Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair
And make my seated heart knock at my ribs,
Against the use of nature? Present fears
Are less than horrible imaginings.
My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical,
Shakes so my single state of man
That function is smothered in surmise,
And nothing is but what is not.
(I,iii,130-145)
In this soliloquy the audience learns begins to see the ambition building within Macbeth. In the first two lines, Macbeth states that the witches have been right in their predictions twice. He then goes to question if these predictions are good or bad and if bad, why was he able to obtain the position he was promised. Although Macbeth had already obtained the position as the Thane of Cawdor, the audience learns that he is still thinking about murdering the king in order to facilitate this position. This thought cause Macbeth’s hairs to stand on end and his heart races, causing him to quickly become uncomfortable and question why he was imagining these images. Macbeth finally concludes this Soliloquy by saying that this thought of committing murder shocks him, plus the things that do not exist, such as becoming king, concern him more than what is happening in reality.
This soliloquy is of importance to the audience, as it is the first time when the thought of murdering the king in order to gain power comes to Macbeth’s mind, but at this point he is not capable of such savagery. This thought, in a sense, foreshadows the events to come.
In the opening of Act I scene iv, Duncan announces that his son Malcolm will now inherit the throne. This causes Macbeth to come to the conclusion that the only way he will become king is by murdering Duncan. However Macbeth is ashamed of this thought and claims that he will not be able to watch himself commit the act.
“(aside) The prince of Cumberland! That is a step
On which I must fall down, or else o'erleap,
For in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires;
Let not light see my black and deep desires.
The eye wink at the hand, yet let that be
Which the eye fears, when it is done, to see.” (I,iv,50)
This scene further progresses the character of Macbeth. He has now come to the conclusion that there are no other options but murder, and although he is ashamed that of these thoughts, he will still commit murder, but still not bear to watch. At this point the audience understands that he is now capable of savagery and is willing to commit it in order to gain power, even if this is a last resort for Macbeth.
Act I scene v introduces the audience to the powerful character of Lady Macbeth. Unlike her husband, Lady Macbeth is a lot more accustomed with violence and realizes that her husband is not truly willing to murder to gain the throne. Lady Macbeth allows the reader to have a change of perspective on the protagonist Macbeth. Shakespeare utilizes her powerful character to influence Macbeth, as she understands Macbeth, better than Macbeth does himself. In the opening of the Act, Lady Macbeth reads a letter from Macbeth recalling what the witches had told him, letting Lady Macbeth know that he was Thane of Cawdor and could possibly become the next king. Lady Macbeths next comment of:
“…Yet do I fear thy nature;
It is too full o' th' milk of human kindness
To catch the nearest way: thou wouldst be great,
Art not without ambition, but without
The illness should attend it. What thou wouldst highly,
That wouldst thou holily; wouldst not play false,
And yet wouldst wrongly win.” (I,v,3-9)
Here she claims that Macbeth is too kind to take the throne by an act of violence. She says that he is ambitious and wants this power, but is unable to obtain it by savage means. Lady Macbeth is able to recognize her husband’s real abilities and through her comments the audience is able to better understand Macbeth.
Act I scene v, further allows us to see this dominance that Lady Macbeth has over Macbeth, almost looking down upon her husband for being a coward, and dictating how he should act in front of the king to prevent his true intentions from being exposed.
After Duncan has arrived and met Lady Macbeth, in Act I scene vii, Macbeth enters for a soliloquy where he undergoes a deep self-realization. Macbeth first states that if the murder guaranteed his position as king without having any repercussions in the afterlife, he would easily carry it out. However Macbeth feels as if he will reach the same fate as King Duncan did.
“We still have judgment here, that we but teach
Bloody instructions, which, being taught, return
To plague th' inventor: this even-handed justice
Commends the ingredients of our poisoned chalice
To our own lips.”(I,vii,8-12)
This soliloquy is key for the audiences understanding of Macbeth, as he admits his fatal flaw of ambition, “To prick the sides of my intent, but only/Vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself/And falls on th' other.”(I,vii,26-28). This is an important soliloquy where Macbeth reveals the thought process of his actions, but also helps the audience understand that ambition is driving him to make this decision, yet he is still willing to have the king killed by somebody else to gain the throne.
The remainder of the scene is a conversation between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, to plot the murder of Duncan. Lady Macbeth easily is able to dominate Macbeth, convincing him that he is not a man and is unable to murder Duncan. “When you durst do it, then you were a man;/And to be more than what you were, you would/Be so much more the man.” Macbeth decides to prove her wrong by doing so and reclaiming his dignity.
The interactions the two have helped give the audience a better understanding of Macbeth’s character. Lady Macbeth is a powerful character who is convincing and is able to dominate Macbeth, removing the negativity that Macbeth has towards the murder. “We fail?/But screw your courage to the sticking-place,/And we’ll not fail.”(I,vii,59-61). Unlike Lady Macbeth, at this point in the play, Macbeth still remains weak and uneasy about murdering.
In Act II scene i, Macbeth murders Duncan. The notable event which explains Macbeth’s character’s connection with his imagination, similar to earlier in the play when he imagined killing Duncan, was when Macbeth visualizes a dagger in the hallway prior to killing Duncan. “Is this a dagger which I see before me,/The handle toward my hand?/ Come, let me clutch thee./I have thee not, and yet I see thee still. (II,i,33-35)… “. I see thee still,/And on thy blade and dudgeon gouts of blood,/Which was not so before.” (II,i,45-47).
This shows both how Macbeth’s imagination has weakened him and shows him the images of killing something that he fears. This soliloquy gives the impression that Macbeth is slowly becoming more unable to compose himself.
After the murder in Act II, scene ii, Macbeth is shocked at what he had just done (killing Duncan). Out of fear he claims that the Donalblain and the servants sleeping all screamed out in their sleep. Macbeth goes to the extreme saying, “I’ll go no more:I am afraid to think what I have done;Look on ’t again I dare not.”(II,ii,51-53). Macbeth unlike his wife cannot handle the act he had just committed. This act shows the audience the Macbeth is still weak and afraid, even after committing murder. This comes as a surprise to the audience, as Macbeth was able to rile up the courage to murder, but after carrying out the deed his personality reverses, as he returns to his initial state of fear and uncertainty.
After Macbeth has been declared king in Act II, scene iv, in Act III, scene iii, Banquo comes to the castle and Macbeth questions Banquo. This questioning illustrates that Macbeth is losing trust in Banquo, asking him what he plans to do this evening in fear that Banquo is plotting against him, but eventually invites him to the Banquet. In this scene Macbeth through a soliloquy reveals that he has not gained anything becoming king and is afraid that Banquo will take power. “To be thus is nothing,/But to be safely thus./Our fears in Banquo/Stick deep, and in his royalty of nature/Reigns that which would be feared.” (III,I,50-53). Finally at the end of this scene Macbeth proposes to two murderers to kill Banquo, as he threatens Macbeth’s power. To the audience it is evident of Macbeth change of attitude and paranoia is starting to build. Macbeth makes the claim, “So is he mine; and in such bloody distance/That every minute of his being thrusts/Against my near’st of life” (III, 119-121). Here Macbeth states how he hates Banquo (someone who Macbeth fought alongside in battle with) and that every minute Banquo is alive is one less for Macbeth.
Act III, scene ii, illustrates Macbeth’s ever growing independence from his wife. This time she does not help him plan the murder of Banquo. Lady Macbeth instead helps calm Macbeth as he expresses his anger and fear because Banquo and Fleance are still alive. “Oh, full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife!/Thou know’st that Banquo, and his Fleance, lives.”(III,ii,38-39).
After Act III, scene iii, and in Act III, scene iv the audience becomes aware of Macbeth’s changing attitude, after he finds out that Fleance escapes the murders. Macbeth is hosting a banquet when he hears that Fleance has escaped, and becomes scared again. Macbeth’s imagination again leads him to see the ghost of Banquo. At this point Macbeth is scared for his life, and begins to become overwhelmed with paranoia. After the banquet is over, Macbeth discusses the fact that MacDuff did not attend. “How say’st thou that Macduff denies his person/At our great bidding?”(III,iv,134-135). This statement has the purpose of further catalyzing Macbeth’s fear that he is being plotted against.
Act IV, scene i, shows Macbeth’s true ruthlessness to maintain his power. After receiving news that Macduff has fled to England, Macbeth orders the murder of Macduff’s wife and children, “Seize upon Fife, give to th' edge o' th' sword/His wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls/That trace him in his line.”(IV,I,158-160).
The scenes in Act V, the final act, bring about Macbeth’s downfall. After the death of Macbeth’s wife in Act V, scene i, in Act V, scene ii, Macbeth’s castle is being approached by the English army. The audience knows that because of the profit from the witches, that Macbeth cannot be killed by a mortal being born from the womb. In Act V, scene vi, the English troops are finally able to siege the caste walls. In Act V, scene vii, Macbeth finally puts his newly acquired ‘power’ to the test, taking on the army. At this point Macbeth is nearing his defeat, although he believes he is invincible. Finally in Act V, scene viii, Macbeth challenges Macduff to a duel, but then finds out that Macduff had been born via caesarian, which was not considered natural birth. Macduff defeats Macbeth, ending his reign and life. Throughout scene V, Macbeth does not feel intimidated by the approaching English army, but once he is faced with Macduff, he is defeated. Macbeth’s ambition to stay in power ultimately led him to his demise.
Through Macbeth’s soliloquies, Lady Macbeth’s perceptions, and the interactions Macbeth had with the other characters, ultimately lead to his greed to gain the throne and eventually his paranoia which ended his reign. Macbeth got to the stage where his friend became his enemy due to a struggle for power, and he was willing to take whatever action possible to maintain it. Shakespeare uses this character Macbeth to illustrate the power of ambition and how it can lead to one’s downfall.
