Shakespeare’s famed bodies of work include comedies, love stories, and tragedies. Macbeth, one of his most popular tragedies, features powerful themes throughout that established an overall somber, dark mood. Guilt comes after a regrettable action is committed, but what if that action helped one achieve a life-long goal? Through the apparent use of blood, darkness, and death, Shakespeare establishes a powerful theme of guilt throughout Macbeth.
)From the intro, I can’t tell if this paper is about commiting a crime is okay or the theme of guilt. I would attached a few more details to the question as it just seems to hang in mid-air.) Macbeth is known as one of Shakespeare’s bloodiest works, where blood and violence often come as a package …show more content…
When the witches discuss their plan to meet Macbeth, they ask when they are to meet to discuss, and their only options include “in the thunder, lightning, or rain” (I. i. 2). The witches are conscious of the events to occur, so the darkness foreshadows Macbeth’s tragedy. Later, when Macbeth ponders what kingship entails - whether it will just fall to him, or if an act of darkness is required. Banquo tells him, “The instruments of darkness tell us truths, / Win us with honest trifles, to betray [u]s” (I. iii. 136-137). In this, he explains that the agents of destruction tell us the truth, only leading to our demise. We learn to trust their judgment because they tell us little truths, but will prove untrustworthy in the end. In Act 2, Scene 1, Macbeth prepares to kill the king and to claim the title. Banquo claims “there’s husbandry in heaven;/ their candles are all out. Take thee that too./ And yet I would not sleep” (II. i. 6-8); the witches’ prophecy rattled his mind, leaving his thoughts scattered and paranoid. Banquo explains that heaven carefully provides resources and comfort, but it is currently dark there, offering no light and no assistance. In this, the darkness of heaven and lack of ease represent the future guilt of Macbeth for killing the king. Motifs of darkness throughout the play establish a common theme of …show more content…
These signal conclusion, with a new beginning when the light approaches. After Macbeth kills the king and begins to feel immense guilt, Lady Macbeth advises, “The sleeping and the dead/ Are but as pictures”. Through this, she tells him that sleep and death cannot harm you, since they are like pictures: distant, harmless memories. Macbeth’s guilt is mocked by his wife, when she claims “Tis the eye of childhood/ That fears a painted devil”(II. ii. 136-139). Death is past, and the future of kingship is now. However, towards the conclusion of the play and Macbeth’s life, Malcolm arrives with his troops before Dunsinane Castle. When they are prepared to battle, Macduff cries, “Make all of our trumpets speak; give them all breath/ Those clamorous harbingers of blood and death” (V. vi. 10-11). He compares the mere instruments of battle to heralds of life’s cessation. Macbeth lived a guilty life after killing Banquo, and piled a life of mistakes and misjudgments. Instead of entertaining music, the simple woodwinds trumpets signaled life’s end. Guilt disappears when awareness
)From the intro, I can’t tell if this paper is about commiting a crime is okay or the theme of guilt. I would attached a few more details to the question as it just seems to hang in mid-air.) Macbeth is known as one of Shakespeare’s bloodiest works, where blood and violence often come as a package …show more content…
When the witches discuss their plan to meet Macbeth, they ask when they are to meet to discuss, and their only options include “in the thunder, lightning, or rain” (I. i. 2). The witches are conscious of the events to occur, so the darkness foreshadows Macbeth’s tragedy. Later, when Macbeth ponders what kingship entails - whether it will just fall to him, or if an act of darkness is required. Banquo tells him, “The instruments of darkness tell us truths, / Win us with honest trifles, to betray [u]s” (I. iii. 136-137). In this, he explains that the agents of destruction tell us the truth, only leading to our demise. We learn to trust their judgment because they tell us little truths, but will prove untrustworthy in the end. In Act 2, Scene 1, Macbeth prepares to kill the king and to claim the title. Banquo claims “there’s husbandry in heaven;/ their candles are all out. Take thee that too./ And yet I would not sleep” (II. i. 6-8); the witches’ prophecy rattled his mind, leaving his thoughts scattered and paranoid. Banquo explains that heaven carefully provides resources and comfort, but it is currently dark there, offering no light and no assistance. In this, the darkness of heaven and lack of ease represent the future guilt of Macbeth for killing the king. Motifs of darkness throughout the play establish a common theme of …show more content…
These signal conclusion, with a new beginning when the light approaches. After Macbeth kills the king and begins to feel immense guilt, Lady Macbeth advises, “The sleeping and the dead/ Are but as pictures”. Through this, she tells him that sleep and death cannot harm you, since they are like pictures: distant, harmless memories. Macbeth’s guilt is mocked by his wife, when she claims “Tis the eye of childhood/ That fears a painted devil”(II. ii. 136-139). Death is past, and the future of kingship is now. However, towards the conclusion of the play and Macbeth’s life, Malcolm arrives with his troops before Dunsinane Castle. When they are prepared to battle, Macduff cries, “Make all of our trumpets speak; give them all breath/ Those clamorous harbingers of blood and death” (V. vi. 10-11). He compares the mere instruments of battle to heralds of life’s cessation. Macbeth lived a guilty life after killing Banquo, and piled a life of mistakes and misjudgments. Instead of entertaining music, the simple woodwinds trumpets signaled life’s end. Guilt disappears when awareness