Macbeth
Quote Explications – Act 2
Theme:
Gender Roles
Quote:
“Help me hence, ho!” (II, III)
Explication:
Lady Macbeth says this to all of the men around her after she walks
into the room in which King Duncan is lying, dead. The gore
overwhelms her, causing her to faint; at least that is what everybody
is led to believe. Other possible reasons can explain her dramatic
entrance: she is just trying to play along and acts like an innocent
bystander, she is trying to draw attention away from her husband, who
is being questioned, or she is genuinely surprised by Macbeth’s
bold action when he killed the two guards. The most plausible
scenario is a combination of two; she is surprised by her husband’s
newfound strength and she is trying to direct everyone’s attention
away from her husband, so that he is not placed under suspicion. This
quote reflects the theme of “Gender Roles” because Lady Macbeth
is characterized as being feminine and squeamish.
Theme:
Nature as Symbols
Quote:
“And Duncan’s horses – a thing most strange and
certain…contending ‘gainst obedience, as they would make war with
mankind/ ‘Tis said they eat each other.” (II, IV)
Explication:
This is a conversation occurring between Ross and an old man, who is
a priest coming to see King Duncan’s corpse. King Duncan has just
been murdered and all of the horses are fighting with each other. The
fact that the horses are fighting with each other has a deeper
meaning than it suggests. Significantly, this quote uses nature as
symbols to represent all of the turmoil that has recently happened.
The quote reflects the theme of “Nature as Symbols” by using
horses, which are noble and strong creatures, to symbolize the power
struggle between Macbeth and King Duncan. The horses, who are most
likely related and usually get along well, symbolize Macbeth’s
relationship with King Duncan since they were cousins and Macbeth was
loyal to him.
Theme:
Fair and Foul
Quote:
“…where we are there’s daggers in men’s smiles: the near in
blood, the nearer bloody.” (II,III)
Explication:
Donalbain, one of King Duncan’s sons, says this to his brother
Malcolm. Their father has just been found lying dead in his bed and
people are beginning to ask questions as to who committed the
offense. They quickly become suspects, being the King’s sons,
especially Malcolm, who was recently named the Prince of Cumberland
and is next in line to inherit the throne. They also feel like their
safety is threatened because if someone killed their father to gain
the throne, then they would have to kill both sons as well. The quote
serves to show the brothers’ feelings of uneasiness and that they
can no longer trust those who are most loyal and closest to them.
“The near in blood” is describing their relatives and “the
nearer bloody” means that those relatives will do anything to see
that they inherit the throne. This quote reflects the theme of “Fair
and Foul” because the people who were supposedly loyal to King
Duncan, whom he placed his trust in because they appeared to loyal
and friendly, unexpectedly killed him.
