Lady Macbeth's Soliloquy In Act 1

4a. Lady Macbeth’s soliloquy in Act I, Scene v, lines 1-30 reveals that she is a ruthless, foreboding, and greedy character. In her soliloquy, she states that she will do whatever it takes for Macbeth to claim the throne, including killing Duncan. She knows that her although her husband is ambitious, he is not wicked and is too kind to commit the murder. Lady Macbeth however, is the opposite; she wants to convince Macbeth to kill Duncan or else she will do the deed herself. She states that King Duncan is ill-fated because she will not think twice about murdering him and seizing the throne. Lady Macbeth also says “unsex me,” meaning that she wants the passive, kind, and weak traits to be taken away from her and instead she wants to be filled up with cruelty. Macbeth is hesitant, but Lady Macbeth tells him to leave it all to her, therefore revealing that her thoughts and plans are ruthless, foreboding, and greedy.

Macbeth’s soliloquy in Act I, Scene vii, lines 1-28 reveals that he is still hesitant about killing King Duncan and is feeling wary about what to do. He states that if he could get the assassination done and over with without consequences, he would risk his soul in the afterlife to do it. However, criminals are still punished and Macbeth is feeling guilty because Duncan trusts him as his cousin, his host, and his subject. Also, Duncan is a good and beloved leader who is not corrupt, and if he is assassinated, there will be an outcry and people will be very upset. Therefore, since there are many arguments against the murder of Duncan, Macbeth’s soliloquy reveals that he is having second thoughts about committing this