“Out, damned spot: out I say! One, Two: Why then ’tis time to do’t. Hell is murky. Fie, My Lord, fie! A soldier, and affear’d? What need we fear who knows it, when none can call our power to accompt”?
The given passage is from William Shakespeare's play "Macbeth," specifically from Act 5, Scene 1. In this scene, Lady Macbeth is sleepwalking, and her gentlewoman and a doctor observe her troubled state. The passage reflects Lady Macbeth's guilt and torment over her involvement in the murder of King Duncan and the subsequent crimes committed by her husband, Macbeth.
"Out, damned spot: out I say! One, Two: Why then ’tis time to do’t."
In this part of the passage, Lady Macbeth is sleepwalking and appears to be washing her hands vigorously. She is reliving the night of King Duncan's murder when she and her husband plotted and carried out the regicide. The "damned spot" she refers to is a metaphor for the guilt and bloodstains on her hands, representing her deep remorse for the crime. Lady Macbeth is desperately trying to wash away the imaginary bloodstains, but they persist in her mind, haunting her conscience.
"Hell is murky."
Here, Lady Macbeth acknowledges that her soul is tarnished and tormented by guilt. She feels as if she is trapped in a state of moral darkness, symbolized by the idea of "hell" being murky or clouded. Her guilt has consumed her, and she cannot find peace or redemption.
"Fie, My Lord, fie! A soldier, and affear’d?"
In this part of the passage, Lady Macbeth addresses her husband, Macbeth, whom she refers to as "My Lord." She expresses her disapproval and disappointment in his current state of mind. The term "fie" is an expression of disapproval or disgust. Lady Macbeth questions Macbeth's courage and bravery, calling him a "soldier" who should not be "affear'd" or afraid. She finds it inconceivable that a soldier like Macbeth, who was once valiant and ruthless on the battlefield, would now be tormented by fear and guilt.
"What need we fear who knows it, when none can call our power to accompt?"
In this final part of the passage, Lady Macbeth tries to reassure herself and her husband. She believes that as long as they are the only ones who know the truth about their crimes, there is no reason to fear being held accountable for their actions. In her troubled state, she tries to find comfort in the idea that their secret is safe and that they have the power to control their fate.
The passage showcases Lady Macbeth's deteriorating mental state and her struggle to cope with the consequences of her and her husband's actions. The guilt and remorse over the murders they committed weigh heavily on her conscience, leading to her sleepwalking and distressing state of mind. Shakespeare skillfully depicts the psychological and emotional turmoil faced by Lady Macbeth, adding to the depth and complexity of the play's themes of ambition, guilt, and the corrupting nature of power.
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