Examples Of Intuition In Macbeth

In this passage from the beginning of one of Shakespeare’s most iconic plays, Macbeth, Shakespeare uses literary elements such as personification and alliteration to illustrate the anxiety and whirlwind of emotions that come along with listening to your intuition. Furthermore, Shakespeare deep dives into the difficulty of trusting others, especially strangers. Shakespeare intricately crafts the reality of relying on intuition to make important decisions using a variety of poetic devices. For instance, towards the end of Act I Scene III Macbeth contemplates believing the glamorous future foretold to him by the witches. Up until this point in the play, Macbeth has no reason to not believe the three mysterious ladies since everything they have said has turned out to be true. However, he cannot help but acknowledge a growing sensation of

During his aside, Macbeth explains how horrifying images in his mind “make my seated heart knock at my ribs” creating an anxious atmosphere for the reader (I.iii. 149). By giving sensations in his body more human-like qualities, the reader can better connect with the scene, therefore making his emotions seem more real. Relying on intuition is often a very risky decision and may evoke emotions of nervousness and distrust. Macbeth’s anxiety is expressed through powerful heartbeats. Furthermore, Macbeth’s distress continues as thoughts of murder run rapidly through his mind. While the idea of gaining power sounds pleasant, his morals bring the protagonist back to reality. So much so, that the idea of murder becomes too overwhelming. Macbeth describes how the impure thought is so powerful that it, “Shakes so my single state of man”(I.iii.153). The repetition of the “s'' sound creates drama and adds tension to the scene, by emphasizing the disastrous mental state of the protagonist. Repetition of the same letter sound makes the words that follow become much more impactful to the reader.