Present fears are less than horrible imaginings

Present fears are less than horrible imaginings

In William Shakespeare's play Macbeth, the character Macbeth utters the famous line, "Present fears are less than horrible imaginings." This line is spoken by Macbeth after he has just murdered King Duncan and is beginning to feel the weight of his actions. The quote reflects Macbeth's realization that the actual consequences of his actions are not as terrifying as the thoughts and fears that led him to commit the murder in the first place.

Throughout the play, Macbeth is plagued by his own ambition and the prophecies of the witches that he will become king. These thoughts and fears drive him to commit heinous acts in order to achieve his goal. However, once he has committed the murder, Macbeth begins to realize that the actual act of killing Duncan is not as terrifying as the thoughts and fears that led him to do it.

This line also speaks to the power of the human imagination to create fear and anxiety. Macbeth's imagination runs wild with thoughts of what could happen if he is caught, if he is not able to maintain his power, or if he is haunted by guilt. These imaginings are far more terrifying to Macbeth than the actual consequences of his actions.