Significance Of Guilt In Macbeth

In Shakespeare’s tragedy Macbeth, the main character Macbeth yearns to be king which leads to an overpowering sense of guilt causing his downfall. King Duncan constantly praises Macbeth for his fidelity and chivalry, but when Duncan crowns his son king, Macbeth feels deceived. Thus, Macbeth and his wife plot to murder Duncan so Macbeth can become king. As the time approaches to assassinate Duncan, Macbeth begins hallucinating. Macbeth declares in a soliloquy: “A dagger of the mind, a false creation, /Proceeding from the heat oppressed brain” (II. I. 38-39). In other words, Macbeth envisions the dagger he plans to use to kill Duncan and knows this symbolizes his remorse but Lady Macbeth belittles him to he will carry out their plan. Furthermore,