guilt

Question 1

intro

Answer 1

The eponymous character of Macbeth is characterised as a tragic hero. He has a fall from grace as a result of his ambition being his hamartia - he becomes blinded by his tyrannical ambition which causes his conscience to be eternally plagued with guilt.

Question 2

paragraph 1

Answer 2

“I heard a voice cry ‘Sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep’” (Act 2)

Question 3

analyse
“I heard a voice cry ‘Sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep’” (Act 2)

Answer 3

-Motif of sleep equates to innocence
Macbeth’s loss of sleep signifies loss of innocence due to guilt
- Character change: Macbeth no longer uses imperatives
- D.J. Enright portrays Macbeth’s guilt as a “long distance runner”
- His descent into madness is gradual but eternal
- Exclamative sentence emphasises the irreversible nature of his torment and guilt due to violation of divine law

Question 4

paragraph 2

Answer 4

[enters with a taper] (Act 5) - lady macbeth

Question 5

analyse
[enters with a taper] (Act 5) - lady macbeth

Answer 5

• The taper symbolises longing for light, hope, and solace amid darkness
• Lady Macbeth termed a “sprinter of evil” by D.J. Enright
• Her descent into madness contrasts with earlier invocation of darkness
• Motif of darkness and light emphasises need for solace
• Leads Lady Macbeth to seek redemption from God

Question 6

paragraph 3

Answer 6

“A little water clears us of this deed” (Act 2).

Question 7

analyse
“A little water clears us of this deed” (Act 2).

Answer 7

• Lady Macbeth’s ambitions blind her to Macbeth’s mental turmoil
• She employs litotes to trivialise murder and emasculate Macbeth
• Euphemisms characterise regicide as a mere “deed”
• This reveals a paradox in her character
  Foreshadows her descent into insanity in Act 5

Question 8

conclusion

Answer 8

Key ideas:
In Macbeth, the stain of guilt proves eternal. A facade of bravery crumbles as it festers within the conscience, leading to a ghastly descent into madness

Writers intentions and audience responses:

Macbeth serves as a cautionary tale in Shakespeare’s work

It warns against disrupting the cosmic order and defying Heaven’s will

The play implies a divine force that punishes those who overstep their place in the Great Chain of Being