In Act 1, Scene 7 of Shakespeare's play "Macbeth," the titular character is grappling with the weight of the prophecy given to him by the witches, who have told him that he will one day become the Thane of Cawdor and then the King of Scotland. As he contemplates this prediction, Macbeth becomes increasingly ambitious and begins to consider the possibility of killing King Duncan in order to hasten the fulfillment of the prophecy.
In this scene, Macbeth is alone on stage, and he speaks aloud to himself as he debates the pros and cons of committing murder. He is torn between his loyalty to the king and his desire for power and status. On one hand, he recognizes that Duncan is a good and just ruler, and he feels guilty about even considering the possibility of killing him. On the other hand, the prospect of becoming king is tantalizing, and Macbeth finds himself unable to resist the temptation of power.
As Macbeth weighs these conflicting emotions, he is interrupted by the arrival of his wife, Lady Macbeth. She has been reading a letter that Macbeth sent her, in which he described the prophecy and his own thoughts about killing Duncan. Lady Macbeth is ambitious and cunning, and she sees the opportunity to seize the throne as a way to further her own ambitions. She urges Macbeth to take action, arguing that he has the strength and courage to do what needs to be done.
In the end, Macbeth's ambition and desire for power overcome his reservations, and he decides to follow through with the murder. This decision sets the stage for the tragic events that will unfold in the rest of the play, as Macbeth's guilt and paranoia lead him down a path of destruction. Act 1, Scene 7 is therefore a crucial turning point in the play, as it marks the moment when Macbeth begins to succumb to the corrupting influence of power and ambition.
Read Modern Translation Of Macbeth: Act 1, Scene 7
The King trusted him completely. When you dare to do it, then you will be a man. And if that's the case, does he appear more human, more or less capable of sinning, and, worrysome for the audience, more or less capable of winning their sympathy? When you dared to do it, then you were a man; And to be the King you would be so much more of a man. Personification and metaphors are also effective in Macbeth's soliloquy. Julie Nicols Julie has taught English and reading classes for over six years.
Scene 6 Characters: Macbeth, Duncan, Banquo, Lennox, Macduff, and the king's retinue. Lady Macbeth Questions Macbeth's Manhood What beast was't, then, That made you break this enterprise to me? He has given me a lot of honors recently, and all sorts of people have high opinions of me. At first he thinks "If it were done when 'tis done. He will eventually "o'erleap" himself. I was also surprised by the fact that Lady Macbeth seems innocent in the beginning but then she became evil and smart coming up with the ideas and plans to kill Duncan.
Then she tells him her plan: while Duncan sleeps, she will give his chamberlains wine to make them drunk, and then she and Macbeth can slip in and murder Duncan. In words that uncannily recall his wife's, he now puts on the mantle of murderer: the monosyllabic "False face must hide what the false heart doth know" has a certainty to it that completely overturns his earlier vacillation. False faces must hide the secrets of false hearts. Notice the insistent repetition of individual words — if, were, done, be, but, and here — each repeated two or three times within the first few lines. The king trusts me in two ways. He tells Lady Macbeth that King Duncan is on his way to Dunsinane to stay with them, and she tells him exactly what they should do and that she will take care of everything, but Macbeth dismisses the idea and simply says they will discuss it further at another time.
The next paragraph commences with a shift in tone — no less pragmatic but even more ruthlessly efficient — as Lady Macbeth switches her attention to the details of the murder itself. When he is given a prophecy by three witches that he will someday be king, he and his wife, Lady Macbeth, plot to kill the current king, Duncan. Here both of them keep watch to see if any of Lady Macbeths sleepwalking occurs again. MACBETH I am settled and bend up Each corporal agent to this terrible feat. There would be outrage at the slaughter of such a good man: everyone would be so filled with pity that the whole nation would grieve.
Macbeth says to lady Macbeth that she should not give birth to a daughter like her. Scene 7 starts at Macbeth's castle as the servants are preparing a feast for King Duncan's arrival. Macbeth If it would be over once the deed is done, then it would be best to do it quickly. Later Macbeth tells his wife of he schedule of Duncan's plan and his wife of states that the king will never see tomorrow and she tells Macbeth to leave the plan for her she will do it. Macbeth analyzes all of the possibilities and consequences for the actions he is willingly performing. Two, that he would be King, an even better promotion! In this scene, which takes place in Duncan's palace, he receives a report from his son Malcolm saying that the former Thane of Cawdor has been executed because of crimes that he regretted. I want to enjoy them like new clothes — not cast them aside so soon.
He thinks highly of the king, admitting that he is a decent man and a fair ruler. He also announces that he chooses his son Malcolm as the Prince of Cumberland, which means that he will replace Duncan on the throne. Macbeth and his wife decide to serve the king poisonous wine but Macbeth is scared. Nor time nor place Did then adhere, and yet you would make both: They have made themselves, and that their fitness now Does unmake you. So after the chat with her husband, Lady Macbeth decides to push the matter through by herself.
Macbeth tells her they won't murder Duncan. But even as the baby was smiling up at me, I would have yanked my nipple from its mouth and dashed out its brains if I had sworn to do it in the same way you have sworn to do this. However, she is afraid to kill the king. 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 If we should fail— LADY MACBETH We fail? Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are an upstanding, courteous and dutiful military power couple of sorts.
Her violent, blistering soliloquies in Act 1, scenes 5 and 7, testify to her strength of will, which completely eclipses that of her husband. I have no reason to spur myself to act on my desires other than ambition, which makes people leap into action and into tragedy. He believes that it is against the nature of man to kill someone who is of such a status and relation to him and that it is immoral to do so, "he's here in double trust: first, as I am his kinsman and his subject, strong both against the deed" and that it would be a breech of Duncan's trust in him if he decides to go through with the murder. Did you then go to sleep, and wake up sick and pale in fear of what we planned before? This doom-laden vision, whose imagery for example, "trumpet-tongued" reflects that of the biblical Day of Judgment, gives way in turn to a nagging self-doubt. He decides that the only reason to kill Duncan would be his own ambition and that it is not worth it. Through Macbeth's soliloquy, the audience sees that this man, who was supposedly a virtuous, valiant person, has become a weak character, giving in to the temptations brought on by ambition, greed and power, even if it means having to abandon his morals.
Scene 2 Characters: Duncan, Malcolm, Donalbain, Sergeant, Ross, Lennox. Macbeth tells Lady Macbeth that he is not going to kill Duncan. Setting In act 1 scene 4 it takes place in Duncan palace. As they lie in their piggish sleep, so drunk they might as well be dead, you and I will be able to do what we please. From this time Such I account thy love. Both Macbeth and Banquo are amazed since at least one part of the Witches prophecy is true.
Macbeth has been convinced. LADY MACBETH Was the hope drunk 40 Wherein you dressed yourself? He acknowledges that the only thing that would be able to motivate him to act at all would be his own ambition. Macbeth You should only have sons so that your fearless genes would only be passed along to male offspring. There are some things no human being should even think of doing. Macbeth is having second thoughts about killing the king. I would dare to do anything a man should do. She tells him that he will only really be a man if he commits the murder.
