Macbeth, Act IV Journal Response

Journal Response/Act 4: The Repercussions of Trading Guilt for Happiness

Happiness is essential to living a humane life. It provides one with the stability to be surrounded by loved ones and to attain rewarding accomplishments. Macbeth's journey toward happiness is ironic due to the misfortunes that occur throughout the play. Happiness is created though not only getting what you want but also feeling good and feeling a sense of accomplishment. This cannot be achieved without running into challenges along the way. Macbeth has the goal of happiness in mind, however he becomes increasingly guilty along the way because he is destroying his conscious, his friends, love, and ultimately happiness.

The cementing moment that proves that happiness is not being achieved through Macbeth's ascension to the role of king is Lady Macbeth's acknowledgment of the fact that, "Nought's had, all's spent, where our desire is got without content"(III.ii.6-7). Thus far, Lady Macbeth has felt happy and empowered by the idea of murdering to become ruler of Scotland. The guilt that was eating at Macbeth after killing Duncan was antithetically feeding Lady Macbeth's thirst for power and, climactically, happiness. She claimed that, "[the] alcohol that got the servants drunk has made [her] bold. The same liquor that quenched their thirst has fired [her] up"(II.ii.1-3). However, after the deed was done, she realized that killing Duncan was pointless and didn't generate happiness, but actually caused herself, Macbeth, and ultimately the people of Scotland to become gloomy. Directly after killing Duncan, Macbeth is "[...] afraid to think what [he has] done; Look on 't again [he] dare not"(II.ii.51-53). Macbeth, being the more moral and empathetic spouse, sensed that happiness would not be achieved by means of murder and betrayal. This would only cause him to feel guilty. The guilt that Macbeth and Lady Macbeth acknowledge amid their plan to rule Scotland proves that, if one pursues happiness without morality, it causes them to sow the seeds of their own destruction because guilt and happiness cannot peacefully coexist.