Question

Read the excerpt from act 3, scene 2 of The Tragedy of Macbeth. Lady Macbeth is reflecting on her feelings after the coronation.

Lady Macbeth. Nought’s had, all’s spent,
Where our desire is got without content:
’Tis safer to be that which we destroy
Than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy.

What is the universal theme in this excerpt?

A. the consuming power of guilt
B. the inescapabilty of justice
C. the importance of hope to human happiness
D. the conflict between loyalty and betrayal

Answer 1

Step-by-step explanation:

The universal theme in this excerpt from Act 3, scene 2 of The Tragedy of Macbeth is A. the consuming power of guilt. Lady Macbeth is reflecting on the feelings of emptiness that she and Macbeth are experiencing after achieving their goals and realizing that their desires have not brought them true satisfaction. She suggests that it is safer to be the one who is destroyed rather than to live with the burden of destruction and guilt. This highlights the idea that guilt can consume and destroy a person, even when they have achieved their desires.