Why Is Guilt Important In Macbeth

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According to Dictionary.com the definition of the word guilt is, “the fact or state of having committed an offense, crime, violation, or wrong, especially against moral or penal law.” Whether it comes from something that was said to something that was eaten, guilt is a feeling that appears very commonly. Guilt is a powerful force that can be both destructive and constructive.
Guilt can be destructive by dominating one's thoughts and constant regret. Macbeth’s murder of the king of Scotland, Duncan, caused a lot of guilt in both him and his wife. Macbeth keeps committing acts of murder and dishonesty to cover up for the murder but as he does he just acquired more guilt: “I am in blood stepped in so far that, should I wade no more, returning were as tedious as go o’er. Strange things I have in head, that will to hand, which must be acted ere they may be scanned” (Shakespeare 3.4.171). Macbeth says he has gone too far down the wrong path to turn back and has to keep doing wrong to hide what he has done. …show more content…
Guilt can teach lessons or stop one from doing something that is wrong. This is the case for Macbeth when he is considering murdering his king, Duncan, who is staying at Macbeth’s castle: “First, as I am his kinsman and his subject, strong both against the deed; then, as his host, who should against his murderer shut the door, not bear the knife myself” (Shakespeare 1.7.14). Shakespeare presents the reasons Macbeth shouldn’t murder Duncan and Macbeth seriously considers treating Duncan as he should have been, with hospitality and generosity. Macbeth is not the only one who learns from his guilt. Tris from Divergent feels guilt from her past and wants to change what she believes she has done wrong: “Maybe there's more we all could have done, but we just have to let the guilt remind us to do better next time.” (Roth 107). Roth shows how the remembrance of guilt helps people to not do the same wrong action in the
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