Tempest Essay, Research Paper

Driven to murder King Duncan, Macbeth’s conscience first appeared when

he was not present to greet the King upon his arrival at the castle. This

showed the lack of courage that Macbeth had to face his victim.

If it were done when ’tis done, then ’twere well

It were done quickly. If the assassination

Could trammel up the consequence, and catch,

With his surcease, success, that but this blow

Might be the be-all and the end-all here,

But here, upon this bank and shoal of time,

We’ld jump the life to come. But in these cases

We still have judgment here, that we but teach

Bloody instructions, which being taught, return

To plague the inventor……………………..

(Act 1:Scene 7:ln 1)

This verse stressed Macbeth’s fears of punishment. He cleared out that

he was prepared to suffer eternity if only this crime would go unpunished.

He recognized certain obstacles in killing the King, the first and most

important being was that the King was his guest. He also saw some dangers

of committing the crime and understood it consequences well.

When Macbeth tried to resist the temptation, his wife was the one that

insisted on him to consent the murder.