Guilt

in Macbeth

How does Shakespeare present guilt in Macbeth

Context
Action / Slot
Character
Language
Tone / Atmosphere
Setting
Symbolism

MANIPULATION

Manipulative - Lady Macbeth / Witches

Lady Macbeth -

Act one scene five - When she first reads the letter we can see her scheming and manipulation
Speech here shows her true nature she is already calling on the spirit to help her to persuade her husband and honourable

Act one scene six - Lady Macbeth welcomes Duncan - she is being flattering and and hiding her murderous - making him comfortable

Act one Scee Seven

Was the hope drunk Wherein you dress'd yourself? hath it slept since? And wakes it now, to look so green and pale At what it did so freely?
From this time Such I account thy love. Art thou afeard To be the same in thine own act and valour 40 As thou art in desire? Wouldst thou have
that Which thou esteem'st the ornament of life, And live a coward in thine own esteem, Letting 'I dare not' wait upon 'I would,' Like the poor cat
i' the adage?

Act two scene two

Lady Macbeth - manipulative - has to persuade Macbeth to carry out the rest of the plan

Act three Scene Two

Nought's had, all's spent,Where our desire is got without content:'Tis safer to be that which we destroyThan by destruction dwell in doubtful joy
.[Enter MACBETH]
How now, my lord! why do you keep alone,Of sorriest fancies your companions making,Using those thoughts which should indeed have died //
With them they think on? Things without all remedyShould be without regard: what's done is done.

MACBETHWe have scotch'd the snake, not kill'd it:She'll close and be herself, whilst our poor malice

Banquo's Ghost - Lady Macbeth manages to massage the situation so that Macbeth does not look so crazy and the Lords can believe there is
nothing suspicious

After this point in the play - Macbeth is more infliences by the witches as they continue to control his fate

Shakespeare uses the Witches to manipulate Macbeth

Use of language "fair is foul and foul is fair" - and Macbeth's first line - shows some kind of manipulation
Then they give him the first prophecy - their hold over him than their hold over Banquo

Hamartia - is his ambition and this the witches are able to manipulate him through

Act three scene Five

Hecate and the witches - shows just how much she is manipulating Macbeth and she will decide

And that distill'd by magic sleightsShall raise such artificial spritesAs by the strength of their illusionShall draw him on to his confusion:

Act Four Scene one

Macbeth in this point in the play is struggling his paranoia is increasing and he feels very much under siege :

conjure you, by that which you profess,50

Howe'er you come to know it, answer me:
Though you untie the winds and let them fightAgainst the churches; though the yesty waves
Confound and swallow navigation up;
Though bladed corn be lodged and trees blown down
;Though castles topple on their warders' heads;
Though palaces and pyramids do slopeT
heir heads to their foundations;
though the treasureOf nature's germens tumble all together,
Even till destruction sicken; answer me
To what I ask you.

The apparitions are deliberately opaque

Effectively they are saying "if you can not workout the apparitions - you will die"