Macbeth: Soliloquy Act I Scene VII

The second soliloquy takes place during a dinner at Macbeth's house after the battle where King Duncan continues to praise him. Previously, Lady Macbeth has become power hungry and wants Macbeth to become king as the witches predicted, even though Duncan's two sons Malcolm and Donalbain are the next heirs. She makes Macbeth want to kill the king, but does not think that he would ever be able to do it. She acts like a proper hostess towards the king but is planning kill him. 
     Macbeth has became overwhelmed with and has left the dinner to talk himself into or out of Lady Macbeth's plan. In order to avoid consequences, he feels that if he must kill Duncan, he must do so quickly.  Macbeth believes that the king is a representation of God and if he kills him, he will be sent to hell. He worries that if he should kill Duncan, people might try to do the same to him when he is king. He gives a metaphor for equality of justice saying, "To plague th'inventor: this even-handed justice/ Commends the ingredients of our poisoned chalice/ To our own lips" (lines 10 to 12, Act 1, Scene 7). This means that one person has to drink the same evil that they gave to everyone else. This strengthens his argument that if he should kill the king, something equally as evil will happen to him. 
     The king trusts Macbeth in two ways; the first being that he is a servant to the king so it is his duty to protect him against the same evils that he is presenting and the second being that he is the king's host so it is his duty to shut his doors to the same murder that he is planning. This adds to the guilt Macbeth is feeling. He continues to talk about how Duncan has always been a good man and a humble leader and that after he dies people will still speak of his greatness and "And pity like a naked newborn babe,/Striding the blast, or heaven's cherubim, horsed/ Upon the sightless couriers of the air,/ Shall blow the horrid deed in every eye." (Line 22 to 24, Act1 Scene 7). This means that when he dies his legacy will be like angels playing trumpets against the horrible deed of the murder and pity, represented like a baby will ride on invisible horses to spread the news. Macbeth knows that if he kills Duncan, he will be missed and everyone will feel pity for him. He is able to talk himself out of the murder based on Duncan's popularity. He ends the soliloquy with, "I have no spur/ To prick the sides of my intent, but only/ Vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself/ And falls on th'other." ( Lines 26 to 28, Act 1 Scene 7) meaning that the only thing that motivates him is ambition and that he cannot make himself act. Macbeth began this soliloquy being unsure of the proper thing to do, but he is able to sort through his thoughts and make a decision that killing king Duncan would cause more problems than happiness.