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Saturday, November 13, 2010
Macbeth's guilt
When does he feel guilt for his actions? Be precise. What does the nature of his guilt reveal about his character?
Macbeth feels guilt for the first time just right after killing Duncan. While he is killing his attendants, he cannot say "Amen", when they say "God bless us" (Act II, scene 2). He cannot refer to God, because he knows he has done something punishable, he is afraid of what he's done. This action is a realization of guilt. To add, in the middle of Act III, while having a feast at his palace, Macbeth sees Banquo's ghost and has a period of madness in front of his guests. The new king hallucinates, and projects Banquo's image in his mind, which shows that he has again a guilty conscience, he knows he is responsible for his friend's murder. The idea of acting amoral is haunting him now. He talks to Banquo's ghost and claims his innocence: "Thou canst not say I did it" (Act III, scene 4). This shows that Macbeth has a weak personality; he doesn't want to assume what he's done and isn't responsible for his acts. He cannot enjoy what he's gained because the feeling of guilty pursues him everywhere. On the other side, his guiltiness also explains that he knows he has commit something unacceptable. He has then a sense of morality.
I agree with Teresa, Macbeth feels guilt for his actions right after killing Duncan. However, one cannot be sure if this "guilt" really reveals something about Macbeth's sense of morality, it might be more fear than guilt. Indeed, when Macbeth kills Duncan he supposedly "feels guilty". However, he still goes on with the crimes by killing the two guards (or at least not stopping his wife from doing so), and in Act III by killing Banquo (and trying to kill Banquo's son). So is it guilt that haunts Macbeth after the murders, or the fear of being caught...? I WONDER.
I think that Macbeth feels guilt for his actions when he sees the ghost in his chair during the banquet. When he spoke to the ghost he said: "Take any shape but that, and my firm nerves/ Shall never tremble." l.124 Here, we can see that the sight of Banquo dead is really frightening him. In a way, he is frightened by what he did to his friend. Even though he did not kill him with his own hands, he was the one who ordered the murder. He feels guilt as he can not stand to see Banquo's figure, as if he couldn't face what he did, his actions. Macbeth is fearless and brave, except when it comes to being reminded of his evil actions. This then shows that he is haunted by what he did, and that he then feels guilt and maybe wishes to go back in time to relieve himself from all the remorse and the anxiety.
In my opinion, Macbeth's guilt assumes a subtle form even before having killed Duncan; he over-thinks his decision to murder him and fears the repercussions prior to having accomplished the deed. However, I think that this guilt becomes more defined and concrete after having actually killed the king and that throughout the play (from what we have seen up until now) it never really fades. As we see in Acts II and III, Macbeth on several occasions seems fine and free of guilt - which may lead us to think that he is "looking like the time" and merely covering up his true feelings - but is sometimes brutally overcome by rushes of guilt, like when he sees Banquo's ghost at the feast. Likewise, his reaction in Act IV to seeing his late companion's features in the kings that the witches show him might also suggest a slip of his guilt, once again seen rising to the surface of his calm composure.
Macbeth feels guilt for the first time just right after killing Duncan. While he is killing his attendants, he cannot say "Amen", when they say "God bless us" (Act II, scene 2). He cannot refer to God, because he knows he has done something punishable, he is afraid of what he's done. This action is a realization of guilt.
ReplyDeleteTo add, in the middle of Act III, while having a feast at his palace, Macbeth sees Banquo's ghost and has a period of madness in front of his guests. The new king hallucinates, and projects Banquo's image in his mind, which shows that he has again a guilty conscience, he knows he is responsible for his friend's murder. The idea of acting amoral is haunting him now. He talks to Banquo's ghost and claims his innocence: "Thou canst not say I did it" (Act III, scene 4).
This shows that Macbeth has a weak personality; he doesn't want to assume what he's done and isn't responsible for his acts. He cannot enjoy what he's gained because the feeling of guilty pursues him everywhere. On the other side, his guiltiness also explains that he knows he has commit something unacceptable. He has then a sense of morality.
I agree with Teresa, Macbeth feels guilt for his actions right after killing Duncan. However, one cannot be sure if this "guilt" really reveals something about Macbeth's sense of morality, it might be more fear than guilt. Indeed, when Macbeth kills Duncan he supposedly "feels guilty". However, he still goes on with the crimes by killing the two guards (or at least not stopping his wife from doing so), and in Act III by killing Banquo (and trying to kill Banquo's son). So is it guilt that haunts Macbeth after the murders, or the fear of being caught...? I WONDER.
ReplyDeleteI think that Macbeth feels guilt for his actions when he sees the ghost in his chair during the banquet. When he spoke to the ghost he said: "Take any shape but that, and my firm nerves/ Shall never tremble." l.124 Here, we can see that the sight of Banquo dead is really frightening him. In a way, he is frightened by what he did to his friend. Even though he did not kill him with his own hands, he was the one who ordered the murder. He feels guilt as he can not stand to see Banquo's figure, as if he couldn't face what he did, his actions. Macbeth is fearless and brave, except when it comes to being reminded of his evil actions. This then shows that he is haunted by what he did, and that he then feels guilt and maybe wishes to go back in time to relieve himself from all the remorse and the anxiety.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, Macbeth's guilt assumes a subtle form even before having killed Duncan; he over-thinks his decision to murder him and fears the repercussions prior to having accomplished the deed. However, I think that this guilt becomes more defined and concrete after having actually killed the king and that throughout the play (from what we have seen up until now) it never really fades. As we see in Acts II and III, Macbeth on several occasions seems fine and free of guilt - which may lead us to think that he is "looking like the time" and merely covering up his true feelings - but is sometimes brutally overcome by rushes of guilt, like when he sees Banquo's ghost at the feast. Likewise, his reaction in Act IV to seeing his late companion's features in the kings that the witches show him might also suggest a slip of his guilt, once again seen rising to the surface of his calm composure.
ReplyDelete