Act 2 Scene 3

Act 2 Scene 3

1. Macbeth's porter imagines himself keeper of Hell's gate

   • Jokes with Macduff about the effects of too much drink
     • Macduff has come to meet Duncan. Macbeth shows him to Duncan's room. Lennox tells of the terrible events of the night
       • Macduff reveals the murder of Duncan
         • 'O horror, horror, horror'
           • repetition of horror- genuine shock
             • pacing/agitated- in a frenzy
               • Chaos
                 • Short sentences- urgency and alarm of the situation
                   • shouting out drawing attention
                     • 'Ring the alarum bell!'
                 • Lady Macbeth pretends concern and amazement
                   • appearance and reality
                     • dramatic faint
                       • 'help me hence so'
           • 'Lord's anointed temple'
             • using euphemisms for Duncan's death
               • he is in denial- 1st stage of grief
   • Shocking image for the audience
     • Macbeth's castle is hell - irony
       • reflects the wrongdoing involved
     • who have strong religious belief

2. Light relief

   • welcome moment of humour
     • Also Shakespeare's theatre company- the King's Men- always had one actor who specialised in comic parts
   • contemporary references
     • mockery of con-men/criminals
       • a greedy farmer, a liar and a cheating tailor

3. STRUCTURE

   • Not in blank verse
     • prose
       • reflects the colloquial language, and imagery
         • sharp contrast to the sense poetic imagery of the previous scene'

4. CONTEXT

   • Great Chain of being has been disrupted- there are consequences in the natural world
     • 'the night has been unruly'
       • 'our chimneys were blown down'
         • 'earth was feverous and did shake'
       • imagery of the weather- storms- strange supernatural weather

5. Mistrust between the characters

   • 'There's daggers in men's smiles'