Macbeth now knows that to become king he would have to kill Duncan who is formally king at the present time. Macbeth takes time to think about the death of Duncan.
“I am ‘Thane of Cawdor’. If good, why do I yield to that suggestion, whose horrid image doth unfix my hair and make my seated heart knock at my ribs against the use of nature”
By Macbeth using words like ‘unfix my hair’ which suggests his hair is in disarray and there fore emphasising that he is uncomfortable with his thoughts of killing Duncan. He already knows that he wants to become king, so the only way to become king is to kill the present king, he already has the idea in his mind.
Emphasised here is the fact that Macbeth seems to be scared of killing Duncan.
“The eye wink at the hand; yet let that be which the eye fears, when it is done, to see true” (page 11 lines 52-54)
Also by Macbeth using words like ‘eye wink’ it tells his hand to go ahead with the killing of the king. Again when Macbeth says ‘eye fears’ it expresses that fact that he is scared to see what he is about to do.
However although Macbeth has thought about killing Duncan he doesn’t seem to be able to escape his conscience.
“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 shut the door, not bear the knife myself.” (Page 19 lines 12-16)
This highlights that Duncan is there in Macbeth’s castle on trust, and to him Macbeth is not only his kinsman but also his friend. The king expects Macbeth to protect him not to kill him. This is not a one off burst of guilt as he tells Lady Macbeth, “We will proceed no further in the business” (Page 20 line 32) This highlights that Macbeth’s conscience is prominent at this time.
After lady Macbeth has read the letter, which she received from Macbeth, she beginnings to plot the death of Duncan.
“That I may pour my spirits in thine ear” (Page 14 line 24)
This indicates that Macbeth is interested in what Lady Macbeth’s ideas.
Lady Macbeth wants to say to Macbeth how she wants him to kill Duncan so he can become a king and she will become queen. Lady Macbeth goes on to say to Macbeth,
“The future in the instant” (Page 15 line 57) This is the first line Lady Macbeth starts to tell Macbeth that she has a good idea on how to become king. She goes on to say,
“Your hand, your tongue; look like th’innocent flower, but be the serpent under’t” (Page 17 lines 64-65) Lady Macbeth has said to Macbeth that when Duncan arrives, he needs to portray himself as the innocent friend, but underneath he needs to be evil and welcome the temptation, which will help the plotting of Duncan’s death. Macbeth answers her with “We will speak further” (Page 17 line 70)
This indicates that Macbeth is interested in Lady Macbeth’s ideas.
This enhances the fact that if he hadn’t already had the thought of killing Duncan, it wouldn’t have been so easy for Lady Macbeth to interest him into listening to her plans of killing Duncan. People may question whether Macbeth would still have gone through with the killing without Lady Macbeth encouraging him, because even though he thought about it he still had strong doubts. Lady Macbeth also doubts him.
I think that it is convenient that Macbeth and Lady Macbeth is having a party because it gives them a good a good opportunity to kill Duncan.
At the party when everything has calmed down, people are starting to fall asleep, Lady Macbeth is with Macbeth and keeps harassing him about when he is going to kill the king. Lady Macbeth calls Macbeth a coward.
“Wouldst thou have that which thou esteem’st the ornament of life, And live like a coward in thine own esteem,” (Page 17 lines 41-45)
Lady Macbeth is challenging Macbeth, here by calling him a coward it could injure a mans pride.
Macbeth replies to his wife,
“I dare do all that may become a man; who dares do more, is none”.(Page 17 lines 46-47)
This is Macbeth talking back to Lady Macbeth and suggesting he will go ahead with the killing of King Duncan and that he will stay a man.
Lady Macbeth says he will become more of a man if he killed Duncan, Macbeth says that he will be more of a man if he didn’t.
Lady Macbeth sounds like they are a team, as well making the task sound easy, she says that the guards will be to blame for what Lady Macbeth and Macbeth had done.
“The unguarded Duncan? What not put upon his spongy officers, who shall bear the guilt of our great quell?” (Page 18 lines 69-72)
Lady Macbeth uses words like ‘unguarded’ and ‘spongy’ they are drunk and that it will be much easier for Macbeth to kill Duncan and they are easy. By using the word ‘unguarded’ it makes the task sound easy because Macbeth isn’t guarding Duncan.
Lady Macbeth is planning and telling Macbeth how and what will happen when people find out that Duncan is dead, and that they will not get blamed for anything and the guards will.
Both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are up and waiting for the King to go to bed, Macbeth takes a walk around the house and bumps into Banquo, Banquo says,
“What, sir, not yet at rest? The King’s abed”
This later on leads to the death of Banquo because now Banquo has seen Macbeth up walking around the night Duncan is killed, which enhances the fact that Macbeth has a murderous mind. This is Banquo telling Macbeth that King Duncan is now in bed and asleep, but Banquo doesn’t know that Macbeth in going to kill Duncan.
Macbeth then goes back into his room, “Is this a dagger I see before me?” (Page 24 line 33)
This is Macbeth pondering thoughts about the death ahead, his conscience is playing games with him. By Macbeth seeing the dagger, his mind is playing tricks on him, it is reality blending in with fantasy because he can’t believe that he is actually going to kill the king. Still a fragment of doubt
As Macbeth walks down the hall way a bell rings.
“Hear it not, Duncan, for it is a knell that summons thee to heaven or hell” (Page 25 lines 64 – 65)
By Macbeth saying ‘Heaven or Hell’ means that Duncan will die and that he will either go to heaven or hell.
This is Macbeth talking to him, and Macbeth is afraid that Duncan will wake up just before he goes to kill him.
Macbeth and Lady Macbeth walk into his castle with attendants, having just been made King and Queen.
“Thou hast it now, king” (Page 41 line 1)
This is Banquo speaking, as he is dressed for riding, and introducing the new King and Queen.
Soon after, Macbeth meets with three murders. He asks them to go and kill Banquo because Macbeth thinks that he knows that he killed King Duncan. First of all Macbeth has to convince the murders to kills him.
“Both of you know Banquo was your enemy.” (Page 45 lines 116-117)
The murders answer with, “true my Lord” (Page 45 line 118)
By hearing this Macbeth now knows that there is going to be no problem with having to worry about Banquo because he is going to be killed so he doesn’t tell anyone that Macbeth killed Duncan.
This proves that Macbeth has a murderous mind.
After writing about other characters in the play, I don’t think that Lady Macbeth is the only one who is the driving force behind the killing of Duncan. There was also the Witches and Banquo who spoke to Macbeth about it and got the thought of becoming king into his mind. Although Lady Macbeth persuaded Macbeth is to go ahead with the killing, it was actually the witches who put the idea into his head and for him to start thinking about how he could become king. The only way to become king was to kill Duncan. Which is what he did. The responsibility can not soily be blamed on other people as Macbeth had numerous opportunities to listen to his conscience and to turn away from the deed. However, he chose to go forth with the murder and so he remains with blood on his hands.
