In one way, Macbeth did not desire to follow through with
King Duncan's murder. In fact, Macbeth told Lady Macbeth that he had changed his mind.
He had decided not to murder King Duncan:
We will proceed no further in this business. He
[King Duncan] has recently honored me, and I now have the Golden opinions from all sorts
of people, Which I want to enjoy for a bit longer, and Not cast them aside so
soon.
Macbeth seems content
being Thane of Cawdor at this point. He plainly states that "we will proceed no further
in this business," meaning proceed no further in the murdering of King Duncan, but Lady
Macbeth becomes furious. Of course, this change of heart infuriates Lady Macbeth. She
begins to challenge Macbeth's manhood, insisting that he is
afraid:
Are you afraid To be the same
man in reality As the one you wish to be? Would you have the crown Which you believe to
be the ornament of life, And yet live like a coward in your own
self-esteem?
Lady Macbeth is using intimidation
to convince Macbeth to follow through with the murder. Had it not been for Lady
Macbeth's evil pursuing of the matter, Macbeth may have chosen not to kill King Duncan.
Here we see that his goodness is influenced by Lady Macbeth's evilness.
After
Lady Macbeth intimidates him, Macbeth gives in and states that they will murder King
Duncan indeed. He states that Lady Macbeth has convinced him to follow through with the
murder:
I’m convinced, and I commit Every part of my body to
this terrible event. Let’s go and pass the time by pretending to be happy. False faces
must hide what the false heart
knows.
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