Is this a dagger which I see before me,
The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee.
These opening two lines are designed to introduce the audience to Macbeth’s apprehension towards the act he is about to commit. He questions whether the murder, “the dagger” is truly about to happen, as it seems so strange and foreign to his character. He has been presented before this time as a brave and honorable character, fierce with loyalty towards the king; whereas this cowardly regicide will not sit well with his morality. However, the statement “come, let me clutch thee” shows a commitment to the crime, despite its ethical implications.