Macbeth's Dagger Soliloquy (2.1.40-71)

Macbeth's fatal flaw was his lust to be king.

At the end of the soliloquy we know that Macbeth has made up is mind and is going to kill Duncan.

This initial murder is what sends Macbeth down a spiraling path of violence which is what leads to his downfall.

Dreamlike

The soliloquy has an almost surreal atmosphere to it because of the supernatural (Witches, fulfilling prophecies) and appearance vs reality (hallucinations/visions) themes present.

Suspenseful

There is a suspenseful tone to the soliloquy because it makes us anxious as to whether or not Macbeth is going to kill Duncan.

Malicious

The soliloquy also has a slightly malicious tone to it because Macbeth's resolve and desire to kill Duncan and become king continues to grow over the course of the soliloquy.

Numerous instances of enjambment throughout the soliloquy.

"Now o’er the one halfworld/
Nature seems dead, and wicked dreams abuse/
The curtain’d sleep"

Multiple rhetorical questions used in the beginning.

"Is this a dagger which I see before me,
The handle toward my hand?"

"Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible
To feeling as to sight?"

"art thou but
A dagger of the mind, a false creation,
Proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain?"

These rhetorical questions are used to emphasis Macbeth's confusion after seeing the vision of the dagger.

Macbeth uses an allusion when referencing to "Pale Hecate's offerings".

The literary device called apostrophe is used when Macbeth addresses the dagger he sees as if it were an actual person.

This emphasizes how bad Macbeth's current mental state is. It highlights his growing insanity due to the immense guilt he faces.

"art thou but
A dagger of the mind, a false creation,
Proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain?"

Use of rhetorical question.

Macbeth recognizes and acknowledges his insanity.

Macbeth has made up his mind to kill Duncan and is consumed by guilt at the thought of it. Macbeth's growing guilt and insanity has lead him to hallucinate images of daggers and blood. In this soliloquy, Macbeth expresses his sorrow and attempts to interpret the meaning of these visions.

Power Corrupts

Although Macbeth was reluctant at first to kill Duncan, his desire for power (to be king) corrupted his loyalty to the point where he was willing to murder his king (and friend) to achieve what he wanted.

Fate vs. Free Will

While Macbeth believes that his actions are of his own free will, the vision of the dagger could be seen as a force persuading him to unknowingly follow his bloody fate.

Appearance vs. Reality

To Macbeth, the dagger that he sees appears to be real, when in reality it is nothing more than a hallucination.

"The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee.
I have thee not, and yet I see thee still."

Ambition

Macbeth's ambition to be king was a leading factor in his decision to kill Duncan.

Supernatural

Macbeth makes a reference to Hecate and offerings. These references bring us back to the three witches and how they are the ones who drove Macbeth into the position he is currently in.

"witchcraft celebrates
Pale Hecate’s offerings, and wither’d murder"

Dagger

The dagger Macbeth refers to seems to be pointing towards the room where Duncan is. The dagger can be seen as a guide to Macbeth.

Symbolizes Duncan's imminent murder.

Blood

The blood on dagger could be interpreted as a symbol for what Macbeth's future will look like if he chooses to continue down this path.

Could be symbolic of Macbeth's inner evil.

"Is this a dagger which I see before me, The handle toward my hand?"

This line highlights Macbeth's internal conflict during the soliloquy.

Macbeth is unsure of whether the dagger he sees is an illusion or reality.