“Look how our partners rapt.”
Before advancing to the next soliloquy it is important to note that Macbeth has discarded all thoughts of murder, whether this is enough to allow his greed to be suppressed remains to the audience or reader yet to see.
On the whole I think that this piece of writing shows Macbeth as a moral and honest person who is uncertain of the implications of the witches words. He seems to be able to foresee certain aspects which are to come, he appears to discover the two major options he has now. The first most favourable when fuelled with his hunger for power, this being to ‘help’ Duncan on his way to his next life (“Heaven or Hell”). The other if more favourable with regards to his fear, the action to be taken must be nothing and Macbeth must wait for fate to intervene. This option appears to be fated at the start to fail evident in the presence of the witches. His next speech shows Macbeth struggling with his conscience, though not through guilt towards a good king, who Macbeth greatly respects, presently to have his life taken, but through a compelling fear of discovery. Perhaps this shows his soul has already been stolen simply by imagining such evil should befall the King. He begins speaking of how if his actions bore no consequences then he would immediately partake in the plot to murder Duncan, illustrating my last point.
“If it were done, when ‘tis done, then ‘twere well if it were done quickly.”
In this sentence I think that he meant if the murder were to be “ended or “done”. Then it would be a good thing to do so quickly. This shows a sort of premonition on Macbeths part. It seems as though he knows something of the extent to which this killing act would plague his life from now on.
He speaks of how if by that deed, the assassination, he could prevent all consequences from becoming real he would not have to worry about detection of his crime and could enjoy his life as king.
“If the assassination…trammel up the consequences…With surcease success”
If only this “blow” might be the end (“be all and end all”) then he could stop worrying. Perhaps this serves to indicate that Macbeth has already given in to his megalomania and has consequently already sold his soul for majestic advantages. It is still apparent however that Macbeth is still very confused, inside Macbeths head, we as an audience see through his soliloquy, that he fears the damnation of his soul. This hints at the time period where royalty were said to have been placed in this position by God, to take the life of a royal person would almost certainly have confirmed Macbeths fears. He views this life, which would be made prosperous and rewarding by the murder as only a minute and insignificant part of his existence. The parts of his existence that are not in all respects earthly are to be haunted with the sins of his life.
“Upon this bank and shoal of time,”
“We’d jump the life to come…judgement.”
He is also fully aware that it is possible for him to be discovered and maimed by his crimes in this world. He now proceeds to consider that he will only serve to teach others the lessons which are joined hand in hand with murder, once these lessons are taught the pernicious images will haunt him always. However these insights do not hold firm his grasp of nobility and Macbeth gives in to his greed.
“Bloody instructions, which being taught return to plague the inventor.”
He states that fair-minded justice will hereby return to poison him from the cup which he himself poisoned, showing he was aware that it is to be himself that is responsible for his demise.
“Even handed justice… our poison’d chalice to our own lips.”
He feels guilty in forethought because he seems to feel that the king as unwittingly placed his trust in him in more than one respect.
“Double trust,”
Firstly because he is Macbeths kinsman, who should be a dedicated servant and secondly because he is the kings “host” and with this role comes the responsibility of ensuring the safety of the king, not of providing the danger from which he should provide protection from..
“First I am his kinsman”
“His host… who against the murder should shut the door, not bear the knife myself.”
Macbeths feelings of remorse, over the crime which he has not yet committed, are worsened by the fact that he views Duncan with such stead. He feels that so great are the king’s virtues they will proceed before him as if the most exalted and highest angels. He feels that the pity that would be bestowed upon the dead king would be so immense it would exceed all earthly powers.
“His faculties so meek, hath been so clear in his great offices, his virtues will plead like angels.”
He speaks of how the virtues of the king (smile-angels) will carry his guilt with them until every man can mix their grief (tears) with the evidence of his own guilt.
“Shall blow the horrid deed in every eye.”
Macbeth himself has found his fault without which this tragedy would never have occurred, he realises that ambition is his driving force. The final sentence in this ironically contains a metaphor showing that his ambition will be the key to his destruction.
“Vaulting ambition which O’er leaps itself.”
This shows that his ambition is like a horse that attempts to jump too high, or in Macbeths case goes too far, and consequently over leaps. This final sentence shows Macbeth is afraid his ambition is greater than his ability to achieve his goals.
Throughout this siloquie one thing that remains constant is the fact that Macbeth does not want to be involved with the plot yet knows his ambition will prevent him from terminating it.
Macbeths obvious doubt makes Lady Macbeths job far harder.
During Act 2, scene 1 Macbeth begins to speak, he is in a fevered state and is incredibly anxious, this delusioned state is later repeated in Lady Macbeths sickroom. Macbeth speech serves to show this live audience all the horror that is to come in explicit detail.
We begin with Macbeth speaking of a vision which he sees before him
“Is that a dagger which I see before me,”
He says this not because he is unsure of what the object is but because he does not believe it should be there.
He now shows his own responsibility in the events which are to precede this speech. Without this speech it would be all to easy to blame the entire happening upon Lady Macbeth, yet now we see his own temptation reflected in this image set before him. The dagger is positioned with its handle facing Macbeths hand leaving him not the prey but the hunter. The positioning of the dagger could serve to simply be an invitation to murder, maybe Lady Macbeths role is as such. As he had already thought of doing so. He speaks of his desire to hold the dagger, we know that this desire comes not from malice or hatred but from greed.
“The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee.”
He is at first baffled by the appearance and says although the dagger is not material he can still see it.
“I have thee not, and yet I see thee still.”
He states to the audience that this could be merely a figment of his imagination, and gives evidence of his fever. The dagger appears to him to be tangible.
A false creation Proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain.”
He speaks only half a line which will only be completed once the act has been executed.
“At this which now I draw,”
The dagger although seemingly inviting him to murder is only leading Macbeth the way in which he was already travelling. This means that Macbeth was going to murder Duncan anyway, this fictional dagger only serves to draw him on. He was going to use the dagger which is positioned about his waist to murder Duncan any way this has not provided new inspiration merely re-inforced his plan.
“Thou marshall’st me the way that I was going…instrument I was to use.”
“Mine eyes are made fools o’th the other senses, or else worth the rest.”
He means, in my opinion, that either his eyes are far better than his other senses or that his eyes are deceiving him. We know the latter to be correct but the audience at that time would have probably thought that the witches were to blame for this vision.
Suddenly the dagger changes showing the blade and handle covered in spots of blood, the king's blood.
“On thy blade and dudgeon gouts of blood,”
Macbeth now refers to the dark side of nature, he speaks of one half good the other evil, shown by his reference to the way that the world is divided one side is light (or good) the other hemisphere cast into darkness (evil). He says that on one side, people who are sleeping or good do not see the evil of the rest of the world. Over the dark side of the world the witches and evil beings may carouse because no-one shall admit the evil even exists.
“Nature seems dead...wicked dreams abuse…witchcraft celebrates.”
“Pale Hecate’s offerings; and wither’d murder,”
Murder is in this line personified. Within Macbeths delusional state he is able to speak of evil which either takes over or chases away some evil. The goddess of witches' offerings e.g. The murder may be woken by the guard who is represented by the wolf. Macbeth refers back to people well known around at the time he has written the play. “Tarquin” is a Roman man who came during the night and raped his friend's wife. In this context (“Tarquin’s ravishing strides”) I think Shakespeare is illustrating to his audience evils purposeful and gripping strides. In a way this excuses the actions of Macbeth ensuring that the audience still see Macbeth in a pitiful way. If the audience had not been given these soliloquies then the would only have known of Macbeths baneful actions. The ghostly images suggest Macbeth is directed by the witches in his slow advance. Only the words and the threatened consequences of his actions prevent him from following the dagger and taking the life of his king. We see that although Macbeth speaks of evil he is still continuing with the plan, he does not like the degree of silence all around as they make his footsteps, which are proceeding towards King Duncans chamber far more conspicuous.
“Thou sure and firm set earth, hear not my steps…prate of my whereabout.”
“Take the present horror from the time, which suit with it.”
By this I think that he wishes that the horrible silence although appropriate were no longer there.
“While I threat, he lives”
He is about to threaten the life of his king, at the moment the king is alive yet Macbeth possesses the power to take that life from him.
He seems to be referring back in the play to the moment when Lady Macbeth cast doubt upon his manhood and suggested that words are nothing and action is everything.
“Words to the heat of deeds too cold breath gives.”
Words are merely breath they are cold and bear no great importance it is in the deed that the truth be discovered. As with the witches in words their promise of royalty is great yet it is not until the deed is committed that the horror is revealed.
The soliloquy is interrupted by the ringing of a bell and Macbeth seems to consequently leave his state of ponder and move towards the death of his king.
“The bell invites me”
He wishes Duncan not to hear that bell because it is like a funeral bell which will force him from this life.
“Hear it not, Duncan; for it is a knell. That summons thee to heaven or hell.”
This whole soliloquy focuses on the imminent murder and in it Macbeth is able to speak the doubt within his mind. Perhaps the dillusional state had continued throughout the murder as it is certainly present as Macbeth leaves the chamber and the vital moments after that death. Perhaps this state of mind is the reasoning behind the fact that Lady Macbeth had to proceed into the chamber and consequently relived all that occurred. We know from previous scenes that the king resembled Lady Macbeths father so perhaps when she is reliving the scenes she does not see the king but imagines her father in his place.
Act 3 scene 1 The murder has taken place Macbeth is king but is now afraid that Banquo knows too much also he in hindsight feels that the promise made to Banquo regarding his sons being crowned is far greater now than the prospect of becoming king yourself.
“To be thus is nothing,”
He means, to be king means nothing, but to safely king would be of far greater importance to him. Banquo was with him when the witches prophesied and could quite easily discover his guilt. His says “our fears” showing that he still depends on his wife, when he stops needing her her state of mind deteriorates. He says that he is right to worry about Banquo because Banquo is so noble he will betray even Macbeth.
“Our fears…stick deep…royalty of nature.”
He is afraid as no amount of threat would alarm Banquo enough to quiet him. As his temper his dauntless. Macbeth recognises Banquo’s wisdom and knows that this wisdom drives him onwards to act with courage. Macbeth says that he does not fear any other man but Banquo.
“There is none but he whose being do I fear.”
He now continues to speak of Banquo although in a complimentary way the audience know of the danger lurking beneath his words. He shows a mis-trust in himself and mistakenly shows how Banquo would have been far better suited to being a king. He speaks of how his genius is belittled by Banquo’s greatness, as in Roman times Mark Anthony’s spirit was subdued by Caesar.
“Under him my genius is rebuk’d, as it is said, Mark Anthony’s was by Caesar.”
Macbeth seems to feel that Banquo already knew of the ridden messages from the witches and of their destructive possibilities. Banquo dismissed the witches then bade them speak with him. He reacted differently to this news which was infinitely superior to his own Banquo only laughed and allowed these strange creatures to leave yet Macbeth begged to know more and in this way made himself susceptible to the witched powers. He could also have meant by the following words that Banquo was wrong and he himself had been right to trust the prophesies, (Although they are self-fulfilling)
“He chid the sisters when first they put the name of king upon me.”
He now continues to talk of the thorn in his side, the fact that after eternal damnation he feels certain (because of the witches) that Banquos descendants shall gain from the loss of Macbeth.
“Hail’d him father to a line of kings.”
“Upon my head they placed a fruitless crown, and barren sceptre in my gripe.”
He is still referring to the witches but is know speaking of his own misfortunate encounter with them. The witches promised Macbeth an instant crown and yet said nothing of the fact that it would be completely empty and fruitless. Nothing but sorrow will be coupled with his crown as it will be riddled with guilt and he will always be bound by the knowledge that he is responsible for his own demise. After this rueful time where he holds the crown no children of his can ever rule without guilt. The law at that time stated that the child of a monarch would follow it’s parent in leadership meaning that either Macbeth was to be discovered or that he would father no children. After hearing of Macbeths death we know that the latter of the two were correct and fairly shortly after the deliverance of this speech he is to die. Macbeth was given this title but it has no long term relevance to him. He now can see that there was no point in killing Duncan because Banquo’s children would benefit. Perhaps part of the reason that Macbeth kills Banquo so readily is that he is envious of his former friends long term profits.
“Put a barren sceptre in my gripe.”
The pun in this, double meaning being no children is very effective as it would help to lighten the atmosphere around the stage.
“Thence to be wrenche’d with unlineal hand”
His title will be taken from him but not from someone in his clan.
“For Banquo’s issue have I fil’d my mind.”
For Banquo he has destroyed his mind not for himself.
It is in the first sentence that we first actually hear him say the word “Murder”. During all other references to killing Duncan he has always referred to it as the deed or various other terms.
“Gracious Duncan have I murder’d”
“Put rancours in the vessel of my peace.”
For Banquo he has blocked his eternal peace and replaced it with bitterness. He says that his eternal soul has now been given to Satan to invalidate. All this he has sacrificed simply to make Babquos family monarchs. I would imagine that at this stage the actor playing Macbeth should become quite emotional to the point of almost crying when saying “The seed of Banquo kings.”
Macbeth calls upon fate to come as a knight and fight well against him, to the death.
“Come fate into the list, and champion me to th’ utterance!”
During this monologue Macbeth has come to the conclusion that he must take also the life of Banquo, he has decided this time without Lady Macbeth. In comparison to having taken the life of his king killing his best friend meant nothing, and Macbeth no longer needs his wife to persuade him to act. Perhaps this is a reason why she deteriorated so rapidly, she may have only sought to make her husband king in an effort to bring them closer to one another emotionally.
The final of Macbeth’s soliloquies again repeats his depressing but this time does so whilst speaking of Lady Macbeths death. This soliloquy in my opinion should be delivered in a slow and ponderous manner, not with emotion as he does not appear to be shocked but seems to speaking of the unimportance and shortness surrounding this life in relation to the length of the life which he has left to the devil.
“She should have died hereafter”
He is not shocked and expected it to happen he seems to feel that she would have died sooner or later perhaps not in this way but it would have happened anyway. Perhaps he would have been relieved as her constant reliving of the terrible events would have shown his dishonour to any that saw her.
“There would have been time for such a word”
There is no time to grieve her death as this life is so short anyway, also that the word of his guilt would have been spoken at some tie or another.
“To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,”
The repetition of this word shows his thoughtful state of mind.
The next line again shows how trivial Macbeth feels that this world is, one day will gradually pass into the other at this insignificant rate. This pattern is bound to be repeated again and again until the very end of time, or in this case until the end of this play.
“Petty pace from day to day…Last syllable of recorded time.”
“All our yesterdays have lighted fools”
I think he means that each day that has passed has only served to give light to fools whose real ambition is to die.
He now uses an extended metaphor to explain life on this earth. Using at first a candle to signify life, describing its impermanence with the flame that will inevitably die whether it is killed by someone blowing it out (murder) or whether it simply burns out it is but a short chapter in real lives.
“Out, out brief candle.”
“Life’s but a walking shadow.”
Life is nothing it does not contain any real scope but is only the irrelevant part of the whole thing.
“A poor player, that struts and frets his hour on stage, and then is heard no more.”
Life is like an actor who during the course of his time upon stage is the most important thing that could be, but once the play is over speaks no more and is forgotten.
“Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury Signifying nothing.”
Although to the person living their life everything they do or say is important in reality it does not mean anything and is of no great value.
Each of Macbeths soliloquies enables the audience or reader to gain some of the understanding required to continue with the play, all soliloquies show confusion and yet each is entirely unique in content.
Lady Macbeth too uses soliloquies but I feel hers are not used in the same way whilst Macbeths soliloquies show us of the confusion he feels Lady Macbeths show the deliberate actions of her. They show her initial and perspective evaluation of evens and they show her wishing to be strong enough to complete the deeds which will lead to their apparent greatness.
The first soliloquy takes place after Macbeths letter reaches her, she shows distress because she knows Macbeth is honourable and may not complete the deed which she feels is vital to him being crowned.
“Yet I do fear thy nature.”
She is afraid that his nature will prevent him from undertaking in the murder which she has already decided they must commit. This shows a contrast between these two people at the beginning of the play, Macbeth was afraid even of thinking of murdering Duncan. Yet Lady Macbeth’s only concern is that he will not be able to do it. She is bold and does not take so long to ponder over the consequences she has decided what she wants and immediately decided how to get it.
“Too full o’ the milk of human kindness.”
He has too many morals, he has inherited natural qualities from his mother which make him behave fairly and honourably.
“Too catch the nearest way. Thou wouldst be great,”
I think she means that if he were to seize the easiest and most obvious way to obtain this new goal then he would be a great man. She knows that he is not lacking in ambition, but feels that he has not got the evil within him to obtain it. He does not have the evil to accompany his ambition therefore she must fill this role for him.
“Art not without ambition, but without the illness should attend it”
She appears to show great insight into her husbands character, she says that the things which he really wants he will only get is he has won them fairly however if someone else were to cheat on his behalf he would not turn them down.
“That wouldst thou holily; would not play false, yet wrongly win…great Glamis”
She knows that he wants the murder done but fears the actual act, I think it is at this point that she becomes determined to help him.
“Rather thou dost fear to do.”
I think she has decided then, because in her next line she says she will try to speak the things that he is afraid to say. To influence his judgement and argue all the points he may bring up to prevent them from reaching the crown, which already is tinted with evil by the witches that promised it. She wishes to drive away from him his valour with her tongue (“Chastise with the valour my tongue”)
“That I may pour my spirits in thine ear.”
She sees it that luck and the aid of the witches will all help her, that they already have him crowned.
“Which fate and metaphysical aid doth seem To have crowned withal”
Again her haste regarding the death and her ambition, perceptiveness and decisiveness are revealed in the closely followed second soliloquy.
She begins with a sentence regarding the symbol of death and how the plot which she is to conceive will baffle and shock the animal said to have the power to foretell death.
“The raven himself is hoarse”
“That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan.”
It will not be able to bear to say that Duncan shall die as he arrives at the home of Macbeth.”
She now begins what would prove to be a shocking and fearful speech. She calls upon spirits to take away all her femininity and leave her ready to execute the king, she does not want her traditionally feminine qualities, such as sensitivity and tenderness.
“Unsex me here”
“Fill me from the crown to top toe-full of direst cruelty,”
She wishes to be filled with the worst and most frightening cruelty. She needs to be made insensitive, she asks the spirits to do this by blocking all the pathways by which remorse can reach her heart, leaving no natural feelings inside her so that her conscience does not stand in the way of the deed she must perform.
“Make thick my blood, Stop up…passage to remorse, …no compunctions visiting of nature shake my purpose.”
She wishes her female milk to be metaphorically exchanged for bitter gall, and herself to be able to shroud the darkest corner of hell.
“Take my milk for gall…dunnest smoke of hell.”
She does not want to be able to see what she is doing emotionally (“Keen knife see not the wound it makes”)
In all purposes she feels that she must be truly evil.
“Nor heaven peek through the blanket of the dark, To cry hold, hold.”
