SOURCE: States, Bert O. “The Horses of Macbeth.” Kenyon Review 7, no. 2 (spring 1985): 52-66.

In the following essay, States examines Macbeth's ‘pity’ soliloquy (Act I, scene vii) in order to discover an apocalyptic reading of the drama—rather than one based upon the theme of ambition.

                                                                                Where's the Thane of Cawdor? We cours'd him at the heels, and had a purpose To be his purveyor; but he rides well; And his great love, sharp as his spur, hath holp him To his home before us. Fair and noble hostess, We are your guest tonight. 

(I, 6,20-25)

This speech of Duncan's occurs some half-dozen lines before Macbeth's great “pity” soliloquy.¹ It is of negligible interest except for the word spur which is conspicuously repeated thirty-three lines later by Macbeth (“I have no spur …,” etc.). It is impossible to say whether Shakespeare wrote the speech before or after the soliloquy, but...