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Examples Of Ethos In Macbeth Act 1 Scene 7

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In Macbeth’s Act 1 scene 7, Macbeth is unsure on whether he should kill King Duncan. As He begins to analyze King Duncan’s honorable character and the betrayal he’ll be known for if he executes the King, he keeps a doubtful and pitiful tone. Lady Macbeth is able to convince Macbeth to follow through with their plan by attacking Macbeth’s character and persuading him to follow his desires. She keeps a seductive and demanding tone. The appeal used in Act 1 Scene 7, is both ethos and pathos; while still using rhetorical strategies such as repetition, diction, irony, metaphors and imagery. In Macbeth’s speech he begins repeating words such as “if, then, would” allowing the audience to see his confusion on whether he …show more content…

Macbeth may be vulnerable and indecisive but his prerogative is already in motion. In lady Macbeth’s argument she holds a seductive and demanding tone. She believes in Macbeth’s ambition and wants him to kill the King once and for all. Lady Macbeth begins to attack Macbeth’s character and provokes him to kill King Duncan by saying, “What beast was ’t, then, That made you break this enterprise to me? When you durst do it, then you were a man; And to be more than what you were, you would be so much more the man,” (Lady Macbeth,1.7,47-51) Through this quote it’s easy to see that Lady Macbeth is aware of Macbeth’s vulnerability so she attacks his manhood making him feel less of a man for going back on his word. In order to put her plans in action she uses a heavy pathos appeal in the following lines, “From this time Such I account thy love. Art thou afeard to be the same in thine own act and valor As thou art in desire… ornament of life, and live a coward in thine own esteem, letting “I dare not” wait upon “I would,” (Lady Macbeth,1.7,39-44) Through this quote Lady Macbeth makes Macbeth feel sympathetic and cowardice for not following his desires, she uses their love and how she will view him to lure him into the plan even more. While Macbeth may still be weary Lady Macbeth uses an ethos appeal by establishing her authority on the topic of killing King Duncan, “We fail? But screw your courage to the sticking-place, And we’ll

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