© Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All rights reserved.NOTESBut here, upon this bank and shoal of time,
We’d jump the life to come.^4 But in these cases
We still have judgment here; that we but teach
Bloody instructions, which, being taught, return
To plague th’ inventor: this even-handed^5 justice
Commends^6 th’ ingredients of our poisoned chalice^7
To our own lips. He’s here in double trust:
First, as I am his kinsman and his subject,
Strong both against the deed; then, as his host,
Who should against his murderer shut the door,
Not bear the knife myself. Besides, this Duncan
Hath borne his faculties^8 so meek, hath been
So clear^9 in his great office, that his virtues
Will plead like angels trumpet-tongued against
The deep damnation of his taking-off;
And pity, like a naked newborn babe,
Striding the blast, or heaven’s cherubin^10 horsed
Upon the sightless couriers^11 of the air,
Shall blow the horrid deed in every eye,
That tears shall drown the wind. I have no spur
To prick the sides of my intent, but only
Vaulting ambition, which o’erleaps itself- We’d... come I would risk life
in the world to come. - even-handed impartial.
- Commends offers.
- chalice cup.
1015- faculties powers.
- clear blameless.
20- cherubin angels.
- sightless couriers unseen
messengers (the wind).
25
Macbeth and Lady Macbeth dine with Duncan, the king of Scotland.The Tragedy of Macbeth, Act I 273LIT17_SE12_U03_A1C_WC.indd 273PERSONALIZE FOR LEARNING 3/14/16 1:08 AM
English Language Support
Making Inferences Briefly explain what Macbeth
is saying in Scene vii, lines 1−28. With guidance,
have students go through the speech slowly,
stopping to determine meanings of unfamiliar
words. Any pictures you can supply to illustrate
images, such as a bank (line 6), chalice (line 11),
or trumpet-tongued angels (line 19) would aid
comprehension. As you close read and clarifyvocabulary word meaning, have students make
inferences about Macbeth’s thoughts—that he
feels the deed to murder the king would be easy
if he were certain it would not result in terrible
consequences. He also declares his willingness to
risk eternal damnation. He considers both sides of
the issue, then finally concludes the only reason
to murder the king is to further his own ambition.
EMERGINGWhole-Class Learning 273
LIT17_TE12_U03_A1C_WC.indd 273 16-03-29 11:07 AM