In this excerpt from Act 3 scene 2 of William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Macbeth addresses the threats to his kingship then further explains his plan for action to Lady Macbeth. Although, in this excerpt, Macbeth expresses his fears to suggest that the threats to the kingship are “[the] frames [that] disjoint [and that] both of the world[s] [that are] suffering” (Line 2). Utilizing connotative diction, figurative language, and death imagery, Shakespeare reveals Macbeth’s deep desires, but also suggests a fear that he has to remain in power as king. In the beginning of the excerpt, Macbeth reveals that there might be a threat to his kingship because the “prophecy” that the witches made up is coming true. Therefore, Macbeth declares his plan to …show more content…
As Macbeth explains his plan for action, he expresses a fear that he has to remain in power after he has killed Duncan, “We have scotch’d the snake, not kill’d it… (Line 1). The snake represents Macbeth’s threat of becoming king because even though he has killed Duncan, he now has to kill Banquo in order to remain as a king and pass down the crown to his children. After, Macbeth continues to express his other fears through a metaphor as he explains that “[the snake will] remain in danger of her former tooth” (Line 3). The threat to Macbeth’s kingship reveals that he and Lady Macbeth aren’t safe after they have killed Duncan and the “snake’s former tooth’’ will come back to haunt them after Macbeth has become king. Before, Macbeth can remain in power as a king, he still has to deal with the consequences with killing Duncan. So, the consequences of Duncan’s murder further let’s Macbeth reveal his other fears that “both [of his] worlds have suffer[ed]” (Line 4). The worlds suggest a connotative meaning that reveals that Macbeth is stuck between the world of good and evil. Furthermore, Macbeth is torn …show more content…
The world that Macbeth is in also suggests that he is stuck between the world of reality and hell. Since the murder has been on his mind, the worlds of reality and hell play apart into his fears as he is “in fear and sleep” due to the “affliction of [his] terrible dream [that have been] shak[ing] him nightly” (6-7). Macbeth still feels guilty about the whole situation; however, Macbeth suggests that Duncan is to be “better [off to be] with the dead” (7). Rather than Macbeth feeling guilty of committing murder in order to become king, he rather kill more people in order to remain as king. Now, Macbeth can deal with the consequences in his own way, by “gain[ing] [his own] peace and send[ing] peace [to others]” (Line 8). However, Macbeth reveals that he rather put Duncan’s murder in the past and starts to plan Banquo’s murder. After, Macbeth rather have “peace” than to be guilty like when he killed Duncan and have “on the torture of the mind to lie with restless ecstasy” (Line 9). Towards the end of the excerpt, Macbeth explains how he needs to murder Banquo in order to remain in power as king and decides to kill Banquo and leave Duncan’s murder to rest. As Macbeth’s concludes that