Act 2, Scene 4

Summary

• Ross and an Old Man discuss what an unnatural night it has been.

• Ross and Macduff discuss whether Malcolm and Donaldbain are responsible for Duncan’s murder

• Ross heads to Scone to see Macbeth crowned as King of Scotland - Macduff stays home

Quotes

‘Threescore and ten I can remember well’ - Old Man

• ‘Threescore and ten’ - he has lived for 70 years

• His age amplifies how terrible the night has been as it is nothing like he has seen before yet her has a lot of experience

‘the heavens’ ‘stage’ ‘act’ - Ross

• Constant semantic field of theatre in Ross’ response

• Theatre shows that the night has been so unruly that it was if it was controlled by others (could link to God and the Great Chain of Being)

• Makes the disruption of nature seem significant and global

‘the face of earth entomb’ - Ross

• Personifies earth

• Buried by darkness - emphasises the significance of the event

‘'Tis unnatural’ - Old Man

• Great Chain of Being has been disrupted

‘Duncan's horses’…’the minions of their race’ - Ross

• Duncan’s horses are the best of their kind - they destroy each other - symbolises the fight for the Scottish crown following the murder of Duncan

• Horses turned on each other