Lady Macbeth, Macbeth, and Time: Key Excerpts Analysis
Lady Macbeth’s Ruthless Ambition (Act 1, Scene 5)
Locating the Excerpt
This excerpt is taken from Act 1, Scene 5 of Macbeth, where Lady Macbeth receives news of King Duncan’s impending arrival. It marks a crucial moment as she calls upon supernatural forces to strip her of feminine weakness and prepare her for ruthless action. This soliloquy reveals Lady Macbeth’s ambition and foreshadows the play’s tragic events.
Identifying the Main Characters
The key figures in this passage are Lady Macbeth and a messenger. The messenger delivers the news of Macbeth’s imminent arrival, while Lady Macbeth reacts with excitement and determination. She quickly shifts from receiving information to invoking dark spirits, showcasing her dominant role in the narrative.
Identifying the Main Theme and Motifs
The central themes in this passage include ambition, supernatural influence, and the rejection of traditional gender roles. Lady Macbeth’s plea to be “unsexed” highlights her willingness to abandon femininity to achieve power. The motifs of darkness and the supernatural are prominent, as she calls upon spirits to aid in her ruthless intentions.
In-Depth Analysis of the Excerpt
Lady Macbeth’s speech is filled with intense imagery and violent metaphors that reveal her unwavering determination. Her reference to the “raven” as an omen of death sets a sinister tone. The imperative verbs—”Come, you spirits,” “Make thick my blood,” and “Stop up th’access and passage to remorse”—demonstrate her desire to eliminate any feelings of compassion. She explicitly seeks to transform herself into a being devoid of remorse, foreshadowing the extent of her later manipulations.
Her request for the spirits to “take my milk for gall” is particularly striking, as it inverts the nurturing qualities associated with motherhood into something poisonous and deadly. This line exemplifies her rejection of traditional womanhood and her embrace of cruelty. Additionally, the imagery of the “blanket of the dark” reinforces the motif of concealment, as she wishes to hide her evil deeds from both the heavens and her own conscience.
Analysis of Language Use
Shakespeare’s use of vivid and evocative language enhances the passage’s dark tone. The invocation of supernatural forces through apostrophe (“Come, you spirits”) emphasizes her belief in external, malevolent influences. The metaphor of “thick night” wrapping itself in the “dunnest smoke of hell” creates a visual representation of the moral corruption she seeks to embrace. The repetition of “Come” throughout the speech builds a sense of urgency and command, underscoring her control and determination.
Analysis of Time
Although time is not explicitly discussed in the way it is in Macbeth’s later soliloquy, this passage foreshadows future events. Lady Macbeth’s immediate reaction to the news is to begin planning Duncan’s murder, demonstrating how quickly ambition consumes her. The moment marks the beginning of her descent, setting in motion the tragic trajectory of the play.
Conclusion
This passage is a defining moment in Macbeth, revealing Lady Macbeth’s ruthless ambition and foreshadowing the dark path she and her husband will take. Her invocation of supernatural forces highlights the play’s recurring themes of fate, free will, and the consequences of unchecked ambition. As the play progresses, Lady Macbeth’s earlier confidence erodes, leading to her eventual guilt-ridden madness and death. This scene, therefore, serves as a stark contrast to her later deterioration, emphasizing the devastating effects of power and ambition.
Macbeth’s Moral Conflict (Act 1, Scene 7)
Locating the Excerpt
This excerpt comes from Act 1, Scene 7 of Macbeth, in which Macbeth contemplates the consequences of murdering King Duncan. This soliloquy occurs just before Lady Macbeth persuades him to follow through with the assassination, making it a pivotal moment in his internal conflict.
Identifying the Main Characters
The central character in this passage is Macbeth. He is alone, reflecting on the moral, practical, and spiritual consequences of his potential crime. While Lady Macbeth does not appear in this section, her influence looms in the background, as she soon enters to manipulate his wavering resolve.
Identifying the Main Theme and Motifs
The dominant themes in this passage are ambition, morality, and justice. Macbeth acknowledges that killing Duncan could lead to disastrous consequences, including retribution and eternal damnation. The motifs of fate, the supernatural, and the corrupting influence of ambition emerge strongly, especially in his reference to “vaulting ambition” as both a driving force and a potential downfall.
In-Depth Analysis of the Excerpt
Macbeth begins by contemplating that if the murder could be completed swiftly (“If it were done when ’tis done”) and without repercussions, it would be best to act immediately. However, he recognizes that actions have consequences, stating that “we still have judgement here,” meaning that earthly justice, as well as divine justice, will hold him accountable. The phrase “bloody instructions which, being taught, return to plague th’inventor” suggests that violent deeds set a precedent, leading to a cycle of bloodshed.
The metaphor of the “poisoned chalice” symbolizes self-inflicted destruction, implying that Macbeth’s own downfall will stem from his crime. He also acknowledges Duncan’s virtues, describing him as a just and humble ruler whose death would be universally mourned. The striking imagery of “pity, like a naked new-born babe” conveys the depth of sympathy Duncan’s murder would evoke, reinforcing the idea that such an act would be met with divine and earthly condemnation.
The final lines reveal Macbeth’s inner turmoil. He admits that he lacks justifiable motives for killing Duncan beyond “vaulting ambition.” The phrase “which o’erleaps itself and falls on th’other” suggests that unchecked ambition can lead to one’s own downfall—an ironic foreshadowing of Macbeth’s ultimate fate.
Analysis of Language Use
Shakespeare’s use of metaphor and imagery deepens the weight of Macbeth’s internal conflict. The phrase “trammel up the consequence” conveys a desire to contain and control fate, while the reference to “sightless couriers of the air” hints at supernatural elements influencing destiny. The use of rhetorical questions and conditional statements (“If it were done when ’tis done”) reflects Macbeth’s uncertainty, highlighting the tension between his ambition and his conscience
The extended metaphors of justice and pity—depicted as an innocent child and heavenly angels—serve to contrast Macbeth’s murderous intent with the moral righteousness of the universe. This contrast amplifies the gravity of his choice.
Analysis of Time
Time plays a crucial role in this soliloquy, as Macbeth considers the present (“here upon this bank and shoal of time”) versus the afterlife (“We’d jump the life to come”). His awareness of the eternal consequences of his actions underscores his deep fear of retribution, making the concept of time central to his hesitation. The passage also reflects the theme of impatience, as he wrestles with the urge to act swiftly versus the need to consider the long-term effects.
Conclusion
This soliloquy marks a crucial moment in Macbeth’s psychological journey. His awareness of the moral consequences and his recognition of Duncan’s virtues highlight his initial hesitation, yet his ambition ultimately pushes him toward murder. This passage foreshadows Macbeth’s downfall, as his “vaulting ambition” leads to reckless decisions, escalating violence, and ultimately, his own destruction. Lady Macbeth’s persuasion immediately follows this soliloquy, sealing Macbeth’s fate and setting the tragic events of the play into motion.
Macbeth’s Existential Despair (Act 5, Scene 5)
Locating the Excerpt
This passage comes from Act 5, Scene 5, after Macbeth hears of Lady Macbeth’s death. It is a moment of deep existential reflection as he contemplates life’s futility.
Identifying the Main Characters
Macbeth is the sole speaker in this soliloquy. Lady Macbeth is referenced but absent, her death serving as the catalyst for his despair.
Identifying the Main Theme and Motifs
Themes of mortality, time, and nihilism dominate. The motif of performance, seen in “a poor player,” suggests life is fleeting and insubstantial.
In-Depth Analysis of the Excerpt
Macbeth reflects on the meaninglessness of life. The repetition of “tomorrow” emphasizes the slow, inevitable march of time. “Out, out, brief candle” compares life to a fragile flame, easily extinguished. The metaphor of “a tale told by an idiot” underscores his belief that life is chaotic and devoid of meaning.
Analysis of Language Use
Shakespeare employs vivid imagery and metaphor. The “walking shadow” conveys life’s insubstantial nature. The theatrical imagery, “a poor player that struts and frets,” reflects the idea that human existence is just an act, soon forgotten.
Analysis of Time
Time is central to this passage. Macbeth sees life as monotonous, leading only to death. His despair is heightened by the contrast between past hopes and present emptiness.
Conclusion
This soliloquy marks Macbeth’s final psychological decline. His nihilism contrasts with his earlier ambition, showing how his pursuit of power has led only to emptiness. Soon after, he faces his own inevitable death, fulfilling the very fate he once sought to control.