink at the batch yet let that be which the eye fears, when it is done, to see (Act I, scene iv, ll.50-53). This is demo again after the murder of Banquo when Macbeth says to dame MacbethCome, seeling night, scarf up the conjure eye of pitiful day, and with thy bloody andinvisible hand cancel and draw out to pieces that great bond which keeps me pale(Act III,scene ii, ll.46-50). This quote from the play also shows the importance of night anddarkness to Macbeths plot of killing Banquo. He is asking the night to come and hideand cover up the things he has done to Banquo. These examples from Macbeth show thatthroughout the play, Macbeth wants the darkness to conceal his evil deeds. Lady Macbeth also asks the night to come upon her and hide her by the darkestsmoke of hell. She doesnt want to be seen as she and Macbeth commit their terribledeeds. She wants the night to hide he r thoughts and actions about killing Duncan whileshe is reading Macbeths letter. She says Come, thick night, and frisson thee in the dunnest smoke of hell, that my keen knife see not the pain it makes, not heaven peep through the blanket of the dark, to cry Hold, dungeon (Act I, scene v, ll.50-54). She is already planning the murder of Duncan long before her married mans return.