Macbeth analysis (IB paper | English HL) - Analysis of Act 2, scene 1, line 32 [exit servant] – line 65 [ exit ]

Analysis of Act 2, scene 1, line 32 [exit servant] – line 65 [ exit ] The highlighted segment (Act 2, scene 1, line 32-65) is, like the majority of Macbeth a verse. While there are a few instances throughout Macbeth, which features prose (the letter for instance) everything in this particular segment is verse. It is, however, what is commonly referred to as an unrhymed iambic pentameter (also known as a blank verse) which means that every second syllable is stressed and nothing is purposely rhyming. This creates a flowing rhythm that avoids the staged experience that occurs when passages rhyme. Shakespeare utilizes a unique dramatic convention in this segment in the form of a hallucination of a dagger. Hallucinations are not an uncommon feature in literature and are usually used to depict future events or describe the inner longings or wishes of the characters experiencing the hallucinations. This is also partially the case in Macbeth. Macbeth describes openly to the audience that he is hallucinating a dagger in front of him with the handle faced towards his hand: “Is this a dagger which I see before me, The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee.” (Macbeth, Act 2, Sc. 1, line 33-34). The purpose of this is to show that Macbeth has finally decided to kill Duncan, making the hallucination an element which foreshadows future events in the story. This is also confirmed by Macbeth in the following passage: “Thou marshall’st me the way that I was going, And such an instrument I was to use! (Macbeth, Act 2, Sc. 1, line 42-43). There is also a heavy focus on senses in the segment. Macbeth describes the hallucination by saying that he can see the dagger but cannot feel it: “I have thee not, and yet I see thee still. Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible To feeling as to sight? or art thou but A dagger of the mind, a fake creation, Proceeding from heat-oppressed brain?” (Macbeth, Act 2, Sc. 1, line 35-39). This further establishes that Macbeth is in fact hallucinating. He later suspects that his eyes are being tricked by his other senses since he exclaims that his “eyes are made the fools” (Macbeth, Act 2, Sc. 1, line 44). In other words, while Macbeth is quite confused as to what is happening to him he still presents a great amount of self-awareness of the situation. He is quite aware that the dagger is a delusion.

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Personifications of objects are very prevalent in this segment as well. In fact, there are three personifications in this small passage alone (Act 2, scene 1, line 32-65). The first one is of the dagger. Macbeth refers to the dagger as ‘thee’ and actually speaks to it: “I have thee not, and yet I see thee still” (Macbeth, Act 2, Sc. 1, line 35). This tendency repeats with the floor as Macbeth describes that he needs to be quiet when attempting to kill Duncan and thus wishes that the ground won’t “whisper” to Duncan that Macbeth is coming. This can be seen in the following passage: “Hear not my steps, which way they walk, for fear Thy very stones prate of my whereabout,” (Macbeth, Act 2, Sc. 1, line 57-58). The last occurrence of personification in this segment is with the bell. Here Macbeth once again refers to the bell as a person since he says that “the bell invites me [Macbeth].” (Macbeth, Act 2, Sc. 1, line 63). This whole segment is as previously mentioned a description of Macbeth slowly accepting that it is his destiny to kill Duncan. There is only a slight sense of humanity left in him, which does leave the reader with a bit of sympathy: “Which now suits with it. Whiles I threat, he lives: Words to the heat of deeds too cold breath gives.” (Macbeth, Act 2, Sc. 1, line 60-61). In this quote Macbeth addresses that the more he talks about Macbeth the more he loses courage – hinting that he needs to complete the act of killing Duncan soon. In the final lines of this segment, Shakespeare hints that Macbeth is about to go kill Duncan as the bell rings and Macbeth says “Hear it not, Duncan, for it is a knell” (Macbeth, Act 2, Sc. 1, line 63). In other words, Macbeth describes the bells as a warning for Duncan. While we don’t experience the murder of Duncan in this segment all of the elements described above essentially point at the fact that Duncan is about to be murdered by Macbeth.

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