1. Guilt and Conscience

Macbeth feels immediate guilt and horror after killing Duncan, imagining his hands stained with blood.
Lady Macbeth tries to calm him and dismiss guilt as something easily washed away.
Their contrasting reactions show how guilt affects people differently.

2. Appearance vs Reality

Macbeth and Lady Macbeth pretend to be innocent and calm while hiding their terrible crime.
They frame Duncan’s guards to divert suspicion from themselves.
The contrast between their outer calm and inner turmoil reveals this theme.

3. Ambition

Macbeth’s ambition drives him to murder, even though he struggles with his conscience.
Lady Macbeth’s strong ambition pushes him forward without remorse.
Their desire for power blinds them to moral consequences.

4. Supernatural

Macbeth’s vision of the dagger is a supernatural sign of his conflicted mind.
The unnatural darkness and strange events reflect evil forces at work.
The supernatural influences Macbeth’s actions and the atmosphere of the play.

5. Disorder and Chaos

The murder disrupts Scotland’s natural order, symbolized by strange happenings like daylight darkness and animal behavior.
Political stability begins to crumble as Duncan’s sons flee and suspicion rises.
These signs suggest that the kingdom’s peace depends on the king’s safety.

6. Betrayal and Loyalty

Macbeth betrays Duncan, who trusted him completely.
Duncan’s sons feel unsafe and flee, breaking family loyalty to protect themselves.
The theme shows how trust is shattered by ambition and fear.

7. Fear and Paranoia

After the murder, Macbeth fears being caught and becomes increasingly paranoid.
Lady Macbeth acts confident, but the crime weighs heavily on both.
Their fear begins the downfall that follows.