Macbeth first illustrates a fair amount of guilt directly after murdering Duncan: “Methought heard a voice cry, “Sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep” (II.ii.35,36). Macbeth imagines a voice which states sleeping is no longer safe as Macbeth murdered Duncan in his sleep, heightening the cruelty of the crime and leaving Macbeth to mourn with guilt and remorse. He originally did not want to murder Duncan. He hoped there would be another way, until he realized it had to be done in order for him to be successful, which was the start to a future filled with astonishing amounts of guilt for him.
As a result of his insecurity of his lack of manliness, Macbeth’s soul couldn’t be cleansed again. Macbeth proved to his wife that he was a “man” but the consequence of murdering the king was the beginning of the corruption of Macbeth’s soul because of the sense of power he had. Macbeth saw his actions as justifiable because he was motivated by his self-interest. Although Lady Macbeth pushed Macbeth to abuse his powers, it was ultimately his own doing because he had a choice to go or not go along with it. Macbeth decided to go through with his plan to kill Duncan, “I am settled, and bend up/Each corporal agent to this terrible feat/Away, and mock the time with fairest show/False face must hide what the false heart doth know” (1.7.92-96).
However, by the end of the play Macbeth is hated by all and is considered to be a traitor and tyrant. I believe that had Macbeth not have murdered Duncan, he would have carried on his good name and maybe gained the role of King without having to do anything to gain it. We can see that Macbeth starts to suffer from the murder almost directly after when he says that he thinks he hears a voice: Methought I hear a voice cry 'Sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep',
Macbeth feels a great deal of remorse after he has killed the king. He understands that he has committed a sin and will be punished. He is so terrified that he hears voices telling him:“ Macbeth does murder sleep, … , Macbeth shall sleep no more”(Act 2, Sc.2 p. 57). Macbeth is very upset with himself and wishes that he never killed Duncan. “To know my deed it were best not know myself.” When he hears strange knocking at the gate he wishes that it wakes up Duncan, “wake Duncan with thy knocking”, however it is too late (Act 2, Sc.3 p. 61).
They recount to Macbeth three prophecies. "Hail to thee, thane of glamis." "Hail to thee than... ... middle of paper ... ... The witches could have cast a spell over Macbeth to create and be all evil perhaps for a mistake he has made or for all the brutal killings he made in the war. Another solution is that it was set out to all be physiological so that Macbeth literally persuaded himself that these prophecies were true because he wanted to be king so badly and he would love them to actually be true.
He also began killing people he respected as men and friends. When Banquo was told that he would be the father to a line of Kings Macbeth saw this as a huge threat to his well earned thrown. He hired men to kill him not thinking twice about it until the guilt made him mad. At one time he respected Macduff but now seeing him as a traitor he killed his wife and children with no remorse at all. He began to think of only himself and the throne that gave him no content.
Interestingly, Shakespeare’s Macbeth, clearly illustrates Macbeth’s ambition to becoming the king. In order for Macbeth to become king he uses poor judgment when he decides to kill King Duncan. After he is king, he struggles in maintaining his position. Moreover, it is also argued that Macbeth’s judgment became negatively influenced by the witches prophesies, as well as Lady Macbeth. It is as if they were able to poison his mind and alter his sense of moral and ethical judgment.
The witches use deception with Macbeth, toying with his life. Their false prophecies eventually leave Macbeth unprepared and lead to his downfall. While many different strategies are used in this play by Shakespeare to get Macbeth the kingship, deceit is the most prominent and important in the entire play. Macbeth deceives Duncan by inviting him into his home and then murdering him. Macbeth was supposed to be a loyal thane, but betrays his ruler.
Because of his irrational thinking, Macbeth commits probably the worst crime he had every committed. Macbeth had his Macduff's family slaughtered. This crime was so horrendous because unlike Macbeth's prior murders, this one had no other purpose but to quench Macbeth hatred of his rival Macduff. It soon became clear that
In William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Macduff shows how intentions truly define a person through his consistent demonstration of cleverness, valor, and faithfulness to his country. The tragic events that occur in Macbeth begin with the murder of Scotland’s beloved king, Duncan. When Macduff discovers his king dead in his bed he expresses true grief and sorrow, appalled that anybody could have the heart to kill such an innocent man. When Macbeth, trying to avoid blame for the murder he committed, said that he murdered the King’s guards out of grief, Macduff was the only one of the noblemen to sense that Macbeth’s actions didn’t quite make sense and asks, “Wherefore did you so?” (2.3.109). Macduff initially seems to believe that the King’s own sons were responsible for this heinous act, but is hesitant to fully trust Macbeth.