Juxtaposition In Macbeth's Speech

Macbeth’s Speech: Act 1 Scene 3 Lines 140-155

Macbeth and Banquo are the main characters of this scene and are found contemplating the mysterious fulfillment of the three witches’ prophecy. Macbeth has been named Thane of Cawdor as well as Thane of Glamis. The last part of the prophecy is yet to come, Macbeth would become King of Scots. Throughout the scene, Macbeth is mostly off to the side, away from Banquo and the messengers, thinking about the last part of the prophecy. He contemplates, “This supernatural soliciting / cannot be ill, cannot be good” (133-134). This juxtaposition of opposites—good and ill—shows that Macbeth is at a standstill of how to feel about becoming king as well as how to achieve the title of king. He does not

know whether this prophecy is a good thing or a bad thing. These conflicting feelings portrayed in his soliloquy contribute to the dark mood of confusion, fear, and guilt that would dictate Macbeth’s actions throughout the play. In fact, this is the first the audience sees Macbeth feeling this way, but certainly not the last. He justifies the prophecy being good because it has, so far, come true; but, at the same time, he justifies it being bad by having this sudden urge to kill King Duncan. The thought of regicide controls Macbeth’s mind leaving him to “unfix [his] hair / and make [his] seated heart knock at [his] ribs” (137-139). This shows how much fear he feels with simply thinking about the crime and it also contributes to the mood of fear. His fear mixes with his confusion when he states, “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” (141-144). Macbeth is literally so afraid and so confused that he fails to know who he truly is anymore. He cannot pull himself to act due to his stifling thoughts, and the only things that he can think about are the things that do not really exist, his crime to achieve the throne. Aside from his soliloquy though, Banquo notices Macbeth is “rapt” (145) and believes he is that way because he is not used to his new title, Thane of Cawdor. This shows how distant and alone Macbeth is with his thoughts; no one else understands him. Though he does continuously seek guidance from other characters, as shown when he tells Banquo that they should talk about what happened later, he is forced to suffer through his confusion, fear, and guilt on his own—something that carries throughout the play as he acts to keep his title of king.
Lady Macbeth’s Soliloquy: Act 1 Scene 5 Lines 45-61
After learning of the witches’ prophecy for Macbeth becoming king and hearing that Macbeth and King Duncan are on their way to her home, Lady Macbeth talks about her extreme ambition of achieving the throne, and not only the throne for the queen but for the king. She states, “Come, you spirits / that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, / and fill me from the crown to the toe top-full of direst cruelty” (42-44). Literally, Lady Macbeth asks demons to fill her with evil and murderous thoughts and wishes to throw away her social label as a woman to become a king. She knows that her social status of a woman is lower than that of a man and that only men can achieve the highest power of becoming king. Because of this, she defies what a woman is, saying that she wants demons to turn her mother’s milk to poisonous acid. In addition, the audience learns that Lady Macbeth is more than willing to kill for the throne, more so than Macbeth. She turns to the “darkest smoke of hell” to hide her knife so that heaven will not stop her. Lady Macbeth’s attitude towards her femininity, her tenacity for obtaining power, and even her plea towards demons contributes an evil power-hungry darkness to the mood of the scene. This is the first Lady Macbeth is introduced to the audience and she maintains this persona throughout the play, continuously contributing to the mood of darkness just as much as the witches do. And, most importantly, Lady Macbeth represents two critical things in the entire play: 1) the social role of woman and how they represent evil and 2) the driving force for Macbeth’s murderous crimes to obtain power.
Macbeth’s Soliloquy: Act 1 Scene 7 Lines 1-28
In this scene, Macbeth analyzes his motives for killing King Duncan. Macbeth wishes to fulfill the witches’ prophecy and obtain the throne, but he does not want to murder his king. He reasons that if his crime had no consequences, he would willingly do the deed. However, his crime would have consequences, and one of them would be that he would teach people to commit violent crimes. This is significant because Macbeth is a glorified general, who murders for a living, but he does so justly and for King Duncan. To murder Duncan goes against his duty as Duncan’s kinsman and protector; he would be a criminal and not a noble soldier. In fact, Macbeth mentions, “I am his kinsman and his subject, / strong both against the deed” (13). In addition, King Duncan “hath borne his faculties so meek, hath been / so clear in his great office” (16-18) literally meaning he is a humble leader who is free of corruption. If King Duncan were to be an evil character then there would be more of a reason to kill him, but there is none; he is a good man and does not deserve to die. These rational reasons Macbeth analyzes pertains to the rhetorical appeal of logos. He knows, as well as the audience, that his act is evil and unjustified, and that “[he has] no spur / to prick the sides of [his] intent, but only / vaulting ambition” (26-27) (translation: the only thing driving him to the crime is his ambition for power). It shows his guilt for his desire to become king and further emphasizes the mood of guilt throughout the play, and not only with Macbeth alone but with other characters too, such as Lady Macbeth. Furthermore, and most significantly, Macbeth personifies justice and pity to emphasize his guilt. He says, “Justice commends the ingredients of our poisoned chalice / to our own lips” (10-12). He knows that his crime will do him justice; he knows he will be punished later on. Similarly, he states that “Pity, like a naked newborn babe, / striding the blast, or heaven’s cherubim, horsed / upon the sightless couriers of the air, / shall blow the horrid deed in every eye,” (21-24) meaning that Pity will tell everyone everywhere of his crime. This also contributes to Macbeth’s guilt and how he will feel about his crime throughout the play.
Macbeth’s Speech: Act 2 Scene 1 Lines 44-74
As Macbeth is on his way to kill King Duncan, he sees a floating dagger covered in blood in front of him. He talks to it knowing that the blade is actually not there, but is actually the murderous crime he is about to commit, “the blood business which informs / this to [his] eyes” (48-49). Macbeth also mentions, that while he is here, witches are offering sacrifices to Hecate and Murder (he personifies murder) is walking silently to his next destination, where Macbeth and Duncan will be. All of these aspects of Macbeth’s speech (the dagger, the witches, Murder) creates a haunting nightmarish mood in the scene; it specifically feels like a nightmare due to the fact he imagines a dagger. The very thing he is about to do haunts him and his senses to the point of hallucinations and talking to himself. He does not want to kill Duncan and he knows that it is not right to kill Duncan, but he also knows that he must do so in order to become king. In fact, Macbeth mentions, at the end of his speech, that he wants to stay here talking to himself, because that way, Duncan would live. This entire scene contributes to Macbeth’s guilt and fear because it actually provides a visual to the audience of how Macbeth feels and where his truly mindset is. At the end of his speech, he pleas to Hard ground to silence his steps because he does not want to hear the echo of his steps as he approaches Duncan. He fears his actions and does not want to be reminded of it. This scene is pivotal for the entire play because not only does it show Macbeth’s mindset of guilt and fear, but it shows the change of Macbeth from a noble general to a criminal obtaining power. Throughout the play, Macbeth would find himself impulsively resorting to murder to solve all of his problems, further degrading his morale and reasoning for his actions.
Lennox’s Speech: Act 3 Scene 6 Lines 1-27
Throughout his speech, Lennox comments about the murder of Duncan, Malcolm, and Donalbain as well as other strange things that have happened at the dinner party.

However, he does not just regurgitate what happened; rather, he sarcastically praises Macbeth for bringing justice to King Duncan’s death and killing the two servants. Lennox actually does not agree with Macbeth’s way of action and sees him guilty for the murders. Lennox continuously calls Macbeth pious, wise, and just throughout his speech, contributing to how unjust, impious, and unwise he truly is. At the same time, he asks rhetorical questions to amplify Macbeth’s murder as well as pities those Macbeth punished. He says, “Did [Macbeth] not straight/ in pious rage the two delinquents tear / that were the slaves of drink and thralls of sleep? Was not that nobly done?” (11-14). He answers that Macbeth was indeed noble because he did not even care to listen to the servants’ plea; he just killed them. The rhetorical device of sarcasm and rhetorical questions concerning Macbeth creates a skeptical and mysterious mood in the scene. In this scene, the audience views a blurred vision of Macbeth and his nobility. Lennox’s speech points to the fact that Macbeth is a questionable leader and if he were to be king, would rule irrationally and unjustly. Lennox would be the first person of many to be skeptical of Macbeth’s actions, and so lays the foundation for many of the characters to doubt his leadership

ultimately leading to Macbeth’s fall.
Macbeth’s Speech: Act 5 Scene 5 Lines 20-31
After learning of his wife’s death, Macbeth talks about life being a meaningless dragging illusion creating a mood that is sad and pitiful.

He reveals his longing to finally end the hell he has been living through, having to bear so many murderous deeds. When he says, “tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow / creeps in this petty pace from day to day” (19-20), he prolongs the word “tomorrow” to emphasize how long it is taking for this entire thing to end. He does not want to be king anymore. He does not want to endure his fear and guilt throughout the play anymore. He wants the “brief candle” of his life to go out (23). He wants things to end now. This contributes to the mood of pity because Macbeth recognizes he has lived his life pitifully at the end. Macbeth mentions that “life is but a walking shadow, a poor player / that struts and frets his hour upon the stage / and then is heard no more” (24-26). He compares life to a foolish actor who waits for his turn on stage but is never called, ultimately meaning that life is nothing. After having lived through enormous achievements as a general as well as enormous crimes as a murderer, Macbeth teaches that life is just a tale with no significance. This metaphor is also very ironic because Macbeth is a Shakespearean play after all, so the entire life of Macbeth is not real, only a story. Macbeth’s comment about life sets a depressing and somewhat lonely mood for the scene and for the rest of the play hereafter because

with Lady Macbeth, his driving force and ambition, dead, Macbeth is alone. He has nothing at all to help him rationalize his actions or justify his crimes. He is forced to face his deeds and live through the consequences.