Macbeth - Act I, Scene vii, Lines 1-28.

Macbeth

Mark Tiberio

January 5, 2004

English 20 IB

Period 4

Act I, Scene vii, Lines 1–28

Ambition is a force that plays a major role in everyone’s life. In William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, he explores the dangerous and destructive powers of unrestrained ambition. He demonstrates the extent that ambition can dominate ones life. Shakespeare uses one of Macbeth’s soliloquies, in Act I, scene vii, lines 1–28 to open the door for the major theme of ambition that he develops later on in the play. Ambition is a strength that can lead one to great prosperity, however, if unchecked, it can also lead to great misfortune.

In Act I, scene vii, lines 1–28 Macbeth is found debating whether or not to kill the king. He has just left the banquet he is holding in Duncan’s honour because he needs time to consider his dilemma. He wants the throne but is appalled by the thought of killing the king saying “If it were done when 'tis done, then 'twere well / It were done quickly. If th'assassination / Could trammel up the consequence, and catch / With his surcease success: that but this blow / Might be the be-all and the end-all, here, / But here upon this bank and shoal of time, / We'd jump the life to come. But in these cases / We still have judgement here, that we but teach / Bloody instructions which, being taught, return / To plague th'inventor. This even-handed justice / Commends th'ingredience of our poisoned chalice / To our own lips. 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. Besides, this Duncan / Hath borne his faculties so meek, hath been / So clear in his great office, that his virtues / Will plead like angels, trumpet-tongued against / The deep damnation of his taking-off, / And pity, like a naked new-born babe, / Striding the blast, or heaven's cherubin, horsed / Upon the sightless couriers of the air, / Shall blow the horrid deed in every eye / That tears shall drown the wind. I have no spur / To prick the sides of my intent, but only / Vaulting ambition which o'erleaps itself / And falls on th'other.”

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This soliloquy made by Macbeth is quite foreshadowing. At this point in the play Macbeth’s fear that “we still have judgement here, that we but teach / Bloody instructions which, being taught, return / To plague th'inventor,” foreshadows the way in which his deeds will eventually come back to haunt him. Throughout the entire speech Macbeth debates whether or not he should kill Duncan. He says that Duncan “hath borne his faculties so meek” and affirms his loyalty to his king, “I am his kinsman and his subject”. This infers the idea that he is not going to go along with murder. Furthermore, as the soliloquy ends, Macbeth seems to resolve not to kill Duncan, but this resolve only lasts until his wife returns and convinces him to go ahead with their plot. This shows Macbeth’s indecisive nature and Lady Macbeth’s influence over him, something that is developed throughout the play.

The Imagery used in this soliloquy is threatening, as it is in much of the rest of the play, “bloody instructions” and “deep damnation” being a couple of examples. The imagery suggests that if Macbeth does decide to murder the king it will evolve into an evil and sinister world, which is proven correct later in the play.

The primary theme of the play, the destructive powers of unchecked ambition, also becomes apparent in Macbeth’s lines. Macbeth confesses that his only reason for killing the king, ambition, seems an inadequate justification for the murder. As Shakespeare’s play goes on, it continues to explore and develop the theme of unimpeded ambition. It is, however, this soliloquy that starts this major theme. It is in this speech that we first learn how ambitious Macbeth truly is, the trait the will lead to his downfall and eventual death.

This soliloquy by Macbeth not only opens the door for the major theme of ambition to emerge, but it also foreshadows the events to come in the novel. Through this speech William Shakespeare shows how ambition is a major force in life, later showing how devastating it can be. Act I, scene vii, lines 1–28 merely hints at the devastating effects of unchecked ambition, however, Shakespeare uses the rest of his play to fill in the blanks.