In addition to the excellent answer posted by
shakespeareguru above, there is a good example of Macbeth's isolation in Act 5, Scene 3
in the soliloquy in which he reflects on his
situation:
I
have lived long enoough. My way of lifeIs fall'n into the
sere, the yellow leaf,And that which should accompany old
age,As honor, love, obedience, troops of
friends,I must not look to have, but in their
steadCurses, not loud but deep, mouth-honor,
breathWhich the poor heart would fain deny and dare
not.
Shortly afterwards, he
learns that his wife has died, leaving him more entirely alone. And a little later, when
he is confronted by Macduff on the battlefield, he seems completely alone in the world
except for his most bitter enemy who intends to kill
him.
Macbeth's soliloquy quoted above seems to be a
restatement of the feelings he expressed much earlier in Act 2, Scene 3, right after
Duncan's body was discovered.
readability="18">
Had I but died an hour before this chance,
I had lived a blessed time, for from this
instant
There's nothing serious in
mortality.
All is but toys. Renown and grace is
dead.
The wine of life is drawn, and the mere
lees
Is left this vault to brag
of.
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