Characters in literature sometimes choose courses of action which bring them in conflict with themselves or others. This is shown by Macbeth in the Play Macbeth written by William Shakespeare and by Hagar Shipley in the novel The Stone Angel written by Margaret Lawrence.
             In Macbeth, Macbeth was an honored warrior of Scotland and the Thane of Glamis, but when he found out that there is more honor and wealth in store for him as the next King of Scotland Macbeth contemplates murdering the current King, his good friend, King Duncan. Just the thought of taking this course of action tormented Macbeth's heart because he liked King Duncan and has always been rewarded for his work by the King, in fact, just recently he was awarded the title of Thane of Cawdor for winning a battle and keeping the enemies of his homeland out.
             Another example of a choice Macbeth made which caused conflict was when he hired men to murder Bankuo and his son, Fleance. This brought about a collapse in Macbeth's conscience and he thus saw the ghost of Bankuo at his banquet that night. Feeling guilty for the indirect murder of Bankuo, Macbeth fell into conflict with himself again for causing another good man to die.
             In the end of the Play Macbeth realized that his plot to Kill King Duncan and takeover the throne were ultimately the cause of his wife's death. He regretted that he did not have time to grieve for his wife, and thus he found his mind occupied in conflict with itself once more.
             In The Stone Angel, Hagar Currie, a well-to-do girl of a noble upbringing, married Bram Shipley, a poor, scruffy, farmer known for his boorish, lower class personality. Even though she knew her father hated Bram and detested their marriage they do it anyway. As a result it raised a major conflict between Hagar's father and herself which could have been easily avoided, but she chose that path despite the consequences, alienating her from her father fore
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