Macbeth - Critical Evaluation

MacBeth

In MacBeth , a play by william shakespeare, a scene that I felt was significant was act one scene seven.This is the scene where Macbeth decides whether or not he should kill King Duncan.Macbeth himself begins to have doubts but Lady Macbeth eventually persuades him to go ahead with the plan.

Events leading up to act one scene seven involve Macbeths meeting with the witches. They predict that Macbeth will be king.Macbeth then ponders over whether or not to kill King Duncan and become king himself.

Scene seven act 1 falls into three parts – the first would be Macbeths soliloquay. This is when he tells of his reasons for not killing Duncan. He can think of three reasons. First of all he reckons it would teach others how easy it is to gain power by murder.Also Duncan is a cousin and good friend to him and finally the fact that Duncan is a good king and there would be an outcry at his death.After Macbeth had given his reasons for not wanting to kill Duncan he admits the only reason he has to do the deed is his ‘vaulting ambition’. When Lady Macbeth joins him she gets angry at him for backing out this way and she felt he was just making excuses as he was backing out.

The second part of the scene is about the confrontation between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth.Lady Macbeth calls him a coward and accuses him of not loving her.Lady Macbeth said:

Was the hope drunk \

Wherin you dressed yourself? Hath it slept since?\

And wakes it now , to look so green and Pale \

At what it did so freely \

At this Macbeth is stunned and tells of how manly he is and that there’s nothing he dare not do.To this Lady Macbeth says the only way he will be a man is if he goes along with the plan.Macbeth appears shaken and begs the question’’ if we should fail?’’

Lady Macbeth retorts ‘’we fail?’’ as though it is a completely stupid suggestion.Thanks to Lady Macbeths taunting Macbeth has been bullied into the killing of Duncan.

Now with Macbeth being persuaded into the murder she plans how the murder will be done.Lady Macbeth already has ideas because as soon as Macbeth had agreed to the murder Lady began to explain her plan. She explained that while Duncan slept they would make their move Lady Macbeth assures him it will appear as though duncans guards are guilty of the deed Macbeth agrees to his Lady’s foolproof plan and is intent now to go ahead.