David Harewood performs Macbeth’s chilling “Is this a dagger” soliloquy. Emma Smith explores ambition, guilt, and the supernatural forces pulling Macbeth toward murder.
In this tense and atmospheric episode, David Harewood performs Macbeth’s vision-haunted soliloquy, “Is this a dagger which I see before me?” His commanding delivery captures the mixture of fear, fascination, and fatal determination that defines Macbeth on the brink of regicide. Harewood’s performance emphasises the psychological unraveling at the heart of the moment, offering listeners a visceral sense of Macbeth’s descent.
Following the reading, Emma Smith unpacks the scene’s rich symbolism and dramatic power. She examines how Shakespeare externalises Macbeth’s guilt through hallucination, how the speech blurs the line between supernatural influence and psychological breakdown, and why this moment reshapes the trajectory of the entire play. Listeners gain insight into one of Shakespeare’s darkest turning points — a crossroads where ambition meets moral collapse.
