Lady Macbeth is the spur to prick the sides of Macbeth's intent : Discuss with reference to act 1 scene 7
In act 1 scene 7 we see that Macbeth is struggling with the moral and ethical turmoil of his conscience as to weather he should commit the sacrilegious act of regicide "with his surcease , success" Macbeth feels that if it were to be the "be all and end all" he would do it , however he fears the repercussions in that it may "return to plague th'inventor" this is a mere shadow of the brave valiant soldier we have known in the past scenes. He concludes that he has "no spur to prick the sides of my intent" aside from his "vaulting ambition" which he decides will not suffice to get him through the trauma of killing his friend and his king Duncan . Lady Macbeth then enters and sways his wavering judgment by presenting him with a foolproof plan that cannot fail. Her malicious content and scathing tongue antagonise Macbeth and make her "the spur to prick the sides of my intent" she alone has transformed Macbeth from a loyal friend and servant to the king to being willing to "jump the life to come" risk eternal damnation go against the divine right of kings and be the murderer of his former companion Duncan.
At the beginning of Macbeths soliloquy he tries to persuade himself that he would be prepared to kill the king if he could "trammel up the consequences" and he could guarantee that no further complications arise from the murder, and the whole matter would be neatly concluded, then it would be best to kill Duncan and kill him quickly. Macbeth even proclaims that he would "jump the life to come" and would risk eternal damnation if it means he would gain the golden round for himself.. Thus, if the assassination of Duncan could ensnare the crown, he would not hesitate to commit the crime.
Despite the building bravado Macbeth in his mind is worried about what it could mean to kill his king. He doesn't seem to be scared of the afterlife but we see his mind ponder upon the consequences that could arise on earth to him, "bloody instructions, which being taught , return to plague th'inventor" Macbeth shows the audience he is brave as he would be willing to go against the divine right of kings but his fear that if he carried out the murder and act of regicide then when as prophesised he becomes king someone seeing how easy it was to gain power will murder him. Macbeth fears that the "even handed justice" would prevail and the "poisoned chalice" will travel back down the table to reach "his own lips" .
In act 1 scene 7 we see that Macbeth is struggling with the moral and ethical turmoil of his conscience as to weather he should commit the sacrilegious act of regicide "with his surcease , success" Macbeth feels that if it were to be the "be all and end all" he would do it , however he fears the repercussions in that it may "return to plague th'inventor" this is a mere shadow of the brave valiant soldier we have known in the past scenes. He concludes that he has "no spur to prick the sides of my intent" aside from his "vaulting ambition" which he decides will not suffice to get him through the trauma of killing his friend and his king Duncan . Lady Macbeth then enters and sways his wavering judgment by presenting him with a foolproof plan that cannot fail. Her malicious content and scathing tongue antagonise Macbeth and make her "the spur to prick the sides of my intent" she alone has transformed Macbeth from a loyal friend and servant to the king to being willing to "jump the life to come" risk eternal damnation go against the divine right of kings and be the murderer of his former companion Duncan.
At the beginning of Macbeths soliloquy he tries to persuade himself that he would be prepared to kill the king if he could "trammel up the consequences" and he could guarantee that no further complications arise from the murder, and the whole matter would be neatly concluded, then it would be best to kill Duncan and kill him quickly. Macbeth even proclaims that he would "jump the life to come" and would risk eternal damnation if it means he would gain the golden round for himself.. Thus, if the assassination of Duncan could ensnare the crown, he would not hesitate to commit the crime.
Despite the building bravado Macbeth in his mind is worried about what it could mean to kill his king. He doesn't seem to be scared of the afterlife but we see his mind ponder upon the consequences that could arise on earth to him, "bloody instructions, which being taught , return to plague th'inventor" Macbeth shows the audience he is brave as he would be willing to go against the divine right of kings but his fear that if he carried out the murder and act of regicide then when as prophesised he becomes king someone seeing how easy it was to gain power will murder him. Macbeth fears that the "even handed justice" would prevail and the "poisoned chalice" will travel back down the table to reach "his own lips" .
