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  • William Shakespeare: Macbeth, Act II, Scene III

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Scene IIIThe sameKnocking within. Enter a PorterPorterHere’s a knocking indeed! If a man were porter of hell-gate, he should have old turning the key.Knocking withinKnock, knock, knock! Who’s there, i’ the name of Beelzebub? Here’s a farmer, that hanged himself on the expectation of plenty: come in time; have napkins enow about you; here you’ll sweat for’t.Knocking withinKnock, knock! Who’s there, in the other devil’s name? Faith, here’s an equivocator, that could swear in both the scales against either scale; who committed treason enough for God’s sake, yet could not equivocate to heaven: O, come in, equivocator.Knocking withinKnock, knock, knock! Who’s there? Faith, here’s an English tailor come hither, for stealing out of a French hose: come in, tailor; here you may roast your goose.Knocking withinKnock, knock; never at quiet! What are you? But this place is too cold for hell. I’ll devil-porter it no further: I had thought to have let in some of all professions that go the primrose way to the everlasting bonfire.Knocking withinAnon, anon! I pray you, remember the porter.Opens the gateEnter Macduff and LennoxMacduffWas it so late, friend, ere you went to bed, That you do lie so late?Porter’Faith sir, we were carousing till the second cock: and drink, sir, is a great provoker of three things.MacduffWhat three things does drink especially provoke?PorterMarry, sir, nose-painting, sleep, and urine. Lechery, sir, it provokes, and unprovokes; it provokes the desire, but it takes away the performance: therefore, much drink may be said to be an equivocator with lechery: it makes him, and it mars him; it sets him on, and it takes him off; it persuades him, and disheartens him; makes him stand to, and not stand to; in conclusion, equivocates him in a sleep, and, giving him the lie, leaves him.MacduffI believe drink gave thee the lie last night.PorterThat it did, sir, i’ the very throat on me: but I requited him for his lie; and, I think, being too strong for him, though he took up my legs sometime, yet I made a shift to cast him.MacduffIs thy master stirring?Enter MacbethOur knocking has awaked him; here he comes.LennoxGood morrow, noble sir.MacbethGood morrow, both.MacduffIs the king stirring, worthy thane?MacbethNot yet.MacduffHe did command me to call timely on him: I have almost slipp’d the hour.MacbethI’ll bring you to him.MacduffI know this is a joyful trouble to you; But yet ’tis one.MacbethThe labour we delight in physics pain. This is the door.MacduffI’ll make so bold to call, For ’tis my limited service.ExitLennoxGoes the king hence to-day?MacbethHe does: he did appoint so.LennoxThe night has been unruly: where we lay, Our chimneys were blown down; and, as they say, Lamentings heard i’ the air; strange screams of death, And prophesying with accents terrible Of dire combustion and confused events New hatch’d to the woeful time: the obscure bird Clamour’d the livelong night: some say, the earth Was feverous and did shake.Macbeth’Twas a rough night.LennoxMy young remembrance cannot parallel A fellow to it.Re-enter MacduffMacduffO horror, horror, horror! Tongue nor heart Cannot conceive nor name thee!Macbeth, LennoxWhat’s the matter.MacduffConfusion now hath made his masterpiece! Most sacrilegious murder hath broke ope The Lord’s anointed temple, and stole thence The life o’ the building!MacbethWhat is ’t you say? the life?LennoxMean you his majesty?MacduffApproach the chamber, and destroy your sight With a new Gorgon: do not bid me speak; See, and then speak yourselves.Exeunt Macbeth and LennoxAwake, awake! Ring the alarum-bell. Murder and treason! Banquo and Donalbain! Malcolm! awake! Shake off this downy sleep, death’s counterfeit, And look on death itself! up, up, and see The great doom’s image! Malcolm! Banquo! As from your graves rise up, and walk like sprites, To countenance this horror! Ring the bell. [Bell rings]Enter Lady MacbethLady MacbethWhat’s the business, That such a hideous trumpet calls to parley The sleepers of the house? speak, speak!MacduffO gentle lady, ‘Tis not for you to hear what I can speak: The repetition, in a woman’s ear, Would murder as it fell.Enter BanquoO Banquo, Banquo, Our royal master ’s murder’d!Lady MacbethWoe, alas! What, in our house?BanquoToo cruel any where. Dear Duff, I prithee, contradict thyself, And say it is not so.Re-enter Macbeth and Lennox, with RossMacbethHad I but died an hour before this chance, I had lived a blessed time; for, from this instant, There ’s nothing serious in mortality: All is but toys: renown and grace is dead; The wine of life is drawn, and the mere lees Is left this vault to brag of.Enter Malcolm and DonalbainDonalbainWhat is amiss?MacbethYou are, and do not know’t: The spring, the head, the fountain of your blood Is stopp’d; the very source of it is stopp’d.MacduffYour royal father ’s murder’d.MalcolmO, by whom?LennoxThose of his chamber, as it seem’d, had done ’t: Their hands and faces were an badged with blood; So were their daggers, which unwiped we found Upon their pillows: They stared, and were distracted; no man’s life Was to be trusted with them.MacbethO, yet I do repent me of my fury, That I did kill them.MacduffWherefore did you so?MacbethWho can be wise, amazed, temperate and furious, Loyal and neutral, in a moment? No man: The expedition my violent love Outrun the pauser, reason. Here lay Duncan, His silver skin laced with his golden blood; And his gash’d stabs look’d like a breach in nature For ruin’s wasteful entrance: there, the murderers, Steep’d in the colours of their trade, their daggers Unmannerly breech’d with gore: who could refrain, That had a heart to love, and in that heart Courage to make ’s love known?Lady MacbethHelp me hence, ho!MacduffLook to the lady.MalcolmAside to DonalbainWhy do we hold our tongues, That most may claim this argument for ours?DonalbainAside to MalcolmWhat should be spoken here, where our fate, hid in an auger-hole, May rush, and seize us? Let ’s away; Our tears are not yet brew’d.MalcolmAside to DonalbainNor our strong sorrow Upon the foot of motion.BanquoLook to the lady:Lady Macbeth is carried outAnd when we have our naked frailties hid, That suffer in exposure, let us meet, And question this most bloody piece of work, To know it further. Fears and scruples shake us: In the great hand of God I stand; and thence Against the undivulged pretence I fight Of treasonous malice.MacduffAnd so do I.AllSo all.MacbethLet’s briefly put on manly readiness, And meet i’ the hall together.AllWell contented.Exeunt all but Malcolm and DonalbainMalcolmWhat will you do? Let’s not consort with them: To show an unfelt sorrow is an office Which the false man does easy. I’ll to England.DonalbainTo Ireland, I; our separated fortune Shall keep us both the safer: where we are, There’s daggers in men’s smiles: the near in blood, The nearer bloody.MalcolmThis murderous shaft that’s shot Hath not yet lighted, and our safest way Is to avoid the aim. Therefore, to horse; And let us not be dainty of leave-taking, But shift away: there’s warrant in that theft Which steals itself, when there’s no mercy left.Exeunt

William Shakespeare: Macbeth, Act II

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William Shakespeare: Macbeth, Act III, Scene IV

  • William Shakespeare: Macbeth, Act III, Scene IV

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  • Did Birds Evolve from Dinosaurs?
  • The Twelve Dancing Princesses
  • Current Events This Week: January 2023
  • African Americans by the Numbers
  • Andersen’s Fairy Tales: Contents
  • The Celtic Twilight: A Teller of Tales