Ask a New Question
Menu

Macbeth by William Shakespeare MACBETH. Is this a dagger which I see before me, The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee. I have thee not, and yet I see thee still. Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible To feeling as to sight? or art thou but A dagger of the mind, a false creation, Proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain? I see thee yet, in form as palpable As this which now I draw. From Macbeth by William Shakespeare Question Use the lines to answer the question. Analyze Shakespeare’s use of the dagger in these lines. Which interpretation could be used to explain its use? Select the two correct answers. (1 point) Responses Macbeth’s sight of the dagger, which is not actually there, indicates his insanity. Macbeth’s sight of the dagger, which is not actually there, indicates his insanity. The dagger is a reminder to Macbeth about his violent past. The dagger is a reminder to Macbeth about his violent past. Macbeth is receiving a warning to be wary about a possible threat to his life. Macbeth is receiving a warning to be wary about a possible threat to his life. The dagger is a message to Macbeth that he should act on his impulses. The dagger is a message to Macbeth that he should act on his impulses. Macbeth’s guilt for thinking about killing the king has triggered its appearance.

1 answer

In the provided lines from "Macbeth," Shakespeare uses the image of the dagger to represent Macbeth's inner turmoil and psychological state. The sight of the dagger, which he acknowledges is not physically present, can be interpreted in multiple ways. The two correct interpretations that explain its use are:

  1. Macbeth’s sight of the dagger, which is not actually there, indicates his insanity. - This interpretation highlights Macbeth's deteriorating mental state as he grapples with his ambition and the violent act he is contemplating.

  2. Macbeth’s guilt for thinking about killing the king has triggered its appearance. - The hallucination of the dagger symbolizes Macbeth's anxiety and moral conflict regarding the murder he is contemplating, reflecting his guilt and the psychological impact of his ambition.

These interpretations connect to the themes of ambition, guilt, and madness present in the play.