William Shakespeare’s classic play Macbeth dwells upon the darker side of humankind and of life in general. After murdering King Duncan in a clandestine bid for power, Macbeth has trouble adjusting to his new royal role. Lady Macbeth assures him that everything's all right and he need not worry because the entire bloody affair has drawn to a close, but Macbeth isn’t as certain. His reply in lines 15 through 29 during scene two of act three, like the rest of the play, contends that actions cannot always be undone, leaving true peace attainable only in death. Unlike Lady Macbeth, Macbeth believes the pair is still in danger of punishment for their premeditated assassination. He concedes that they have made progress in their quest for power by
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Macbeth questions whether Duncan may in fact be better off than Macbeth himself. Evantually, Macbeth claims it is “Better [to] be with the dead” than to live with a heavy conscience which tortures the mind and keeps one from sleeping (3.2.22). It is apparent to Macbeth that humankind dwells on its mistakes to the point of harm. The dead do not fret over what they have done, for in death such troubles are forgotten. Macbeth further defines the dead’s lack of worries, saying in regard to King Duncan, “nothing / Can touch him further” (3.2.28-29). Meanwhile, Macbeth has many threats to deal with, some real and some he only imagines as stress and guilt take their toll on him. When he first considers killing Duncan, Macbeth notes that “This even-handed justice / Commends th’ ingredience of our poisoned chalice / To our own lips” (1.7.10-12). This foreshadows Macbeth’s fear of karma after he commits murder; he worries that he will be killed as he has killed. Thoughts such as this keep Macbeth from accepting his actions and finding peace. The constant worry and fear he lives in means not even in his sleep is he free of guilt and regret. Indeed, Macbeth even feels jealous of the dead since they no longer must deal with the darker aspects of life as he must. At the end of his soliloquy, he points out how the poison which he himself fears can no longer hurt Duncan. By then, Macbeth believes freedom from earthly pain is preferable to living with a misdeed that cannot be erased and a desolate
Macbeth questions whether Duncan may in fact be better off than Macbeth himself. Evantually, Macbeth claims it is “Better [to] be with the dead” than to live with a heavy conscience which tortures the mind and keeps one from sleeping (3.2.22). It is apparent to Macbeth that humankind dwells on its mistakes to the point of harm. The dead do not fret over what they have done, for in death such troubles are forgotten. Macbeth further defines the dead’s lack of worries, saying in regard to King Duncan, “nothing / Can touch him further” (3.2.28-29). Meanwhile, Macbeth has many threats to deal with, some real and some he only imagines as stress and guilt take their toll on him. When he first considers killing Duncan, Macbeth notes that “This even-handed justice / Commends th’ ingredience of our poisoned chalice / To our own lips” (1.7.10-12). This foreshadows Macbeth’s fear of karma after he commits murder; he worries that he will be killed as he has killed. Thoughts such as this keep Macbeth from accepting his actions and finding peace. The constant worry and fear he lives in means not even in his sleep is he free of guilt and regret. Indeed, Macbeth even feels jealous of the dead since they no longer must deal with the darker aspects of life as he must. At the end of his soliloquy, he points out how the poison which he himself fears can no longer hurt Duncan. By then, Macbeth believes freedom from earthly pain is preferable to living with a misdeed that cannot be erased and a desolate