Macbeth Soliloquy

MACBETH SOLILOQUY

DAGGER AHEAD OF ME (ACT 2, SCENE 1)

Good morning/afternoon everyone and welcome to today’s workshop on the famous and acclaimed playwright William Shakespeare at Brisbane’s prestigious Twelfth Night Theatre. This presentation is from a soliloquy from the play Macbeth in Act2.Sc.1 (Lines 33-65). Paraphrasing a Shakespeare aside and that too of a self-divided protagonist, is far from an easy task.

Macbeth has made his decision to kill the King and take the crown as his own. Inspired in part by his own ambition, the decision to murder Duncan is aided by the prophecies of the Witches as well as the insistent urging of his wife. He is wracked with guilt over what he is about to do, as his mind races with thoughts and emotions of such an evil action. He begins to hallucinate and sees a bloody dagger in the air, which will be his instrument of murder. He goes on to comment on the wickedness of the world, thoughts which are interrupted by the ringing of the bell, a signal from Lady Macbeth that Duncan's guards are drugged and sleeping and he states. Shakespeare's Macbeth is notable for hallucinations, terrifying dreams, witches, prophecies and all of the combining forces of nature which lead to chaos and murder in the gloomy countryside of Scotland.

CHANGING THE WORDS
Is this a cheating soccer ball at my feet?
It’s placed for the kick. I am going to kick it!
I know it must be an illusion, but I can really see it.
Is it real enough to kick? Can I really do this?
Can I really become the #1 soccer player, or is it a dream?
I see you, the imaginary ball, as real as this other one at my feet.
You are pushing me to what I already want to do,
And you look just like the ball I am planning on using!
Are you just fooling my feet, or are the rest of my senses the ones being fooled?
I can see the mud from the field on you, just appearing out of nowhere.
Is this is my imagination. Am I Dreaming?
It is worry over my plan to cheat Duncan that makes me see this ball.
People all over the world love this sport, and they all dream of being the greatest.
All Cheater’s celebrate their winnings, and work to cheat better
It’s like I can see Diego Maradona coming onto the field,
Ready to score and win.
Without a worry in the world
Just Maradona’s ‘God Hand Goal’
Be quiet field. Don’t warn Duncan about me coming
This is my chance, the time of the cheater
Why am I just talking though?
What if the ball is just a hoax?
What if the referees have not been bribed by my vigorous wife?
What if I miss the my only opportunity
But what if people find out that I have ruined a legend’s career to become someone better.
Will I be safe if I proceed with this?
What will his sons think of me?
I have known them for so long
There is NO time to worry!
Time to claim what is deservedly mine
It is time to play and Win!

MODERN CONTEXT
This previous scene is a modernized version of Macbeth’s ‘Dagger ahead of me’. In the scene, Macbeth is a veteran soccer player. He is a well-known and respected player around, but he wants to be known as King of soccer, the greatest to have ever played the sport, but in order for Macbeth to become he has to betray his friend Duncan, Duncan having been hailed as the best in the sport. Since he is old he has come to terms that he wants to play a friendly game against Macbeth. But since Macbeth ambition to become the KING, his overpowering, greedy and ambitious wife has set a plan, to use a ‘SPECIAL’ ball. This so called ‘SPECIAL’ ball would let Macbeth excel when playing, whereas his opponents would suffer. Since Duncan doesn’t know about this ‘SPECIAL’ ball, Duncan would be like a lamb to the slaughter. As Macbeth is in the change rooms he ponders whether his plan would work, whether he would become the best in the world. In line he states “What if the ball is just a hoax?” implying that whether the ball is ‘SPECIAL’ or has his wife done this on purpose just to feel enhance his opportunity against Duncan and “What if the referees have not been bribed by my vigorous wife?” which is a representation of a scene in Macbeth, where Duncan’s guards have been drugged.

I would now like to thank you all for attending this presentation on William Shakespeare; I ask if you would wait for the next presentation. Thank You.