“………..the fatal entrance of Duncan
Under my battlements”.
Lady Macbeth now invokes ‘murd’ring ministers’ to take over her body and thoughts, to give her the determination and strength to inspire her husband into murdering his own King. This shows that Lady Macbeth is prepared to go to any lengths to get what she wants.
“……………….Come you spirits
That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here.”
“……………….Come on my woman’s breasts,
And take my milk for gall”.
However, Macbeth is not so easily won over. He will not give in to such a treacherous idea with out some discussion, and does not want that discussion as soon as he returns to his home,
“We will speak further”,
he says in a commanding tone.
Lady Macbeth again shows her cunning in the matter and points out to Macbeth that he can look innocent but still commit this terrible crime. She seems to think this is perfectly all right and encourages him to,
“………….look like th’ innocent flower
But be the serpent under’t.”
We leave the scene with Lady Macbeth assuring her husband that everything will be fine if he will,
“…………….Only look up clear;
To alter favour ever is to fear
Leave all the rest to me.”
At the beginning of Act 1, Scene 7, we are presented with Macbeth in a room in his castle, pondering his options. He seems to be more convinced that he could murder his king, but he is still not certain. He is filled with self doubt and is afraid of the consequences this dreadful act will harbour. Macbeth feels that one murder will not immediately bring about his coronation, and that he may have to kill many others,
“……………..if th’ assassination
Could trammel up the consequence, and catch
With his surcease, success; that but this blow
Might be the be-all and end-all”
While mulling this point over, it dawns on Macbeth what a truly horrible deed the murder will be. He realises his duty as his kings subject, and this bears heavy on his mind,
“…………………….He’s here in double trust:
First, as I am his kinsman and his subject,
Strong both against the deed: then, as his host,
Who should against his murderer should shut the door.”
Macbeth feels alone and in isolation. He has no one to turn to, to discuss his intent to be king. He cannot tell any of his other house guests that he is considering to kill his king.
Macbeth makes a decision not to attempt to kill the king, and knows only his greedy ambition is making him even consider this vile act,
“…………………………..I have no spur
To prick the sides of my intent, but only
Vaulting ambition which o’erleaps itself,
And falls on th’ other-”
At this point Lady Macbeth interrupts his quiet thought. This is a pivotal point in the play. Macbeth has clearly made up his mind not to kill Duncan,
“We will proceed no further in this business,”
but Lady Macbeth thinks she can convince him otherwise. Lady Macbeth seems horrified at her husbands apparent weakness. Macbeth is a brave warrior, who has killed for his country many times, but will not take a dagger to a single man in his own home,
“…………………….Wouldst thou have that
Which thou esteems’st the ornament of life,
And live a coward in thine own esteem,
Letting ‘I dare not’ wait upon ‘I would’”
Their now seems to be immense tension on the once flourishing relationship. Macbeth is disgusted that he may be called a coward, and claims he would do anything any other man would, and more,
“I dare do all that may become a man;
Who dares do more is none.”
Lady Macbeth uses brutal and impassionate words to try to change her husbands mind,
“……………….……I have given suck, and know
How tender ‘tis to love the babe that milks me –
I would while it was smiling in my face
Have plucked my nipple from his boneless gums,
And dashed the brains out, had I so sworn as you
Have done to this”
The use of this graphically horrific image turns Macbeth into acceptance of his wife’s plans; although he does try one last ditch attempt to talk himself out of the deed,
“ If we should fail?”
This feeble effort to find a way out of killing is immediately put down by his wife, who is sure they will succeed,
“ We fail?
But screw your courage to the sticking-place,
And we’ll not fail”
“What cannot you and I perform upon
Th’ unguarded Duncan?”
Lady Macbeth is trying to convince her husband that they will be partners in this act, but in reality, all she will have to do is set the scene for the murder, whereas Macbeth must commit the foul deed. Macbeth is in complete awe of his wife’s self-belief, and is convinced that she is so unladylike that she may ,
“ Bring forth men-children only,
For thy undaunted mettle should compose
Nothing but males.”
Macbeth has decided to give in to his wife’s domineering personality and puts his trust completely in her,
“ I am settled.”
The couple, having seem to have overcome this temporary disruption in their marriage, now plan to participate in the murder of the guest, King Duncan. They agree to greet the news, of his ‘untimely’ death with complete disbelief and horror that such a thing could happen in their own home,
“False face must hide what the false heart doth know.”
At the start of Act 2, Scene 2, we encounter Lady Macbeth returning after poisoning Duncan’s chamberlains. She seems to be exited by the prospect of the murder, and, no doubt, the prospect of being Queen of Scotland. She is enthralled and confides in us,
“That which hath made them drunk hath made
me bold;
What hath quenched them hath given me fire.”
Macbeth himself appears more subdued when reappears on stage carrying the bloodstained knives of the chamberlains, showing none of the fiery passion of his wife. In fact, Macbeth seems to be preoccupied with the sounds of the night. He tells his wife of Donalbain’s cry of ‘murder’ in his sleep. Donalbain then prayed, but Macbeth could not answer his prayer. He is preoccupied with what may be the punishment from God for his abominable act,
“Listening their fear, I could not say ‘Amen’,
When they did say ‘God bless us!’”
His wife is comforting, fearing Macbeth may expose that they, not they chamberlains are the perpetrators of the crime,
“ Consider it not so deeply.
……………….…These deeds must not be thought
after these ways; so, it will make us mad.”
Macbeth continues in his irrational babbling, against the desires of his wife, clearly in complete disbelief of his acts.
“Methought I heard a voice cry ‘Sleep no more!
Macbeth does murder sleep,’ the innocent sleep.”
His wife’s cool calm exterior appears to be at breaking point, and her frustration is obvious at her husband, and compares him to a frightened child,
“ Infirm of purpose!
Give me the daggers. The sleeping and the dead
Are but pictures. ‘Tis the eye of childhood
That fears the painted devil”
Shakespeare now uses knocking as a stage device, signifying the urgency of the situation. The couple have no time to brood over their actions, but still lady Macbeth manages to keep her composure, under immense pressure,
“My hands are of your colour; but I shame
To wear a heart so white [knock within] I hear a knocking
At the south entry. Retire we to our chamber.”
Macbeth now completely regrets the nights incidences and wants to undo the horror he laid upon his king,
“to know my deed, ‘twere best not know my self
[Knock within
Wake Duncan with thy knocking. I would thou couldst.”
By the end of this scene, we see the once close and happy couple growing further and further apart. Lady Macbeth concerns herself with the immediate future, whereas he husband is emotionally shattered, and will never be the same man again. This violent scene is the beginning of the constant corrosion, which plagues the couple throughout the play, eventually resulting in complete communication breakdown.
