Reading Act 2 of Macbeth, I wanted to write a soliloquy of King Duncan before his death. We as the readers don’t get to read about how he felt before he fell asleep. So with a couple of references from the soliloquies and stage directions, I imagined and tried writing the King’s soliloquy.

King Duncan’s Soliloquy

Joy Oh

Hark! Whispers and shrieks echo in this chamber.

Piercing voices wail, owls hoot sinister,

And ominous murmurs tarry about mine ears.

I pray that these haunting sounds will depart

Anon, like a fleeting visitor.

Nay. Wherefore doth angst seize my soul?

I should not let such grim thoughts trouble me.

I am in my trusted Macbeth’s castle.

The Thane of Glamis, the Thane of Cawdor

Shields me and keeps me safe with the stout walls

Of his castle and unwavering loyalty.

The hospitable hostess and her husband

Are those whom I can place my trust upon.

Yet surrounded by uneasiness and anxiety,

I seek solace and refuge in prayer.

This castle, once a haven of loyalty and trust,

Now breathes restlessness in the cold air.

The weight of my crown doth press me down and down to sleep,

A sleep almost impossible to rouse from.

But why today of all days?

Weariness is knocking upon my door,

Forcing me into an endless sleep.

I hear a bell ring, is the ethereal sound within my head?

I now drift into a deep sleep.