Macbeth - Guilt

Question 1

Act 1 Scene 2

Answer 1

“Till he unseam’d him from the nave to th’ chops and fixed his head upon our battlements”
A Quote from the beginning of the play that signifies how Macbeth is not phased and is guilt free in the act of murder.

Question 2

Act 2 Scene 2

Answer 2

“Will all great Neptune’s Ocean wash this blood clean from my hand?” – metaphor – elemental imagery – reference to the gods - hyperbolised - reflective of his despair and anguish - an awareness of the gravity of the sins committed

Question 3

Act 3 Scene 2

Answer 3

“Full of scorpions is my mind” - Macbeth describes the guilt within his head – metaphor -‘scorpions’ – brain is poisoned by guilt

Question 4

Act 3 Scene 4

Answer 4

“Thou hast no speculation in those eyes” - Macbeth is so haunted by guilt that he sees the ghost of Banquo but isn’t entirely sure if it is real or not- hallucinations and madness- so he has to convince himself that the ghost is not “real”.

Question 5

Act 4 Scene 1

Answer 5

‘That I may tell pale-hearted fear it lies, And sleep in spite of thunder.’ - a consequence of his guilt - he cannot rest - peace only comes in the form of untroubled sleep if you have a clear conscience - sleep tragedy - synonymous with death

Question 6

Act 5 Scene 1

Answer 6

“Will these hands ne’er be clean?” - guilt – madness - her hallucinating - symbol of the blood reflective of her moral conscience - imperative/command - reveals her desperation - reflective of her awareness of her soul being damned -implies that its permanent – destrupted iambic pentameter reflects her inner psychic disruption