“Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood / Clean from my hand?” (Macbeth, Act 2 Scene 2)

Stained.The blood is stained all too well.
So harsh on the skin; so harsh on the mind.
Will he be able to wash it away?
Will he be able to wash away the guilt?
What's done is done - there's no turning back.


Stained.

The blood is stained.
So harsh on the skin; so harsh on the mind.
Will he be able to wash away the blood?
Will he be able to wash away the guilt?
What's done is done - there's no turning back.






In this scene, we have witnessed Macbeth's murder of King Duncan. Macbeth feels panicked, stunned, and guilty all at once. Once the murder was done, Macbeth was covered in blood. His wife, Lady Macbeth, was able to convince him to wash up his clothes and face - but simply washing away blood will not clear away the guilt he has soon to face.


Everyone feels guilt at least once in their lifetime. I know I've felt guilty for something I've done. It's something we all face, whether we want to or not. We feel guilt when we realize (or believe) that we have done something morally wrong. There was a time when I blamed my sister for something that she didn't do. At first I didn't really care that she got in trouble, but afterwards I felt so guilty for putting the blame on my poor 6 year old sister. I knew it wasn't right, so I told my dad the truth about the situation.
*In the play, Macbeth does not tell anyone that he murdered King Duncan. He keeps the secret all to himself (and his wife, Lady Macbeth), and holds the guilt inside him.