Lady Macbeth's Guilt Quotes

Lady Macbeth: “Here’s the smell of blood still: all the / perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this / little hand. Oh, oh, oh” (V.I.50-52). Lady Macbeth has become berserk from the murders she assisted in William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, and she is attempting to wash imaginary blood off of her hands in her sleep, which represents her guilt. This quote is ironic due to Lady Macbeth taunting Macbeth in act II, scene II about when he was hysterical about Duncan’s blood on his hands. She tells Macbeth that a little water will wash off the blood, but now, she is struggling with cleaning imaginary blood off of her hands in her sleep, and despite everything she attempts to do, nothing will clean it off in her mind. This leads to Lady Macbeth becoming
In act II, scene I, Macbeth is on his way to take Duncan’s life, and he hallucinates, seeing a bloody dagger. Macbeth: “And on thy blade and dudgeon gouts of blood, / Which was not so before" (2.1.46-47). The blood on the dagger represents guilt, specifically Macbeth’s guilt, because he initially did not desire to murder Duncan. This is due to the fact that he esteemed Duncan as a superb king in act I scene VII, where he had decided not to proceed with the plot to assassinate Duncan, but now Macbeth is forced to murder Duncan. The bloody dagger is just another deterrent his mind has fabricated so that he does not go against his moral code by taking Duncan’s life, however, Macbeth still proceeds to slaughter Duncan. This is demonstrating that Macbeth is starting to allow his ambition to take over his actions. In act II, scene II, Macbeth has returned from murdering Duncan, and he states that Duncan’s blood on his hands will not be cleansed off. Macbeth: ”Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood/ Clean from my hand? No, this my hand will rather / The multitudinous seas incarnadine/ Making the green one red” (II.II.57-60). The blood represents Macbeth’s guilt being permanent because Macbeth believed Duncan was an excellent ruler, and since he had taken the life of the man he reveres, Macbeth feels the backlash of his evil deed as it infringed his moral code. Macbeth proceeds to say that the blood will not be
In act IV, scene III, Malcolm says to Macduff that each day, Scotland is getting thrashed by Macbeth because he rules like a tyrant. Malcolm: “I think our country sinks beneath the yoke; / It weeps, it bleeds; and each new day a gash / Is added to her wounds. I think withal” (IV.III.39-41). The blood Scotland is losing each day from bleeding represents integrity because it was ruled by Duncan in the past, who, according to Macbeth, was an outstanding king, but now it is under Macbeth’s rule, who is seen as a tyrant. Each day, the state of Scotland is worsening due to Macbeth’s vile actions, which corresponds to how Scotland is bleeding, losing blood, which represents righteousness being lost in turn. In act IV, scene III, Macduff says that Scotland is in turmoil because of Macbeth’s rule. Mcduff: “No, not to live. O nation miserable, / With an untitled tyrant bloody-scepter'd, / When shalt thou see thy wholesome days again” (IV.III.103-105). Macduff mentions that Scotland is turbulent because of Macbeth being the ruler due to his repugnant actions. The blood on the sceptre represents malice because Macbeth’s hold on the Scottish throne is malicious. The reason for this is that Macbeth’s actions are done purely with the intent of causing others to feel pain. This is shown when Macbeth sends murderers to assassinate Macduff’s wife and child in scene II of act IV; Macbeth would not benefit from this, yet he still takes their