Jaipur Conference

“Conscience, Craziness, and
Condemnation: A Study of Soliloquies in

Shakespeare’s Macbeth”
by
Mr. Abul Bashar and Professor Samina Khan
Department of English,
Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh
Uttar Pradesh, 202002.
“There’s no art
To nd the mind’s construction in the face.”
–William Shakespeare, Macbeth

Image source: www.thehollywoodreporter.com
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Introduction:
Shakespeare has been regarded as one of the most in uential playwrights.
His narratives, skilfully incorporate love, resentment, ambition, betrayal,

and the intricacies of human nature.
Use of several dramatic techniques and devices, such as soliloquy, comic

relief, dramatic irony, songs, etc. portray his mastery in the arena of
theatre.
Soliloquies, as inner contemplations, helped in revealing real feelings,

emotions, and motives of the characters.
Shakespeare has utilised soliloquies in many of his plays in a very

dexterous manner.
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Multidimensionality of Characters in
Macbeth, as Depicted by the Soliloquies:
Macbeth’s initial soliloquies focus mostly on the terror of the crime, which he is
contemplating rather than on the expected pleasures of being a king as he says: “why
do I yield to that suggestion/Whose horrid image doth un x my hair…Present fears/
Are less than horrible imaginings” (22, Shakespeare).
Similarly, Lady Macbeth’s early soliloquies concentrate on undaunted participation in

the cruel crime, rather than on her imaginations of being a queen as she says:
Come, you spirits

That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here,
And ll me from the crown to the toe topful
Of direst cruelty! Make thick my blood,
Stop up th’ access and passage to remorse, (31, Shakespeare)
As a Christian, Macbeth is also concerned much about the day of judgement and
hereafter as he ponders over “the life to come” (36, Shakespeare).
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After having given a deep thought to the heinous deed, and its aftermath,
Macbeth completely resolves himself to not to proceed with the deed as he
says to Lady Macbeth “We will proceed no further in this business” (37,
Shakespeare).
The soliloquy uttered by Macbeth in the dagger scene depicts the intensity of
psychological turmoil which he is going through.
Gradually he realises that much contemplation over the deed will restrain
him from it, and would never be able to achieve his ambition as he says:
“Whiles I threat, he lives/Words to the heat of deeds too cold breath gives.”
(46, Shakespeare)
After murdering Duncan, the madness of Macbeth seems to increase. In Act 2,

Scene 2, he realises himself as a criminal who has committed a grave crime,
which cannot be compensated or forgiven as he says: “Will all great
Neptune’s ocean wash this blood/Clean from my hand?” (52, Shakespeare)
As the play moves on, Macbeth keeps getting wrapped up in the fear of what
he has done.
After the murder of Lady Macduff and Banquo, the psychological trauma and burden of
the guilt gets manifested in both Macbeth and his wife.
Lady Macbeth’s suppressed feelings nd a vent once in the sleepwalking scene when she
starts exposing all her secrets.
By saying that “all the perfumes of Arabia will/not sweeten this little hand” (144,
Shakespeare), she wants to say that no matter whatever she does, she cannot change,
what has been done in the past.
After Lady Macbeth’s death, Macbeth begins one of the most famous soliloquies packed
with several connotations as he says:
Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow,

Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing. (158, Shakespeare)
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Conclusion
The research paper, through the examination of the major soliloquies from the
play has attempted to dig out profound con icts and psychological turmoil faced
by Macbeth and his wife.
Vaulting ambition, thirst for power, torments of guilt, and lashes of fate and time
have emerged as the major themes.
Shakespeare has created the soliloquies in such a way that they themselves suf ce
enough to give the whole character sketch of the person who speaks them.
Soliloquies of other characters such as Banquo, Lady Macduff, Porter, etc. can also
be analysed for a much more detailed analysis of the play.
Also, there is the scope of a comparative study of these soliloquies with the
soliloquies from other plays of Shakespeare or of other playwrights.
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Reference:
Shakespeare, W. (n.d.). Macbeth. September 9, 2023, https://

www.playshakespeare.com/?utm_source=apple-shakespeare&utm_medium=re -
epub&utm_campaign=macbeth&utm_content=title-page
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“Conscience, Craziness, and

Condemnation: A Study of Soliloquies in

–William Shakespeare, Macbeth

His narratives, skilfully incorporate love, resentment, ambition, betrayal,

Use of several dramatic techniques and devices, such as soliloquy, comic

Soliloquies, as inner contemplations, helped in revealing real feelings,

Shakespeare has utilised soliloquies in many of his plays in a very

Similarly, Lady Macbeth’s early soliloquies concentrate on undaunted participation in

Come, you spirits

After murdering Duncan, the madness of Macbeth seems to increase. In Act 2,

Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow,

Shakespeare, W. (n.d.). Macbeth. September 9, 2023, https://

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