Change In Macbeth's Soliloquy

From the beginning of the play Macbeth, Shakespeare introduces his title character to the audience as a multi-faceted and complex person. He is continuously manipulated by Lady Macbeth as well as the witches scheming, influencing Macbeth’s drive and ambition. Macbeth is transformed into a different person from when originally introduced in the beginning of the play, becoming mad with desire and nonstop self-doubt. Throughout play the audience gradually sees the change in Macbeth’s persona. In the most famous speech of the play Macbeth delivers his “Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow” soliloquy in act five scene five. This soliloquy is a prime example of how Shakespeare uses figurative language to convey the change in Macbeth’s character …show more content…
However, towards the ending of the first act, after Macbeth hears the prophecy of the three witches, his actions and thoughts emphasize his desire for power and the crown. This prophecy leads Macbeth to kill for what he desires and he eventually turns into a tyrant and murderer. The guilt of his horrible actions put a toll on his mental health causing him to have hallucinations. Macbeth’s actions in the play are treacherous but he himself isn’t exactly an evil character in the play. He constantly questions his wrong doings and is forced to commit more mayhem due to his rash way of thinking. Unlike Titus Andronicus Aaron who is inherently evil and has no regrets or even second thoughts about his evil deeds. Without Macbeth’s soliloquies the audience would have no insight to how Macbeth character thinks presuming he is a villain that deserves his ultimate demise. Macbeth’s final soliloquy in the play gives the audience an example on how Macbeth’s previous actions lead up to the moment where Macbeth realizes his lust for the crown was …show more content…
For example, “Creeps in this petty pace from day to day/ To the last syllable of recorded time” ( Greenblatt, 874) Shakespeare gives a personification to the word day describing how they “creep”, again unfolding how Macbeth is finding time to be boring and dull and slowly moving. The words “syllable” and “time” are rhythmically stressed on purpose so the speaker can highlight how the words being delivered in the speech are just as slow as how Macbeth thinks of life now. (About, 2015) Macbeth’s continuations of the speech seem to contemplate thoughts of the future, of “tomorrow” and about his past as well. “And all our yesterdays have lighted fools/ The way to dusty death.” ( Greenblatt, 874) His sins of “yesterday” (the past) have now come forth into his future paving the way to his eventual