The Downfall of Macbeth

Downfall of the Macbeth’s

If one has the firmness of killing another, will that person collapse to the forces of guilt and turn themselves in, or will that person suffer the effects of guilt and try to live through their troubles? Guilt can cause many people to turn themselves in or can make people succumb into a deep hole. In the play “Macbeth” by William Shakespeare, Shakespeare reveals that the effects of guilt can cause the downfall of one’s status and more importantly, their inner being.

The main character, Macbeth, is corrupt with guilt. Because of the witch’s three prophecies, Macbeth finds himself contemplating on how he could finish the last prophecy; becoming the king of Scotland. Once Macbeth finishes the task of killing King Duncan, his troubles start. Macbeth starts having guilt because of what he did. After the murder, Macbeth asks himself if “great Neptune’s ocean [will] wash this blood clean from [his] hand.” (II, ii, 77-78). Macbeth is already feeling guilt towards Duncan’s death and doesn’t know whether the guilt on his hands will ever wash away. Macbeth even feels guilt before the murder. The quote “This supernatural soliciting, Cannot be ill, cannot be good… if good, why do I yield to that suggestion whose horrid image doth unfix my hair…” (I, iii, 140-145) already suggests this. Macbeth is confused at why he has thought this and already feels guilt. Macbeth killing Duncan only brought Macbeth trouble sleeping, loss of appetite, and nightmares. This is only the beginning of Macbeth’s hardship. Macbeth feels agitated and on edge for the rest of the play. This causes the lords, thanes, and people to think there is something odd about him. The guilt caused from Duncan’s murder definitely caused part of Macbeth’s downfall of inner being and status. Relative to Macbeth, Lady Macbeth had the same effects from guilt, but with a different outcome.

Lady Macbeth, Macbeth’s partner in crime influenced Macbeth greatly. Lady Macbeth initially was the “innocent flower, [with] [] the serpent under it.” (I, v, 72-73) But she starts losing her mind and state of wellbeing after Duncan’s murder. Lady Macbeth was very strong at the beginning, but the strength diminished after the effects of guilt disintegrated her life. Lady Macbeth was thought to stay strong, yet people now see how she is suffering from nightmares, troubled sleep, and loss of appetite; just as Macbeth. Long after the murder of Duncan, Lady Macbeth says “Out damned spot! Out, I say!”(VI, i, 33). This displays how Lady Macbeth still believes she has blood on her hands, even though there isn’t any at all. She is hallucinating and is feeling guilty for what she has done. Lady Macbeth still smells Duncan’s blood and keeps telling herself that “[her] hands [will] ne’er be clean.”(IV, i, 40). Lady Macbeth’s insecurity and instability leads her to her doom; she kills herself. The strong forces of guilt caused her to hallucinate, be confused, sleepwalk, and eventually make her kill herself. Lady Macbeth’s conscience got the best of her. Cleary, the effects of guilt led Lady Macbeth to her demise. This progresses into what situation ultimately made Macbeth lose his life and his status as king.

If Macbeth did not experience guilt, would