Macbeth Soliloquy
In the play “Macbeth” written by William Shakespeare there are many soliloquies, many of which play important roles in the development of a character. Macbeth, the main character in the play says many of these soliloquies, each time showing the audience his developing character by the use of imagery, theme, sentence structures and vocabulary/punctuation. Macbeth, after discussing the crime of murdering the King with Lady Macbeth, has decided to go through with the "terrible feat". The soliloquy tells us he sits alone, waiting for the bell which will summon him to murder King Duncan, while waiting he is almost pondering his decision for a final time. The focus of the soliloquy is the “invisible” dagger Macbeth claims to see before him. Just as talk of the murder is about to change his mind and his courage begins to fade, Macbeths intense illusion is shattered by the sound of the bell, a signal from Lady Macbeth that Duncans chamberlains are asleep. Macbeth goes to commit the crime. ... Although Macbeth acknowledges that the dagger is an illusion, and decides it must have been brought about by his "heat-oppressed brain" (fevered), he still allows the phantom dagger, which becomes stained with what we believe to be imaginary "gouts of blood". ... This particular part of the soliloquy shows the first glimpse of Macbeths powerful imagination. ... Macbeth questions if the dagger has been sent by fate to send him a message or to guide him, or is it just an object created and perceived by his senses?