Act 1 Scene 2

Act 1 Scene 2

Introduced to Duncan
1. Battle report from wounded Captain
  1. Ross and Angus also bring decisive news of victory, reporting Macbeth's persistent courage and the defeat of traitorous Thane of Cawdor.
    1. Duncan condemns Thane of Cawdor to death
      1. Macbeth is given title as a reward
Change into iambic pentameter
1. 10 syllables, 5 pairs
2. contrast to the witches, these are noble, more respected characters
3. However the captain speaks in prose.
  1. Disrupted rhythm due to enjambement and caesuras
    1. reflects his sense of distress, he is a wounded solider, just from battle
    2. Not as controlled
Presentation of Macbeth as loyal and noble
1. 'brave Macbeth'
  1. 'valiant cousinn'
    1. 'worthy gentleman'
2. the use of these adjectives suggest that he is a brave and noble warrior
Imagery- brave
1. 'As sparrows, eagles or the hare the lion'
  1. Banquo and Macbeth are presented as the eagle and the lion
    1. predators
2. as cannons over-charged with double cracks'
  1. onomatopoeic sounds
    1. harsh, cruel, unrelenting nature
  2. powerful weapons
  3. persistence
Use of contradictions
1. Macbeth is praised for his violent behaviour and in the eyes of Duncan it is the most noble thing that he can do
  1. Here we have the use of prelatic language
    1. When a character says something that is more significant that it appears at that time
  2. Even though soon Duncan will be killed
Presentation of Duncan
1. cared for the captain
  1. ' Go get him surgeons'
  2. He is sincere and concerned
  3. Rewards his noble subjects- Macbeth
2. already we get the sense that Duncan is a good king and is undeserving of the murder that is to come
Violent imagery- Macbeth
1. Efficient and ruthless in battle
  1. 'Like Valour's minion
    1. Personification of braveness, Macbeth is bravery's favourite
  2. graphic vivid imagery is given
2. verbs
  1. 'unseamed him'
    1. non-human associated verb- casual, unaffected by the bloody slaughter
    2. ripping him open
  2. carved out his passage'
    1. Emphasises the extent of his violence- usually linked with food but here refers to people
3. ' Memorise another Golgotha'
  1. Reference to re-enact a slaughter like Christ's crucifixion
    1. utter carnage/ massacre
      1. significance
4. 'reeking wounds'
  1. sense of the vile smell- blood- unpleasant
Echo of the witches' words
1. 'What he hath lost, noble Macbeth hath won'
  1. 'When the battle's lost, and won.'
  2. Rhyming couplets
  3. Can be seen as the supernatural hold on the Earth- witches presence throughout the scenes
    1. But also the ambiguous nature of conflict- depends on the perspective of the individual

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	Created by Kujani Wanniarachchi over 8 years ago