Saturday, January 23, 2016

What misgivings does Macbeth reveal in his soliloquy at the beginning of Act 1, scene 7 in Macbeth?

I have assumed that, when you mention Macbeth's soliloquy
in Scene 7, you are referring to Act I, scene vii.  This is one of the most famous
soliloquies in the play.  Macbeth has misgivings on a few
counts.


First he is concerned that there is no way that the
simple act of killing Duncan would ever be just that -- a simple act.  He says that if
that could be "the be-all and the end all" then he would "jump the life to come,"
meaning there would be no more reason to consider not killing Duncan.  He would "jump"
in and do it, no more questions asked.


He next considers
how, by committing a "bloody" deed against his fellow, he is merely creating his own
"justice" which will surely catch up with him in the end, giving him his own
self-induced punsihment, his just desserts.


He also notes
that it is added to his karmic debt of "just desserts" that Duncan has come in trust as
a guest under his roof, plus he should have the trust of Macbeth, since Macbeth is his
subject.  Duncan is also a man of great and noble actions, whose legacy will live on
after his death, gathering the pity of all.


Macbeth
concludes with the observation that the only thing he has to stack up against all these
misgivings is the thing that will drive him to his downfall, his tragic flaw --
ambition.  For ambition, Macbeth ignores misgivings that he knows are correct, sealing
his own fate in the choice.


The links below will provide
further insight into this very famous soliloquy.

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