Macbeth's Speech in Act 1, Scene 3Hey guys, I need some help analysing the speech by Macbeth in Act 1, Scene 3 between lines 137 and 150 (starting...

I would break down the text line by line for clear
understanding. First, "two truths are told" means that Macbeth is Thane of Glamis and
Thane of Cawdor. That is how the witches addressed Macbeth when they met with him. They
also added the title of king. This is the unclear part of the prophecy. How can Macbeth
be king when Scotland already has a king? King Duncan is alive and
well:

[Aside.]
Those creatures told two truths
As happy prologues to my
ascending
The throne. I thank you,
gentlemen.

Macbeth thanks
Ross and Angus for bringing him the news that he is declared Thane of Cawdor. Then in an
aside, he begins pondering (thinking deeply) about the meeting with the
witches:

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[Aside.] This supernatural
meeting
Can’t be bad, only it can’t be good either. If it’s bad,
Why
has it given me promise of success,
That began with a truth? I am Baron of
Cawdor

Now Macbeth realizes
he is Thane of Glamis, and Thane of Cawdor, but what about the king part of the
prophecy? Will he be king? If so, how? King Duncan is King. How can Macbeth be king if
Duncan is King? There is only one solution. Duncan will have to die, but how will he
die? Murder is one solution, but that thought causes Macbeth to fear until his hair
stands up and his heart knocks at his ribs. Macbeth is having horrible thoughts,
thoughts he should not be having.

This is where Macbeth's
"horrible imaginings" come into play. He is contemplating murder of King Duncan, and it
makes his hair stand up and his heart is knocking at his ribs. Clearly, Macbeth is aware
that for him to become king, Duncan will have to die. The thought frightens Macbeth, but
he is thinking about it. Macbeth is contemplating murder. As frightening as it sounds,
he is thinking about the murder of King Duncan:

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I am Baron of Cawdor.
If it’s good,
why do I give in to that suggestion
Whose horrid image makes my hair stand on
end,
And makes my heart pound so hard they knock at my ribs,
Against
my will to stay calm? My current fears
Are less than horrible
imaginings.
My thought, whose murder is still only a fantastic
idea,
So shakes my manhood, that functioning like a man
Is smothered
in unfounded allegations; and nothing is
Only what is
not.

"Nothing is only what it
is not" could be translated to mean that to be king is only to not be king because King
Duncan is still alive.