Macbeth's First Soliloquy

While Macbeth may be a haunted play, it is a respected one. Shakespeare’s brilliant use of soliloquy reveals the innermost thoughts of the characters, which helps drive the story. Macbeth’s soliloquies reveal the deterioration of his morals and humanity as the story goes on in a way that could not be seen from dialogue alone.
In the first act, we learn that Macbeth, a man once considered noble, is considering murder, which is the first glimpse of Macbeth turning towards evil. When part of the witches’ prophecy for him comes true, he feels temptation and desperate to make the rest of the prophecy come true. This is the first time we see him question his heroic nature, as his thoughts reveal that his mind “yield to that suggestion Whose horrid

He has become an emotionless monster, and since his brain is full of such wicked thoughts, he is unbothered by evil. He states that “Direness, familiar to [his] slaughterous thoughts Cannot once again start [him]” (Shakespeare 5.5.14-15). Not only is he accustomed to such darkness, when his wife dies, he feels no grief, as he says “She should have died hereafter…” and that life “...is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing” (Shakespeare 5.5.16-28). These soliloquies in the final act unveil that his soul is gone. His inner thoughts reveal to the audience the final transformation from a heroic nobleman to a corrupt, murderous tyrant. By the end of his story, he feels nothing and believes life is nothing. This is a strong contrast from when the audience first meets Macbeth, a decorated soldier. The soliloquy exposes the thoughts of man so wicked that nothing frightens him anymore, not even the death of his wife. The use of uncovering these inner thoughts through soliloquy demonstrate that Macbeth is alone and trusts no one. He no longer is a man, but a lifeless thing worn down by his wickedness. It would be unlikely that he would ever reveal these thoughts to another