Macbeth's Main Theme

17 April 2013
Guilt and Conscience

Macbeth appeared to be a noble, loyal thane to Duncan, before some certain attributes led Macbeth to murder him. The murder of Duncan filled Macbeth with guilt, which was a stepping stone to his later murders. After ordering the murder of Banquo, Macbeth began to feel more comfortable with having others killed. Having Macduff 's family killed was senseless, showing that Macbeth did not care about killing anyone. The most important theme in Macbeth is guilt and conscience because they majorly contributed to his rise and eventually his downfall.
Duncan 's murder filled Macbeth with grief and guilt, which turned out to be just the beginning of his killing spree. He began feeling guilt before committing the actual crime. He says, “And wicked dreams abuse the curtain 's sleep.” (Macbeth, 2.2.62-63) Macbeth is having preemptive nightmares before he even actually attempts to kill Duncan. This shows that he is weak to begin with, which is a quality that is not suitable for a king. After committing the murder, he greatly struggles to live with his guilt. He asks, “Will all great Neptune 's ocean wash this blood clean from my hands?” (2.2.78-79) Macbeth is in agony at the thought of the crime he committed, and he is having difficulty getting it off of his mind. Macbeth, getting anxious, says, “Wake Duncan with thy knocking, I would thou couldst.” (2.2.94-95) He wants to take back what he has done and wishes he could wake Duncan up, just imagining that he is dead. The guilt was unbearable for Macbeth at this point, and things were not looking up for him.
After having Banquo killed, Macbeth seemed to be adjusting to the idea of murder, as the throne got closer and closer. Although he was still experiencing nightmares, he was not feeling as guilty as before, a sign of his conscience slowly dissolving. Still scared, Macbeth explains, “Ere we will eat our
Gagnon 2 meal in fear, and sleep in the affliction of these terrible dreams that shake us nightly.” (3.3.20-23) Still scared, Macbeth contemplates whether or not murder is worth the title of king. The nightmares he is experiencing say no, but the constant badgering from Lady Macbeth and the witches has him struggling to decide. After the murder of Banquo, he becomes slightly more comfortable with the deed, saying, “Scarf up the eye of the pitiful day, and with thy bloody and invisible hand, cancel and tear to pieces that great bond that keeps me pale. (3.3.53-56) This quote shows that Macbeth has somewhat adjusted to the idea of killing people, but he is requesting that the symptoms of guilt that he is still experiencing disappear. As his guilt dissolves, he says, “Be alive again and dare me to desert with thy sword.” (3.4.125-126) Macbeth seems much more confident now in committing murder, and is even taunting Banquo from beyond the grave. This could be some sort of coping strategy for him as well. Banquo 's murder appears to have shed a new light for Macbeth, opening him up to many new opportunities.
The murder of Macduff 's family was not at all justified, showing that Macbeth has become comfortable with murder. He begins to get much more aggressive as he continues his rise to power. He threatens Macduff, “But yet I 'll make assurance double sure and take bond of fate. Thou shalt not live, that I may tell pale-hearted fear it lies and sleep in spite of thunder.” (4.1.94-97) Macbeth has become much more confident in killing, explaining that he will kill Macduff 's family which as previous mentioned was a senseless crime, while Macduff has fled to England. He explains, “From this moment, the very firstlings of my heart shall be the firstlings of my hand.” (4.1.146-148) He is saying that he will now always act on his first impulse, and at this point, his first impulse in many situations would be to commit murder as he is now in power. He warns, “Whate 'er thou art, for thy good caution, thanks; thou hast harp 'd my fear aright.” (4.1.73-74) Macbeth is now practically free of any guilt. The senseless murders he has ordered show that he no longer cares for the lives of others.
Guilt and conscience were overall the most important theme in the book, playing vital parts for not only Macbeth, but other characters as well. . All of the murders he committed and ordered caused
Gagnon 3 his conscience to completely disappear. Later in the book, he shows no remorse for any of the crimes he commits and seems to be able to do these things without even flinching. His guilt at first showed that he still had a conscience and that he still had sympathy, but that quickly changed after he was mainly influenced by Lady Macbeth and the witches. The disappearance of guilt and his conscience ultimately led to his rise by being able to take out anyone in his path with no feelings of guilt what-so-ever. It appears Duncan was simply a test, as after his murder, Macbeth seems to have no trouble dealing with others. His guilt and conscience also led to his downfall. The disappearance of his guilt and conscience gave him too much confidence, which eventually led to many of his own men turning against him, as well as enraging Macduff and the 10,000 troops that he and Malcolm had put together, leading to his downfall and death. Macbeth seemed like a genuine person at first, but the constant pressure put on him and the murders that caused his conscience to disappear ultimately led to a turn for the worst.

Work Cited
Shakespeare, William. Macbeth. New York:
Washington Press, 1992. Print.

Cited: Shakespeare, William. Macbeth. New York: Washington Press, 1992. Print.