Macbeth Versions of Reality Quotes Page 4

Macbeth is blinded by what he wants to see. The head presented to him is clearly his own, warning him of his own demise at the hands of Macduff. (In the last scene, Macduff presents Macbeth's severed head to Malcolm.) Macbeth doesn't read the signs, or even look for them, because he is so consumed by his own immediate desires.

Macduff has all of the appearances of a traitor, when in fact his intentions are noble. Here, he pretends that he will be as tyrannous as Macbeth when he is crowned king, much to Macduff's horror. Eventually he confesses to Macduff that he is only testing the man's loyalty to Scotland.

At the end of her life, Lady Macbeth has lost her mind – she sleepwalks throughout the castle and compulsively washes the imaginary blood from her hands. Ironically, this recalls Lady Macbeth's earlier insistence that "A little water clears us of this deed: / How easy is it, then!" (2.2.14), wouldn't you say? It may have been easy for the couple to clean up after killing Duncan but it becomes impossible for Lady Macbeth to erase her actions or even wash away her guilt.