Macbeth Soliloquy #1

(aside)      Two truths are told,

As happy prologues to the swelling act

Of the imperial theme. (to ROSS and ANGUS) I thank you, gentlemen.

(aside) This supernatural soliciting

Cannot be ill, cannot be good. If ill,

Why hath it given me earnest of success,

Commencing in a truth? I am thane of Cawdor.

If good, why do I yield to that suggestion

Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair

And make my seated heart knock at my ribs,

Against the use of nature? Present fears

Are less than horrible imaginings.

My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical,

Shakes so my single state of man

That function is smothered in surmise,

And nothing is but what is not.

(aside) If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me

Without my stir. 

(aside)      Come what come may,

Time and the hour runs through the roughest day.

 in my own words:

In the "Two Truths Are Told" Soliloquy in Act 1, Scene 3, Macbeth is speaking or thinking to himself about what Angus and Ross have told him compared to what the witches have said. Previously the witches have met Macbeth and Banquo after the battle, and told them that Banquo will have sons that are kinds but he will not be one and he will be lesser than Macbeth but greater and not as happy as Macbeth but happier.
 They tell Macbeth that he was the thane of Glamis, now the thane of Cawdor and will be future king, giving him past present and future. In the scene that the soliloquy is set Angus and Ross have brought Macbeth the news that he is now the thane of Cawdor, proving that what the witches said was true.

 In the soliloquy, Macbeth stepped aside to think to himself and to the audience aloud. He talks about that the witches have told him two things that have come true, him being the thane of Glamis and Cawdor and he sees this as a prologue or events leading up to him being king. He thinks that the supernatural prediction of the witches cannot be good, but it cannot be bad either. He says that it can't be bad because he is being promoted and has already climbed the ranks as a land owner. So far only good has come to him from the witches so he sees that this can't be bad. He also says that is can't be good because he is considering having to murder King Duncan. He states that "Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair/ And make my seated heart knock at my ribs,/ Against the use of nature" meaning that the thoughts of having to kill King Duncan make Macbeth's hair stand on end and his heart beat against his chest. He think such poorly and negative of this murder, although he has just came from a war where he committed many murders, because it was seen in this time period that a king was appointed his duties by God and killing a member of the religious family or showing a lack of respect towards sacred beings or objects. By killing the king he would be guilty and sent to hell. Macbeth realizes that the dangers that he presently endures are less than what he is imagining in the thoughts of having to kill the king and these thoughts scare him so much that he begins to feel as though he does not know who he is. It suggests that he does not often have these thoughts and that he values keeping his conscience clear and has the ability to realize what is right and what is wrong. 

     He continues to be horrified by his own thoughts and says that if his mind is troubling him this much, he can't understand what actually killing the king would do to his self and his conscience. To counter act these thoughts Macbeth makes a decision to not act and kill the king on a prophecy that may or may not be true. It may be the power of putting an idea in someone's head and having that person act because they believe it is what was meant to happen opposed to finding out without acting. This is what Macbeth decides to do and he makes the decision to leave the possibility of him being king up to faith opposed to him killing a king, or a representation of God. Macbeth says, "Come what may,/ Time and the hour runs through the roughest day." This means that he knows that everything is going to continue on despite his decision and what is going to happen is going to happen. This soliloquy is the horror Macbeth has at his tarnished thoughts at the idea of killing the king and the result of this conflict is that he will leave his destiny up to fate without making a rash act or damning himself to a horrific life to come.