Dramatic Atmosphere

Dramatic Atmosphere

1. ELSEWHERE

   • When Macbeth is confronted by Macduff.
     • Metaphor
       • "My voice is in my sword" - Macduff is ready to fight
     • Macduff has to force Macbeth into a fight.
     • Violent imagery
       • "Untimely ripped"
       • Macbeth says his soul is "charged / With blood"

2. IN THE EXTRACT

   • Content
     • Lennox doesn't know what's going on, and Macbeth pretends not to.
     • Macduff struggles to tell Macbeth and Lennox about Duncan's murder
       • Builds tension
   • Structure
     • Face-paced dialogue and questions
     • Short, exclamatory sentence
     • Shows drama and tension of the scene
   • Context
     • Previous scenes have been building up to this moment.
     • Macduff has just found Duncan's boy - he's shocked and horrified.
   • Language
     • Imagery of death
     • Repetition of "horror"
       • Shows Macduff's emotions
     • Religious imagery (e.g. "temple")
       • Contrasts with hellish discovery.
     • Macduff's limited language - he can't 'name' what's happened.