****Note: If you are discussing a fellow student's observations which he / she shared with you, that is fine; just give them credit and try to extend the observation in your own way.
Original Text |
Modern Text (No Fear Shakespeare) |
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Hautboys. Torches. Enter a
sewer and divers servants with dishes and service over the stage. Then enter MACBETH
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Hautboys play. The stage is
lit by torches. A butler enters, and various servants carry utensils and
dishes of food across the stage. Then MACBETH enters.
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MACBETH
If it were done when ’tis
done, then ’twere well
It were done quickly. If the
assassination
Could trammel up the
consequence, and catch
With his surcease success;
that but this blow
Might be the be-all and the
end-all here,
But here, upon this bank and
shoal of time,
We’d jump the life to come.
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 justice
Commends the ingredients of
our poisoned chalice
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 so
meek, hath been
So clear 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 cherubim, horsed
Upon the sightless couriers
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
And falls on th' other.
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MACBETH
If this business would
really be finished when I did the deed, then it would be best to get it over
with quickly. If the assassination of the king could work like a net,
sweeping up everything and preventing any consequences, then the murder would
be the be-all and end-all of the whole affair, and I would gladly put my soul
and the afterlife at risk to do it. But for crimes like these there are still
punishments in this world. By committing violent crimes we only teach other
people to commit violence, and the violence of our students will come back to
plague us teachers. Justice, being equal to everyone, forces us to drink from
the poisoned cup that we serve to others. The king trusts me in two ways.
First of all, I am his kinsman and his subject, so I should always try to
protect him. Second, I am his host, so I should be closing the door in his
murderer’s face, not trying to murder him myself. Besides, Duncan has been such a humble leader, so
free of corruption, that his virtuous legacy will speak for him when he dies,
as if angels were playing trumpets against the injustice of his murder. Pity,
like an innocent newborn baby, will ride the wind with winged angels on
invisible horses through the air to spread news of the horrible deed to
everyone everywhere. People will shed a flood of tears that will drown the
wind like a horrible downpour of rain. I can’t spur myself to action. The
only thing motivating me is ambition, which makes people rush ahead of
themselves toward disaster.
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