The Guilt Between Lady Macbeth and Macbeth

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You can control guilt or guilt will drive you into madness. In the novel, Macbeth, guilt has taken over two of the main characters, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, but each one responds to it in a different way. Their similarities and differences are quite obvious and both are driven to their actions by this feeling. It will eventually cause both of them a breakdown, affecting their behaviors and resulting them into going through a psychological incapacity. Lady Macbeth is a vicious and overly ambitious woman, her desire of having something over rules all the moral behaviors that one should follow. On the beginning of the novel, Macbeth receives the news that if Duncan, the current king, passed away he would be the next one to the throne. So, Lady Macbeth induces Macbeth into killing Duncan by filling his mind with ambition and planting cruel seeds into his head. After accomplishing his deed of killing the king, he brings out the daggers that were used during the murder, and says, “I’ll go no more. I am afraid to think what I have done; look on’t again I dare not.” This is his first crime and Macbeth is already filled with guilt and regret. He shows the reader to be the weak one of the duo. Lady Macbeth as the cruel partner still has some sentiment and somewhat a weakness in her heart and mind. When talking about Duncan she says, “Had he not resembled my father as he slept, I had done’t.” Weakness is still present and will always be there throughout the novel but this one change the fact that Lady Macbeth is still the stronger and cruel one. In a result of Macbeth’s guilt he is going through some illusions and the incapacity of praying, which worries him. To show Macbeth’s despairs he questions himself and asks, “"Will all great Nep... ... middle of paper ... ...e of guilt. She went through some psychological incapacity, and had no ability to make decisions. While Macbeth, when hit by guilt, could still make decisions and make some imprudent acts such as murdering again. Even though the murdering caused him to experience glimpse of insanity he could still control his mind so resentment would not take over. In the end the readers can observe that Macbeth even being affected by guilt so many times in so many ways is still stronger than Lady Macbeth. He could survive the play without committing suicide because a feeling was controlling him. He had control over guilt, not completely, but largely. With the help of Lady Macbeth he continued with what he was predetermined to do, while Lady Macbeth could receive no help to stop her from going mad and committing suicide. You can control guilt, or guilt will drive you into madness.

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