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Macbeth: Act I, Scene 7

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Macbeth
Act I, Scene 7

A room in Macbeth’s castle.

Sarah Bernhardt in Macbeth

Sarah Bernhardt in Macbeth

Georges Pilotell, circa 1900

  1. Hoboys, torches. Enter a Sewer and divers Servants with
  2. dishes and service over the stage. Then enter Macbeth.

Macbeth

1 - 29
  1. If it were done, when ’tis done, then ’twere well
  2. It were done quickly. If th’ assassination
  3. Could trammel up the consequence, and catch
  4. With his surcease, success; that but this blow
  5. Might be the be-all and the end-all—here,
  6. But here, upon this bank and shoal of time,
  7. We’ld jump the life to come. But in these cases
  8. We still have judgment here, that we but teach
  9. Bloody instructions, which, being taught, return
  10. To plague th’ inventor. This even-handed justice
  11. Commends th’ ingredience of our poison’d chalice
  12. To our own lips. He’s here in double trust:
  13. First, as I am his kinsman and his subject,
  14. Strong both against the deed; then, as his host,
  15. Who should against his murderer shut the door,
  16. Not bear the knife myself. Besides, this Duncan
  17. Hath borne his faculties so meek, hath been
  18. So clear in his great office, that his virtues
  19. Will plead like angels, trumpet-tongu’d, against
  20. The deep damnation of his taking-off;
  21. And pity, like a naked new-born babe,
  22. Striding the blast, or heaven’s cherubin, hors’d
  23. Upon the sightless couriers of the air,
  24. Shall blow the horrid deed in every eye,
  25. That tears shall drown the wind. I have no spur
  26. To prick the sides of my intent, but only
  27. Vaulting ambition, which o’erleaps itself,
  28. And falls on th’ other—
  29. Enter Lady Macbeth.
  30.                         How now? What news?

Lady Macbeth

30
  1. He has almost supp’d. Why have you left the chamber?

Macbeth

31
  1. Hath he ask’d for me?

Lady Macbeth

32
  1.                       Know you not he has?

Macbeth

33 - 37
  1. We will proceed no further in this business:
  2. He hath honor’d me of late, and I have bought
  3. Golden opinions from all sorts of people,
  4. Which would be worn now in their newest gloss,
  5. Not cast aside so soon.

Lady Macbeth

38 - 48
  1.                         Was the hope drunk
  2. Wherein you dress’d yourself? Hath it slept since?
  3. And wakes it now to look so green and pale
  4. At what it did so freely? From this time
  5. Such I account thy love. Art thou afeard
  6. To be the same in thine own act and valor
  7. As thou art in desire? Wouldst thou have that
  8. Which thou esteem’st the ornament of life,
  9. And live a coward in thine own esteem,
  10. Letting “I dare not” wait upon “I would,”
  11. Like the poor cat i’ th’ adage?

But screw your courage to the sticking place, and we’ll not fail.

Elizabeth Shippen Green Elliott, 1922

Macbeth

49 - 51
  1.                                 Prithee peace!
  2. I dare do all that may become a man;
  3. Who dares do more is none.

Lady Macbeth

52 - 64
  1.                            What beast was’t then
  2. That made you break this enterprise to me?
  3. When you durst do it, then you were a man;
  4. And to be more than what you were, you would
  5. Be so much more the man. Nor time, nor place,
  6. Did then adhere, and yet you would make both:
  7. They have made themselves, and that their fitness now
  8. Does unmake you. I have given suck, and know
  9. How tender ’tis to love the babe that milks me;
  10. I would, while it was smiling in my face,
  11. Have pluck’d my nipple from his boneless gums,
  12. And dash’d the brains out, had I so sworn as you
  13. Have done to this.

Macbeth

65
  1.                    If we should fail?

Lady Macbeth

66 - 79
  1.                    We fail?
  2. But screw your courage to the sticking place,
  3. And we’ll not fail. When Duncan is asleep
  4. (Whereto the rather shall his day’s hard journey
  5. Soundly invite him), his two chamberlains
  6. Will I with wine and wassail so convince,
  7. That memory, the warder of the brain,
  8. Shall be a fume, and the receipt of reason
  9. A limbeck only. When in swinish sleep
  10. Their drenched natures lies as in a death,
  11. What cannot you and I perform upon
  12. Th’ unguarded Duncan? What not put upon
  13. His spungy officers, who shall bear the guilt
  14. Of our great quell?

Macbeth

80 - 85
  1.                     Bring forth men-children only!
  2. For thy undaunted mettle should compose
  3. Nothing but males. Will it not be receiv’d,
  4. When we have mark’d with blood those sleepy two
  5. Of his own chamber, and us’d their very daggers,
  6. That they have done’t?

Lady Macbeth

86 - 88
  1.                        Who dares receive it other,
  2. As we shall make our griefs and clamor roar
  3. Upon his death?

Macbeth

89 - 92
  1.                 I am settled, and bend up
  2. Each corporal agent to this terrible feat.
  3. Away, and mock the time with fairest show:
  4. False face must hide what the false heart doth know.
  1. Exeunt.
"Pity"

Pity, like a naked new-born babe

"Pity"

William Blake, circa 1795

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