ENGLISH LITERATURE (CBSE/UGC NET)

Detailed explanation-1: -He sees the witches flying through the night on broomsticks. He sees a bloody dagger floating in front of him. He sees Lady Macbeth hovering over him with a bloody dagger.

Detailed explanation-2: -He and Banquo agree to discuss the witches’ prophecies at a later time. Banquo and Fleance leave, and suddenly, in the darkened hall, Macbeth has a vision of a dagger floating in the air before him, its handle pointing toward his hand and its tip aiming him toward Duncan.

Detailed explanation-3: -Act 2 Scene 1 Banquo tells him that he dreamed of the ‘three weird sisters’ last night, but Macbeth lies and says he has not thought about them. Alone, as he goes towards Duncan’s chambers to murder the king, Macbeth sees a vision of a bloody dagger.

Detailed explanation-4: -When he is about to kill Duncan, Macbeth sees a dagger floating in the air. Covered with blood and pointed toward the king’s chamber, the dagger represents the bloody course on which Macbeth is about to embark.

Detailed explanation-5: -Yet, he starts to wonders if the dagger which he sees is a ‘fatal vision’ or a mere hallucination. Macbeth wonders if this dagger is a result of his ‘heat-oppressed’ or fevered brain referring to his growing insanity. Being it a part of the great tragedy, the soliloquy comes with implied stage direction.