act 1, scene 2: macbeth golden opinions + praise

Question 1

summary:

Answer 1

duncan, malcolm, donalbain and lennox meet a bleeding sergeant.

macdonald had started a rebellion, trying to get duncan’s crown. “brave macbeth” “unseam’d him from the nave to the chops” as described by the sergeant.

Question 2

SERGEANT: “[1] from the [2] to the chops.”

Answer 2

[1] - unseam’d
[2] - nave

(sliced him open from the nave to the jaw)

Question 3

SERGEANT: “fix’d his [1] upon our [2].”

Answer 3

[1] - head
[2] - battlements

(written in blank verse with a sing-song quality; iambic pentameter)

Question 4

DUNCAN: “o valiant cousin! worthy [1]!”

Answer 4

[1] - gentleman

(proleptic irony)

Question 5

SERGEANT: “which [1] with [2] [3].”

Answer 5

[1] - smoked
[2] - bloody
[3] - execution

Question 6

SERGEANT: “like valour’s minion [1] out his passage.”

Answer 6

[1] - carved

(valour’s minion = mythical levels of heroism; he is bravery’s fav)

Question 7

SERGEANT: “as [1] eagles, or the hare the [2].”

Answer 7

[1] - sparrows
[2] - lion

(simile further illustrates macbeth’s bravery; ornithological and animalistic imagery)

Question 8

ROSS: “bellona’s [1].”

Answer 8

[1] - bridesgroom

(bellona = goddess of war in roman mythology; macbeth addressed as the husband of war)