Macbeth Essay
In the drama script, Macbeth, written in 1606 by William Shakespeare, features such as language, and syntax in the important section of Act 1 Scene 7 were used to show the idea of the corrupting power of vaulting ambition. In Act 1 Scene 7, Macbeth, through a soliloquy, ponders about the killing deed that he is about to perform on King Duncan. He is aware of powerful reasons for committing regicide, but is nagged by self-doubt. Shakespeare demonstrates to the reader Macbeth’s confusion, and angst through the many features he uses throughout the text, which ultimately shows us the important idea of the corrupting power of vaulting ambition.
Several of the main features employed by Macbeth in the important scene of Act 1 Scene 7, are language features such as metaphors and imagery. Many metaphors are used by Shakespeare, but one important metaphor used in this scene is when Macbeth says, “We’d jump the life to come”. Shakespeare is informing his reader that Macbeth’s vaulting ambition is corrupting him as he is saying that committing regicide would result in him not having an afterlife. In Jacobean times, when this was written, the afterlife was considered a very important aspect of ones being. This means that through the metaphor, Shakespeare has horrified the audience through Macbeth. This is significant because it makes the audience see how Macbeth has been corrupted by one of his fatal flaws, which is vaulting ambition. Shakespeare is demonstrating to the reader that Macbeth’s ambition has made him abandon any ideas of the very important afterlife, just so he can become King in his current life. Another metaphor used by Shakespeare in this important scene is “his virtues will plead like angels, trumpet tongued”. With Macbeth comparing Duncan’s virtues to angels in this soliloquy, Shakespeare is suggesting to his reader that Macbeth has no virtues at all. It shows that vaulting ambition has corrupted him in a way that he has not only abandoned...