The Sound and the Fury
Macduff's and Malcolm's army, made up of English and Scottish soldiers, is about to attack Macbeth's army, which is defending the castle of Dunsinane.
[Enter with drum and colours, macbeth, seyton and soldiers.]
macbeth: Hang out our banners1 on the outward walls;
The cry is still, "They come!" Our castle's strength
Will laugh a siege to scorn2; here let them lie,
Till famine and the ague3 eat them up4.
Were they not forced5 with those that should be ours6, 5
We might have met them dareful, beard to beard7,
And bear them backward home8.
[A cry within, of women]
What is that noise?
seyton: It is the cry of women, my good lord.
[Exit]
macbeth: I have almost forgot the taste of fears. 10
The time has been, my senses would have cooled
To hear a night-shriek9; and my fell of hair
Would, at a dismal treatise, rouse and stir,
As life were in 't10. I have supped full with horrors:
Direness11, familiar to my slaughterous12 thoughts, 15
Cannot once start me13.
[Re-enter seyton]
Wherefore14 was that cry?
seyton: The queen, my lord, is dead.
macbeth: She should have died hereafter15:
There would have been a time for such a word16. 20
Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day17,
To the last syllable of recorded time18;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death19. Out, out, brief20 candle! 25
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player21
That struts and frets22 his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more: it is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing. 30
GLOSSARY
1. banners: flags
2. Our castle's strength ... scorn: they will never be able to capture our castle
3. ague: fever
4. eat them up: weaken them until they can no longer fight
5. forced: reinforced
6. those that should be ours: the Scottish soldiers fighting against Macbeth
7. We might... beard: we might have fought them in the open, man-to-man
8. And... home: and forced them back to where they came from
9. The time ... night-shriek: in the past I would have been afraid if I heard a cry in the night
10. fell of hair ... As life were in 't: when I heard a frightening story (dismal treatise) my hair (fell of hair) would stand up (rouse and stir) as if it were alive
11. Direness: horror
12. slaughterous: murderous
13. Cannot once start me: cannot frighten me now
14. Wherefore: what was the reason for?
15. hereafter: later
16. a time for such a word: a better time to hear this news
17. Creeps ... day: one day follows the same insignificant way; creep: move in a slow, quiet, careful way
18. To … time: until the end of the world
19.And all ... dusty death: every day we have lived (all our yesterdays), somebody has been shown the way (lighted) to death
20. brief: short
21. player: actor
22. struts and frets: tries unsuccessfully to show dignity and passion
COMPREHENTION
1. Does Macbeth believe that his castle can withstand a siege?
2. Why does he not fight the enemy army in man-to-man combat?
3. Why is Macbeth no longer fearful?
4. Does the future hold any promise for Macbeth?
5. Does he take any pleasure from thinking of the past?
6. Can he see any meaning in life?
ANALYSIS
1. Find an example of personification in Macbeth's opening lines (1-5).
2. In line 10 fear is presented as if it were a type of food. Underline the expression that establishes this association. The food imagery is continued in line 14 'I have supped full with horrors'. Try to explain this image in your own words.
3. Focus on line 19 'She should have died hereafter'. The word 'should' can mean 'would' or 'ought to' and the line can be interpreted in a sympathetic or unsympathetic way. If the meaning 'would' is taken, it suggests that Macbeth no longer cares about his wife. If 'should' is interpreted as 'ought to', it implies that Macbeth feels his wife's death is premature, and that perhaps he could have intervened to save her, or at least had time to mourn her. Read the line in different ways to suggest the two meanings. It you were the director of the play which of the two interpretations would you choose?
4. What is the effect of the repetition of the word tomorrow in line 21 ? How do you think this line should be delivered?
• Slowly in a weary tone
• Quickly in a frantic tone
•Other: .........................................................................................
5. Macbeth describes life in a series of striking images (lines 25-30). Link each image to the aspect of life he wishes to underline.
Life is a... |
Life is... |
brief candle walking shadow poor player tale told by an idiot |
insubstantial meaningless undignified short |
6. Macbeth's mood changes dramatically in the course of this extract. Which of the adjectives below best describe his mood in the following lines?
Lines 1-8 ......................................................................................
Lines 10-17 ..................................................................................
Lines 19-30 ..................................................................................
defiant philosophical sombre hesitant reflective confident nostalgic morbid
WRITER’S WORKSHOP
Metaphor ◊ The language of Shakespeare's plays is highly poetic. One of the elements that gives his work a poetic quality is the use of metaphors. A metaphor is an implied comparison which creates a total identification between the two things being compared. Words such as 'like' or 'as' are not used. A metaphor is made up of three elements:
the tenor, i.e. the subject under discussion (for example, 'life');
the vehicle, i.e. what the subject is compared to (for example, a 'candle');
the ground, i.e. what the poet believes the tenor and the vehicle have in common (for example, 'brevity').
Metaphors have several important functions. They arouse emotions and feelings and help us to create mental pictures that are memorable. They often appeal to our senses. They compress meaning into a few lines and help us to understand difficult abstract ideas by making reference to familiar concrete items.
Tasks
1. Consider the metaphors in lines 26-30. In each case 'life' is the tenor. What are the vehicles and the grounds?
2. Which of the metaphors for life in Macbeth's soliloquy do you find most striking and why?
3. Do any of the metaphors help you to create mental pictures? Could you draw a picture which would illustrate any of the metaphors?
Over to you ◊ Write your own metaphor for life and explain the ground. Example:
Life is a maths lesson.
Ground: the more time passes the less you understand!
STAGING THE PLAY
Timing ◊ Timing refers to the pace at which an actor delivers his lines. Through timing an actor can direct the audience's attention to what is most important for the understanding of a play. If an actor delivers all his lines at the same pace it is difficult for the audience to identify and absorb essential information. This is particularly the case when the language of the play is highly figurative as is the case in Shakespearean drama. Choosing the correct places to pause and the correct speed of delivery is an essential part of an actor's preparation.
Over to you ◊ Actors have many techniques which they use to improve their timing. One such technique is the addition of 'silent lines' to the text. These are lines that are not spoken aloud. The unspoken words help the actor to achieve the appropriate timing. Consider Macbeth's soliloquy at the end of the extract you have read. Read the soliloquy, saying the added words (in italics) silently to yourself and the original text aloud.
Life's but a walking shadow, [nothing more] a poor player [of no consequence]
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage, [of pain and disillusion]
And then is heard no more [gone forever]: it is a tale [a sad tale]
Told by an idiot, [who does not understand what he says] full of sound and fury, [empty noises]
Signifying nothing.
Choose a short extract (4-6 lines) from the material you have studied. Add some 'silent lines'. Learn the passage by heart and prepare to perform the piece.
OUT
Macbeth, having been the most powerful man in Scotland, is now totally disillusioned with life. If you were to meet him, what questions would you ask him? Prepare some questions. Split up into pairs. Student A is the interviewer. Student B is Macbeth. When Student A has finished asking his questions, invert roles.