the affair. However, Macbeth recognizes that his violent crime will influence others to also engage in violence, which will come back to "To plague th' inventor" or haunt him. He also acknowledges that justice will require him to drink from the "poisoned chalice" as retribution for his bloody deeds.

After exercising perspective regarding the consequences to his actions and recognizing that murdering King Duncan will more than likely threaten his life and damn his soul, Macbeth begins to list reasons why he should not commit regicide. Macbeth states that he is Duncan's kinsman, subject, and host. He then contemplates Duncan's benevolent, gracious character and mentions that angels would play trumpets against the injustice as people would weep at the king’s tragic death. Macbeth ends his soliloquy by recognizing that his "Vaulting ambition" is the only thing motivating him to assassinate the king.

Following his soliloquy, Macbeth decides to not murder the king, which incites Lady Macbeth's wrath and motivates her to attack his masculinity until he agrees to commit regicide. Macbeth’s soliloquy not only portrays his humanity but gives the audience insight into his thoughts regarding the assassination. Macbeth also acknowledges that the primary motivating factor for committing regicide is his ambition, which is an aspect of his personality that Lady Macbeth is able to manipulate and influence.

In my opinion, act 1, scene 7 is the best act and scene of the entire play. I like it because of what it shows readers about Macbeth, and I like it because Lady Macbeth's response to her husband contains completely horrific images. Macbeth's soliloquy begins with Macbeth admitting that he wouldn't have such a huge problem with the assassination if he knew it wouldn't cause more trouble down the line.

If it were done when ’tis done, then ’twere well

It were done quickly. If the assassination

Could trammel up the consequence, and catch

With his surcease success; that but this blow

Might be the be-all and the end-all here,

But here, upon this bank and shoal of time,

We’d jump the life to come.

Besides, this Duncan Hath borne his faculties so meek, hath been So clear in his great office, that his virtues Will plead like angels, trumpet-tongued, against The deep damnation of his taking-off; And pity, like a naked newborn babe, Striding the blast, or heaven’s cherubim, horsed Upon the sightless couriers of the air, Shall blow the horrid deed in every eye, That tears shall drown the wind.

Macbeth's soliloquy, which begins Act 1, Scene 7, creates a sense of uncertainty in Macbeth regarding the murder of Duncan. Lady Macbeth, in Scene 5, has already alluded to the seeming necessity of this action, and she further solidifies this in Macbeth's mind by the end of Scene 7. However, this soliloquy provides one of the last glimpses into Macbeth's humanity before he irrevocably changes his life by killing the king and upsetting divine right.

The first clear indication of Macbeth's humanity in this soliloquy is his mention of judgment. He states: "But here, upon this bank and shoal of time,/ We'd jump the life to come" (6-7). Then, he continues to describe not only the eternal judgment of damnation he believes that he will face, but also the difficulty of living with the knowledge of his actions. This line of thinking leads into Macbeth considering the traits of Duncan. Macbeth claims that Duncan is meek, clear, and has many virtues. Also, as relation, subject, and host to Duncan, Macbeth realizes that murdering Duncan would be the worst sort of betrayal. Later, he claims that although he does have "vaulting ambition," he does not have the "spur/ To prick the sides of my intent" (25-27). He thus ends the soliloquy with the belief that he and his wife will not create Duncan's fate. This is further proven when Macbeth tells his wife that "We will go no further in this business:" (31). Thus, the fear of eternal judgment and the conviction of personal morals are demonstrated through this soliloquy and serves to contrast the conversation that follows between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth.

The final scene of Act I of Macbeth opens with the title character vacillating over whether to carry out the murder of Duncan, who is about to retire to his chamber after the banquet at Macbeth's castle. He is concerned with the implications of the act, which he fears will bring negative consequences for the present and the future:

But in these cases 
We still have judgement here, that we but teach 
Bloody instructions, which being taught return 
To plague the inventor. This even-handed justice
Commends the ingredients of our poison'd chalice 
To our own lips.

Macbeth acknowledges that he has no real quarrel with the king, but is driven only by "vaulting ambition" to kill a man who is his lawful monarch, his kinsman, and his guest. By the end of the soliloquy, it seems that he has determined not to murder Duncan, but Lady Macbeth arrives, and, challenging his masculinity and his courage, goads him into the deed. This exchange raises important questions over who is more responsible for the chain of events that follow.

The purpose of the soliloquy here is to show how Macbeth is  filled with guilt at the prospect of killing Duncan. Macbeth sees the dagger, first with its handle pointed toward his hand as though the dagger is waiting for him to commit the murder, and later, with blood dripping from the blade as it will be when the murder is over.  This is pure guilt.  Even Macbeth realizes, after he makes a futile attempt to grab the dagger, that seeing it is a manifestation of the guilt he feels. Also, Macbeth says that half the world is asleep, being tricked with nightmares and witches offer sacrifices to Hecate.  He personifies murder and says that it has awakened and is headed toward its goal. He then asks that the hard-packed earth not hear his footsteps as they take him to Duncan where he will commit murder.  Finally he says that he needs to stop talking and do the deed because as he stands there talking, his courage is dwindling.

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The soliloquy can be said to serve a couple of purposes.  First, in Shakespeare's theatre, a soliloquy was really a device used by an important character in a play for conversing with the audience.  In the Renaissance, there was no such thing as the theatrical "fourth wall" (an imaginary division between actors and audience which requires the actors to act as if the audience is not there).  This was an invention of the 19th century.  So, Macbeth is taking this opportunity to check back in with the audience, to fill them in on what he's thinking and planning.  The first purpose of this (or any) soliloquy is to provide an opportunity for the actor to directly address the audience.

Second, the soliloquy exposes the character's thoughts and plans, as this speech by Macbeth in Act III, scene i does.  The first line pretty much sums up Macbeth's frame of mind -- "To be thus is nothing/But to be safely thus."  He can't enjoy being king until he feels safe, until he feels that there are no usurpers lingering around.  And, as the soliloquy develops, Macbeth shares his plan with the audience to murder Banquo.

At this point, Macbeth seems to think that killing Banquo will solve his problem of being "safely thus."  He says:

. . .There is none but he

Whose being I do fear.

He goes on to say that Banquo's valor and accomplishments cast himself (Macbeth) into Banquo's shadow, pointing out the ways that Banquo has, in Macbeth's mind, tried to push Macbeth aside in order to grab the glory for himself.  This reasoning is important for the audience to see.  They can see how Macbeth is becoming driven by his ambition and envy of others.  His concluding words also display the greed that is developing in him, the reckless desire to win at all costs.  He says:

. . .If't be so,

For Banquo's issue have I filed my mind;

For them the gracious Duncan have I murder'd.

. . .To make them kings, the seed of Banquo kings!

And with this, the murderers, whom Macbeth has hired to kill Banquo and his son Fleance, enter the scene.

This soliloquy shows the audience how Macbeth has moved away from the reasoning of his Act I, scene vii soliloquy, in which he rightly listed all the reasons it was a bad idea to kill Duncan.  Now he is listing reasons that it is a good idea to kill Banquo and Fleance, revealing that, at this midpoint in the play, Macbeth is evolving towards his own downfall.

This famous soliloquy doesn't so much show us Macbeth's progression as a character as it does his complete moral degeneration. Having become the undisputed ruler of Scotland, and with the help of Lady Macbeth, no less, Macbeth has degenerated into a blood-stained tyrant: a man seemingly without conscience.

Instead of grieving over the death of his wife, the woman who, more than anyone else, made him what he is, Macbeth reflects on the inherent meaninglessness of this life and everything in it, including, one presumes, Lady Macbeth's suicide. Instead of a giving a heartfelt, personal response to the death of his wife, Macbeth chooses to view things from the standpoint of eternity—a God's-eye perspective, if you will.

This is a direct consequence of his messing about with the forces of darkness. But by the time we've reached this stage in the play we find that there's something not quite human about Macbeth. Due to his obsession with the witches' prophecies, he inhabits a shadowy netherworld between this life and the next. Perhaps this would account for his colorful references in the soliloquy to life as a "walking shadow." Macbeth is extrapolating from his own experience of life in the shadows to make what he clearly feels is a universally valid observation.

It's instructive in this regard that Macbeth should use metaphors of light and darkness here. He doesn't quite occupy either day or light; he moves between them frequently. On the one hand, he's still very much in this world, a worldly king with a throne. On the other, as we've already seen, he's chosen to take his stand with the forces of darkness and is therefore at the same time not of this world.

That this soliloquy should come near the end of the play is rather telling, to say the least. One senses a certain weariness on the part of Macbeth; he realizes that the throne which he coveted so much will eventually turn, like everything else, to "dusty death."

This soliloquy is really a culminating moment in the play, addressing Macbeth's development and some of the play's themes. Both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth have said that it is worthless to get what one wants when one cannot be happy once one has it.  Now, Macbeth describes the pace of life as "petty," implying that it is both slow and small.  Further, we are all just "fools" on our way to our inevitable deaths. 

Macbeth uses a number of metaphors that betray his disgust with life at this point in his own.  The comparison of life to a candle shows just how insignificant and fragile it is.  A candle can be snuffed out in a moment and only produces a very small bit of light.  Next, he compares life to an actor who performs for his time on the stage. This comparison makes the drama of life seem insignificant and even unreal, as though it is all a show. Finally, he compares life to an idiot's story, one that makes lots of noise, but ultimately it makes no sense and has no real meaning.  The metaphors help to show how dissatisfied Macbeth is, even though he has done everything to satisfy his own ambition.  Despite this fact, he still feels that life is hollow and futile.

The position of this speech within the text, just before Macbeth goes to face Macduff, shows us his state of mind going into this fight.  He is more than dissatisfied; he realizes that he has nothing to live for.  His wife is gone, he has no family or friends, and he is basically ready to be done.  Macbeth will fight because it is what he should do, but his heart is not in it.