ipl-logo

How Does Macbeth Ignore His Conscience

995 Words4 Pages

A conscience is the little voice in a person’s head that tells him the difference between wrong and right. People either choose to listen to it or ignore their conscience. In Macbeth, Shakespeare uses imagery to show that Macbeth realizes he has a conscience; however, he must ignore it to secure his spot in leadership. Macbeth is bothered by his conscience after he hears the witches’ prophecy and begins to ponder murder. The murder of both Duncan and Malcolm. The Witches tell Macbeth that he will become Thane of Cawdor and King. Macbeth receives the name Thane of Cawdor and he is pleased but only one of the two truths have occurred. Macbeth wants to be called King and Thane of Cawdor. Macbeth says, “ I am Thane of Cawdor: If good, why do …show more content…

Duncan announces to Macbeth that he will be staying at Inverness castle. Lady Macbeth and Macbeth plan Duncan’s murder, but before killing Duncan, Macbeth has a vision of a bloody dagger and a conversation with himself where he says, “ I see thee still, on thy blade gouts of blood, Which was not so before… It is the bloody business which informs Thus to mine eyes” (Shakespeare 2.1.57-61). The idea of the bloody dagger is to point out that there is a temptation and a perfect opportunity to kill Duncan. The dagger is a “false creation” that Macbeth creates in his mind and he sees it covered in blood which gives him the confidence to kill Duncan. The blood on the dagger symbolizes that he will be successful in the …show more content…

Lady Macbeth explains to Macbeth that he should use his noble strength to think of things before he does them. She exclaims to go get water to wash the blood off of his hands. Macbeth exclaims that, “Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood clean from my hand? No, this my hand will rather the multitudinous seas incarnadine, making the green one red” (Shakespeare 2.2.78-82). Macbeth portrays imagery when he asks “Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood”. The imagery of the ocean can’t wash away the blood caused by crime of murder. Macbeth’s conscience keeps giving him hints that murder and murderous thoughts are acceptable and ok. Murder will always stick with you; what is done is done and there is no going back to change what Macbeth has done. Blood equals the permanent memory of the actions Macbeth has done. Macbeth had to kill the people he has to secure a spot in

Show More
Related

  • Macbeth Blood Quotes

    219 Words  | 1 Pages

    The image of blood plays an important role throughout the play. Blood represents the murders Macbeth and Lady Macbeth committed along with the guilt and pain they’ve felt afterwards. When Macbeth murdered King Duncan, he was fearful of getting caught. “Will Neptune’s ocean wash this blood Clean from my hand?” (2.2.59-60) Later, Macbeth refuses to go back to the crime scene to smear the blood on the sleeping guards because he was afraid of being accused.

    Read More

  • Respect And Betrayal In Macbeth

    780 Words  | 4 Pages

    Macbeth only becomes Thane of Cawdor, because of a traitor, but he himself later becomes a traitor. In the beginning it was easy for Macbeth to fight for his king and to honor the name of the man who ruled his land, but once he finds out his future, his entire mindset changes. Macbeth fights and wins a battle in favor for Scotland and king Duncan. A few hours after the battle, the Weird Sisters tell Macbeth what his future looks like. He becomes obsessed with the idea of becoming king and one can sense his thirst for power.

    Read More

  • Free Will In Macbeth

    1209 Words  | 5 Pages

    This is illustrated through Macbeth himself, who, first, makes the choice of not listening to his conscience, which continuously

    Read More

  • Essay On Symbolism Of Blood In Macbeth

    482 Words  | 2 Pages

    Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood/ Clean from my hand?'(Act 2, Scene ii) This line is used to express the immediate guilt that Macbeth feels for murdering King Duncan. When Macbeth asks for Neptune's water to wash away the blood he is really asking for his guilt to be washed away, but is unsure if even all the water in the ocean could clean away what he has done. Macbeth also suffers from the guilt of having Banquo killed so much to the point that he sees his ghost at the banquet with the Thanes. ' Thou canst not say I did it: never shake/

    Read More

  • Insanity And Insanity In Macbeth

    936 Words  | 4 Pages

    No this my hand will rather the multitudinous seas incarnadine, making the green one red. ”(II.ii.79-81) He sees water, which was once pure like his conscience, now forever polluted by the blood resulting from his evil deed. This image acknowledges that Macbeth knows with killing Duncan there is no coming back from what he has done. This guilt and panic causes him to disconnect with reality and hallucinate infinite amounts of blood.

    Read More

  • Insecurity Quotes In Macbeth

    919 Words  | 4 Pages

    After killing Duncan, Macbeth says “Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood Clean from my hand?” (2,2,78-79) he says that the blood on his hands is too great for even Neptune's ocean to clean. This blood represents his guilt for the crime. This blood may be cleaned physically, but it never gets cleaned from Macbeth's mind. Macbeth continues to reference this “blood” throughout the play.

    Read More

  • How Does The Supernatural Influence Macbeth

    781 Words  | 4 Pages

    He feels as though it is urging him to fulfil his desire to become king. Page 45, Act II, scene ii, "Your shape is as real as my own dagger, which I now draw from its sheath. You lead to in the direction I was going (i.e, to Duncan 's room)."Macbeth interprets the dagger as a sign that he shall proceed with his wicked crusade. Consequently, seeing the chimera of a dagger before the murder inspired Macbeth to kill and inherit the

    Read More

  • Motif Of Blood In Macbeth Research Paper

    1083 Words  | 5 Pages

    While Macbeth stands and stares, he asks himself, “Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood clean from my hand?” (2.2.57). This is referring to his feeling of guilt and him wondering if all the water in the world can “cleanse” him of this guilt. In contrast, Lady Macbeth thinks her husbands fear of blood is cowardly. Though she dips her hand in Duncan’s blood, when Lady Macbeth leads her husband to a sink to wash their hands, she seems sure that “A little water clears us of this deed” (2.2.64).

    Read More

  • Anger And Guilt In Macbeth

    700 Words  | 3 Pages

    No, this my hand will rather the multitudinous seas incarnadine, making the green one red” (2.2. 60-63). Macbeth its prey of his guilt, he expresses his concern by taking notice of the blood on his hands that are proof of his crime and of his extreme guilt towards what he has done. At first, while Macbeth feels terribly guilty, his wife seems to have a clear conscience, despite her criminal acts and thoughts.

    Read More

  • How Does Shakespre Present Blood In Macbeth

    344 Words  | 2 Pages

    In Macbeth shakespre has used the theme of blood and death to portray the evil side. In act 2 scene 1 it says that “is dagger which I see before me, the handle towards my hand”. This quote tell us that Macbeth evil side is leading him to fulfil the dead of killing the king even through Duncan had named him thane of coward .This is a divine rights of king as Macbeth is trying to kill the king even through kings had the direct authority of god which back in the Jacobean times was consider to be a massive sin. The noun “dagger” presents a bloody and deathly imagery this could suggest inner conflict between Macbeth greedy sides as his loyal side.

    Read More

  • Deceiving Motifs In Macbeth

    848 Words  | 4 Pages

    He wonders if “all great Neptune’s ocean [will] wash this blood/clean from [his] hand” (2.2.78-9). Macbeth knows what he has done is wrong and he is shaken by his actions. Back then killing on the battlefield was much more respected than cowardly murder on a defenseless opponent. There was a purpose to fighting for an individual’s own country and brave soldiers were very highly revered. Macbeth is seen as this gallant and fearless warrior at the beginning of the play by his captains as they describe how “he unseamed [the enemy] from the nave to th’ chops” (1.2.24).

    Read More

  • Symbol Of Blood In Macbeth Essay

    473 Words  | 2 Pages

    Macbeth indicates his guilt when he say’s "Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood Clean from my hand?”(2,2,61-62). He’s meaning if he would ever be able to forget about the deed that he has committed of killing the kind of Scotland Duncan. He also is saying that even the entire ocean could wash his hands clean of the blood. Macbeth feels that what he has done was wrong and shameful.

    Read More

  • Macbeth Blood Quotes

    501 Words  | 3 Pages

    He feels that murder dooming and a hideous act. Aftter slaying duncan, Macbeth says “Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood clean from my hand” Macbeth is looking at his hands that are covered with blood as he is washing them. Macbeth feels that this apalling deed he had done cannot be washed away. The blood is there permanently. This is because this vision of the murder will haunt him throughout his life.

    Read More

  • What Is Lady Macbeth's Ambition

    1279 Words  | 6 Pages

    She tells him: "A little water clears us of this deed" whereas he claims: "This my hand will rather the multitudinous seas incarnadine, Making the green one red". These contradictory images show the first break in their relationship by highlighting their completely different opinions of the murder. Lady Macbeth sees water as a way of hiding their guilt, but Macbeth is so traumatized that he can only imagine blood turning all the water in the sea red, foreshadowing that they will never be able to hide their crime forever. Their relationship then continues to worsen as their misunderstanding widens, as Macbeth loses control and begins to take action without telling his wife, for example the murder of Banquo. He does not reveal what his problems are to his wife, showing he no longer wants Lady Macbeth involved.

    Read More

  • Theme Of Blood In Macbeth

    1369 Words  | 6 Pages

    At the beginning of the play, blood can often be seen to symbolise strength, heroism and stereotypical masculinity. The Captain describes Macbeth’s efforts on the battlefield with imagery such as “ smoked with bloody execution” to display blood as a war trophy and badge of bravery. Shakespeare’s use of descriptive language such as “smoked” conveys a tone of achievement and grandeur: which in turn implies that the act of murdering men on the battle field is heroic and praiseworthy, as it is displayed in such an impressive manner. However, Shakespeare shows the audience a very different side to Macbeth after the murder of Duncan. Shakespeare displays Macbeth’s overwhelming guilt and remorse in the words “my hand will rather/ the multitudinous seas incarnadine making the green one red” in which Macbeth states that all the oceans of the world could not wash away the blood from his hands and therefore implies that there is nothing on

    Read More

More about How Does Macbeth Ignore His Conscience

Open Document