Macbeth Soliloquy Analysis

How does the 1.7 Soliloquy deepen the audience’s understanding of Macbeth’s conflicted state of mind?

Macbeth recognizes that the dagger is not real and accepts this. This is his first step into insanity. As he admits, his mind is feverish with excitement and perhaps dread, and he understands that this vision is ominous. His internal conflict has now begun to develop; his ambition is driving him to do something and subconsciously he knows it is not right.

When Macbeth imagines that there is a bloody dagger before him even before he is about to kill Duncan, it represents his guilt even before he has committed any crimes. Macbeth has planned the entire act of killing Duncan and as he walks to Duncan's room, he hallucinates that there is a bloody dagger sitting before him, inviting him to kill Duncan. This bloody dagger is a window to Macbeth's future of guilt after killing the king. Even before Macbeth has done a deed he feels guilty for what he is about to do. This dagger is there as a warning for what is to come in his future if he does kill the king.

Pointing towards the king’s chamber covered in blood, Macbeth acknowledges the dagger’s presence and communicates with it. With mixed feelings, Macbeth encounters contradicting thoughts on executing the king in effort to gain power. The dagger symbolizes Macbeth’s bloody destiny, and Macbeth’s vision of this dagger is one of the many hallucinations and visions that creates a motif of deception throughout the play.

In the play Macbeth written by William Shakespeare, an important character is Macbeth. The writer develops the personality of said character throughout the play using contrast, dialogue, actions, thoughts, and commentary. Through this the audience is able to observe the personality transformation Macbeth undergoes throughout the course of the play.

Despite Macbeth 's initial reluctance towards killing Duncan, he eventually chooses to execute his beloved king, demonstrating both his lust for hegemony and lack of respect for his superiors. Just before committing the treasonous act of murder, Macbeth stares at the "dagger of the mind," and as he does so, thick drops of blood appear on the blade and hilt. Calling out to the knife, he declares, “I see thee still, / And on thy blade and dudgeon gouts of blood, / Which was not so before" (2.1.45-47). Macbeth begins to question his sanity since a dagger appears before his eyes and blood suddenly materializes onto the hilt of the dagger but his greed, and slight delusion, suppresses correct judgement and does not stop him from committing regicide. Moreover, Macbeth’s reluctance

This passage is a key aspect of this play because it demonstrates Macbeths feelings on the killing of King Duncan, this scene takes place whilst King Duncan is over for dinner. Previously Macbeth and Lady Macbeth have come up with a plan to kill King Duncan. During this passage, Macbeth contemplates the death of Duncan and the deed is about to do. He is aware of why he should go forward with the killing and understands the power he will receive but fears the reputation he will get not just on earth but also in heaven. Macbeth knows that Duncan is not just a king but also a kinsmen and guest, a good one. The king trusts him, Macbeth should always protect King Duncan and he is hosting him for supper so therefore should be closing the door in his murderer’s face, not trying to murder him. This is the first time we see a different of Macbeth, a more venerable side of him a less confident side to him.

In this soliloquy, we learn how Banquo's ambition begins to collide with what's wrong and right. After Duncan's mysterious death,  Banquo is considering the possibilities of Macbeth's actions and expresses his emotions aloud to him. Banquo is the only character that is completely aware of the witches prophecies and Macbeth's involvement with them. In this excerpt he decides not to share his suspicions, revealing his loyalty for Macbeth. His words give more insight on how much faith he is beginning to have in the sisters after a state of doubt.

If the dagger is a hallucination, then Macbeth has some subconscious urge to take Duncan's life. If the dagger is from the witches, then the witches want to entice Macbeth with a little something to make him contemplate beforehand what he may be doing. The witches know that Macbeth will not talk himself out of killing Duncan until after the fact.

The first of his numerous hallucinations begins with him seeing a floating dagger in front of him. Macbeth questions whether or not what he is seeing is simply in his head or his actuality when he asks “…or art thou but / A dagger of the mind, a false creation,…” (Shakespeare 2.1.38-39). Through this first hallucination, it is evident that Macbeth’s hallucinations and symptoms are brought on by guilt. Macbeth feels this guilt as he has just made the decision to kill King Duncan, who is not only a guest in his home but a friend.

Macbeth was, shortly after the murdering incident, driven insane by the immense guilt produced by his withered conscience. The dagger that was used in the killing of King Duncan haunted him before the murder took place. This tragedy in the play gives us both fear of where the sword came from and pity for Macbeth's character that had degraded to such a point that he has become paranoid.

On his way to Duncan’s bedroom he starts to hallucinate. “Is this a dagger which I see before me, the handle towards my hand? Come let me clutch thee” (Shakespeare Act 1 Scene 3). This foreshadows Macbeth’s life beginning to spiral out of control. After murdering the king he comes back to his room shaking and horrified claiming that the deed was done but he could no go back into the room to return the dagger.

That night Macbeth ends up killing Duncan. Just before the murder Macbeth is walking down the hall when he has a vision of a dagger with a bloody tip, which is pointed for Duncan’s room. He thinks to himself, “Art tho not, fatal vision, sensible To feeling as to sight? Or art thou but a dagger of the mind, a false creation” (II.1.36-38). During the murder Macbeth makes a mistake that angers Lady Macbeth. He has forgotten to leave the daggers with Duncan’s guards, and she must now go and return them. Initially Macbeth is upset over the murder, but Lady Macbeth tells him it is as easy to forget about as washing the blood away with water. This first murder shows the strong character of Lady Macbeth and the influence she has over her husband.

In Soliloquy one Lady Macbeth’s reaction to the letter is revealed and so is her malicious character, and her thoughts about Macbeth. When Lady Macbeth reads the letter and finds out her husband could be king and there is nothing she wants more than to be queen. She understands that Macbeth is too kind to go through with the assassination so she wants to persuade him. Furthermore, when Lady Macbeth is speaking her thoughts aloud , she says “Thou’ldst have, great Glamis, That which cries, ‘Thus thou must do, if thou have it; And that wishest should be undone.’” ( ) This implies that Lady Macbeth has vile character and she only wants Macbeth to kill the King so that she may become a powerful queen. She wants Macbeth to take charge but she

Macbeth hallucinates the bloody dagger he will use to kill Duncan, right before he kills him. “Is this a dagger I see before me,/The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch/thee/… Thou marshall’st me the way I was going,/And such instrument I was to use” (2.1.34-44). Duncan’s murder is just one of many murders that will occur, which Macbeth commits to gain power. In Macbeth, Shakespeare uses murders to develop the theme of violence throughout the play.