ENGLIT MACBETH guilt quotes

Question 1

How do Macbeth and LM show some sort of guilt throughout the play?

Answer 1

• Macbeth sees Banquo’s ghost and LM imagines blood on her hands which is a sign of their guilt
• the fact they suffer torment over their actions suggests that they aren’t entirely cold-blooded

Question 2

What do the Macbeth’s guilt lead them to do?

Answer 2

• means they can never fully enjoy the power that they have
• leads to Macbeth killing more people in an attempt to cover up his first crime
• leads to LM killing herself as she can’t live with all the guilt she has

Question 3

How does Macbeth show guilt in II.2?

Answer 3

“will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood clean from my hands?”

• uses grand and dramatic language to imply that his blood could stain the world’s oceans red
• his language implies that the consequences of his actions won’t be easily hidden, he will forever be a changed man as a result of what he’s done

Question 4

How does Macbeth show guilt after seeing Banquo’s ghost III.4?

Answer 4

“thy bone is marrowless, thy blood is cold, thy has no speculation in those eyes”

• his sense of guilt is so powerful that he isn’t sure whether he’s having a vision or not
• speaks these lines in order to try and reassure himself that Banquo is truly dead
• Macbeth reveals that his tormented consciousness is resulting in him losing his grip on sanity

Question 5

How does LM show guilt in V.1?

Answer 5

“come, come, come, come, give me your hand, what’s done cannot be undone, to bed”

• final words she utters, reveals how her guilt has crushed her once strong and assertive personality
• she now has to be cared for like a child and has no plans for the future
• no matter how much she repents, the violence and death cannot be undone

Question 6

How does Macbeth show guilt towards the end of III.4?

Answer 6

“I am in blood, stepp’d in so far that should I wade no more, returning were as tedious as go o’er”

• he regrets what he has done but is stuck in guilt and abashment and contrition
• gives imagery of a river, emphasises the amount of people that he has killed
• gives the impression that the river is running red with blood, links to natural order being disrupted as a result of Macbeth’s actions