Duncan’s murder is the beginning of Macbeth’s downfall into a king who kills without thought. After the Weird sisters give Macbeth the prophecies, he has an urge to kill Duncan in order to seize the throne. In a small soliloquy after, Macbeth says, “Let not light see my dark and deep desires”(I, iv, 51). Because he has never killed before, Macbeth is appalled by the thought of murder due to ambition. Despite this initial hesitation, however, Macbeth still allows himself to be persuaded to kill Duncan by Lady Macbeth. Although he never considers murder previously, he was desperate enough to kill in order to become King. When Macbeth does decide that he would kill Duncan, he begins to feel guilty. As Macbeth is about to head to Duncan's room, he says, “is this a dagger which I see before me[?]” (II, i, 32). The floating dagger symbolizes his guilt about what he is about to do to Duncan because that is the same weapon Macbeth has sheathed to kill him. In that soliloquy, Macbeth expresses some nervousness, but still follows the dagger. Further proof of his guilt is how, on the dagger, he sees drops of blood. Since he has never
Duncan’s murder is the beginning of Macbeth’s downfall into a king who kills without thought. After the Weird sisters give Macbeth the prophecies, he has an urge to kill Duncan in order to seize the throne. In a small soliloquy after, Macbeth says, “Let not light see my dark and deep desires”(I, iv, 51). Because he has never killed before, Macbeth is appalled by the thought of murder due to ambition. Despite this initial hesitation, however, Macbeth still allows himself to be persuaded to kill Duncan by Lady Macbeth. Although he never considers murder previously, he was desperate enough to kill in order to become King. When Macbeth does decide that he would kill Duncan, he begins to feel guilty. As Macbeth is about to head to Duncan's room, he says, “is this a dagger which I see before me[?]” (II, i, 32). The floating dagger symbolizes his guilt about what he is about to do to Duncan because that is the same weapon Macbeth has sheathed to kill him. In that soliloquy, Macbeth expresses some nervousness, but still follows the dagger. Further proof of his guilt is how, on the dagger, he sees drops of blood. Since he has never