Macbeth's Speech: How Far Isn T Called To Forres

Macbeth’s Speech

The characters present in this scene are The three witches, Macbeth, Banquo, Ross, and Angus. Macbeth and Banquo are leaving the battlefield and heading towards Forres “How far is ’t called to Forres?” (38) On there way leaving they bumped into the Weird sisters “What are these” (38-39) who gave them 3 prophecies. The witches state that Macbeth will be thane of Cawdor and a future king “All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, thane of Cawdor!” (50) “All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter!” (51). Lastly, the witches predict that Banquo won't be a King but rather have children who will hold that title ”Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none.” (68). Macbeth and Banquo are rather confused and don't necessarily believe what

This prevalent mood is further alluded to when Macbeth begins to discuss how he contemplates on murdering King Duncan “Why do I yield to that suggestion whose horrid image doth unfix my hair and make my seated heart knock at my ribs, against the use of nature? Present fears are less than horrible imaginings, my thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical, Shakes so my single state of man” (138-143). Moreover, within the speech, Macbeth is deciding whether the Weird sisters prophecies were a good thing or a bad thing. Macbeth argues that if it were bad then why did he get the promotion that was promised but on the other hand, if it were a good thing than why would he be thinking about murdering the king. Macbeth’s speech shows us that he is fighting an internal struggle during this scene and also demonstrates that no matter what goes on during the rest of the play, Macbeth's decisions will be made on the basis of ambition even though he knows murder would be wrong and foul. At the end of Macbeth's speech he states “And nothing is but what is not.” (145) This vivid example of juxtaposition contrast what isn't and what is, adding to the mood of desire and ambition as it demonstrates that Macbeth seeks that which he does not

Lady Macbeth then goes on to attempt summoning the weird sisters in hopes of cleansing herself of any doubt she may have about killing the King “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.” (30-33) Lady Macbeth reveals her truly ugly nature as the mood of the scene turns rather dark and evil as she cries for the ability to kill King Duncan with no remorse “That my keen knife see not the wound it makes” (42). That line is also an example of how shakespeare used imagery as a way of letting the audience know just how evil Lady Macbeth is. This evil and dark mood is most powerful when Lady Macbeth wishes that the whole world be clouded in dark smokes of hell so that the heavens won't stop her from killing King Duncan. “ Come, thick night, and pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell, that my keen knife see not the wound it makes, nor heaven peep through the blanket of the dark to cry “Hold, hold!”.” (40-44) This religious allusion demonstrates that Lady Macbeth wants to get rid of the most positive thing in life, religion. It shows that Lady