"To prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition,"says Macbeth, wrestling with his conscience to decide whether he should kill King Duncan in Act Once, Scene7. This scene is important to the overall impact of the play as it establishes Macbeth as a tragic hero rather than as a heartless villain, who deserves the audience's sympathy and respect despite his choice of evil and darkness. This scene is also important as it shows how Lady Macbeth harasses Macbeth into agreeing to murder the king, for their relationship clearly demonstrates the theme of the destructive power of vaulting ambition. By inviting the audience into Macbeth's inner world, William Shakespeare has skillfully created one of the world's greatest and most compelling tragic plays, Macbeth.

Firstly, the scene follows Macbeth's contemplation of the murder of King Duncan, which demonstrates his sense of the immorality of the act, and...