‘or why
Upon this blasted heath you stop our way
With such prophetic greeting? Speak, I charge you.’- Shows he is strong in mind and not scared by the unknown.
‘Come what come may Time and the hour runs through the roughest day.’- Shows he is not really bothered he doesn’t really mind if he does become king.
The Prince of Cumberland! that is a step On which I must fall down.’ Shows he is ambitious and really does want to become king.
‘Who should against his murderer shut the door,
Not bear the knife myself.’- He is equivocating and does not really know if he should kill the king who is a good man.
‘No, this my hand will rather
The multitudinous seas in incarnadine,
Making the green one red.’- He is feeling so guilty that he thinks not even the oceans could get the blood of his hands.
‘O full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife!’ Macbeth is saying how he is mind is now nothing but a dangerous weapon which can be used as a scorpion poisoning his opponents and anyone who stands in his way.
‘No boasting like a fool;
This deed I’ll do before this purpose cool.’ He is saying that he will do what he has to do the deed before there is no point in his mind of doing it. He needs to act urgently and hes thoughts are useless unless he acts on them.
‘The castle of Macduff I will surprise; Seize upon Fife; Give to th’edge o’th’sword his wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls that trace him to his line.’ His mind had become even more unstable he will rape Lady Macduff and slaughter his children like animals and all his relatives. He is a ruthless tyrant who will stop and nothing to keep hold to his power he doesn’t care about others more and is living in a world of self denial and still thinks he is good man.
November 11, 2016 at 8:57 am
This is a very sound array of useful references that give us some insight into Macbeth’s state of mind. You’ll see there are rich (and related) linguistic and figurative features that strengthen this interpretation.
(By the way, physiological means ‘related to the physical body’. I think you’re going for psychological, ‘related to the mind’, in your title.
CW