Blood On Macbeth's Hands example essay topic

The play MACBETH is filled with suffering. It begins with reports of a bloody battle, an execution of a traitor and Macbeth's bloodthirsty heroism as he "unseam ed" one of the invaders "from the nave of the chaps". In comparison MacBeth's later actions are even worse as he commits violent crimes against his own people. Much of the suffering in the play is directly attributable to Macbeth. However, the central focus of the play is the suffering he himself undergoes, as he makes his way through his course of evil. Macbeth caused the suffering of many during his dark quest to become King of Scotland.

Many innocents were brutally slaughtered as a result of Macbeth's actions, Banquo, King Duncan, Lady Macduff and her children. However many others experienced mental torment and anguish at the hand of Macbeth. Macbeth's ambitious wife, Lady Macbeth felt guilt for her part in the murder of King Duncan and for murdering sleep she was denied the luxury of sleep driving her to insanity. The Macduff's also suffered greatly.

Lady Macduff witnessed the deaths of her children as they were "Savagely slaughter'd" (4: 3: 237) Macbeth also caused grief to Macduff as he ordered the slaying of his "Wife, Children, servants, all" (4: 3: 245) Macbeth was the cause of much suffering in the play and in turn suffered greatly throughout. Macbeth suffers much indecision from the moment he hears the witches prophesies. He gets confused and is torn between killing or not killing King Duncan. He immediately thinks of killing the king, as he wants so badly to be king, but the idea of committing such a crime appeals him.

"Why do I yield to that suggestion" (1: 3: 144), he says in a state of confusion. Macbeth is Duncan's "kinsman", "his subject" and "his host". As his host he should be protecting him, not killing him. Macbeth believes in "even-handed justice" and that if he commits evil, evil will be put upon him. He ultimately decides not to kill the King but Lady Macbeth convinces him otherwise, "What beast was't then That made you break this enterprise to me?" she asks. Lady Macbeth does later fell guilt over her part in Duncan's murder but Macbeth's guilt is immediate...

Macbeth murders his great king and only moments later feels horrible guilt, "Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood Clean from my hand?" (2: 2: 77) Blood on hands is a symbol of guilt that Macbeth sees often in this play "with thy bloody and invisible hand" (3: 2: 53) He feels guilt like he has never experienced before "guts of blood, which was not so before" (2: 1: 53) he says. The blood on Macbeth's hands is not the only mental disturbance he experiences. He sees daggers floating in the air "A dagger of the mind, a false creation" he says. Soon after the murder of Banquo, Macbeth's friend, Macbeth sees the bloody ghost of Banquo sitting in his chair "never shake they gory locks at me" he cries. "What sights, my lord?" questions Ross as no body else can see the images Macbeth describes. As well as mental disturbances, sleeplessness also plagues Macbeth.

He has murdered Duncan in his sleep and has committed a crime against nature. "In the affliction of these terrible dreams that shake us nightly" (3: 2: 19) he tells Lady Macbeth. He is jealous of Duncan as he is now at rest "Duncan is in his grave, after life's fitful fever he sleeps well". (3: 2: 25) he says. Macbeth's lack of sleep and the sudden death of his wife, drives Macbeth to despair and leaves him feeling that life is meaningless.

He compares life to a candle that is easily blown out and an actor "who struts and frets him hour upon the stage and then is heard no more" (5: 5: 26) "Tomorrow and To-morrow and To-morrow" he says as he describes the "pity pace" that he believes is life.