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Revision Notes Macbeth
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Revision Notes gcse english literature dagger before my eyes speech .- Macbeth
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An Analysis of Macbeth’s ‘Is this a dagger which I see beforeme’ Soliloquy
The setting here is the time before Macbeth intends to kill Duncan. This soliloquy captures
Macbeth’s mental and emotional state immediately preceding the heinous deed. By opening
with a question we immediately feel his confusion, disbelief and torment. It is becoming clear
that the killing of Duncan will not be a deed that will be “done, when ‘tis done”.
After deliberating the crime with Lady Macbeth, Macbeth has decided to perpetrate the
"terrible feat". Now he sits alone, waiting for the bell which will summon him to the
transgression, contemplating his decision. The focus of the soliloquy is an invisible dagger.
Although Macbeth eventually realises that the dagger is an halucination he suspects that it has
possibly been conjured up by his "heat-oppressed brain", he cannot prevent the illusional
dagger, soon stained with imaginary "gouts of blood", from tormenting him. There is an
ambiguity to the apparition of the dagger in that it can either be seen as an omen that Macbeth
should proceed with the heinous deed or it can be perceived as a final warning from his
conscience not to proceed. The word “oppressed” is also a reference to how he is feeling
oppressed by the dominance of Lady Macbeth and that Macbeth indeed feels that he is under
duress. Could this be an implication that he feels that he is not acting of his own free will?
The words “Dagger of the mind” carry a duality of meaning. It is a reference to the fact that the
dagger is a figment of the mind but it is also a metaphor of guilt; the ‘dagger’ is stabbing at the
part of his mind that embodies his conscience.
“Thou marshall’st me the way” – is Macbeth referring to the imaginary dagger or to the real
one that he has just drawn; either way this is Macbeth deflecting his guilt. He is putting the
onus of the deed he is about to commit onto the dagger by stating that it is leading him to
Duncan’s room. This deflection of guilt is something that Macbeth does throughout the play.
The message that Shakespeare is giving however is that nothing takes away Macbeth’s free will
– he chooses to perpetrate the murder and no amount of deflection of guilt will spare him the
repercussions.
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