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Fear, Guilt, and Regret in Macbeth by William Shakespeare

Decent Essays

In William Shakespeare’s Macbeth the reader watches as Macbeth changes gradually as the play endures. He are transforms from a loyal person with a loving and loyal disposition with other people, into a tyrants who are willing to kill in order to keep himself on the throne. He is tormented with fear, regret, and guilt. When someone does something they know is wrong it causes them to fall prey to their own emotions. After Duncan’s death you are able to see how the characters involved in the murder almost instantly experience feelings of regret. There is a scene where Macbeth is in shock so greatly after murdering Duncan, that he forgets to leave the murder weapon behind. When confronted by Lady Macbeth(who says he needs to go return the weapons) he says, "I'll go no more: / I am afraid to think what I have done; / Look on't again I dare not"( 2.2 53-55). This allows us to see how Macbeth is pained by what he has done. Macbeth also says he heard a voice say “"Glamis hath murdered sleep, and therefore Cawdor shall sleep no more. Macbeth shall sleep no more."( 2.2 46-48). When Macbeth says this he is saying that he has not only murdered Duncan, but he has murdered sleep. He is saying he won’t be able to sleep after what he has just done because he will regret it forever and it will haunt him. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are interrupted by knocking on the door and as Macbeth and Lady Macbeth walk away he says, “Wake Duncan with thy knocking; I would though couldst."( 2.2 78-79).

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