Act 2 Scene 4 Flashcards
What key concept from Elizabethan England is relevant to this scene?
The Great Chain of Being: This was a naturally ordered hierarchy of beings including humans, with the King at the top, closest to God, emphasising Duncan’s divinity and closeness to God, thereby accentuating the severity of Macbeth’s regicide, both in terms of morality and the impact on the surrounding natural world due to the disruption of the GCoB.
What was believed about breaking the Great Chain of Being?
Any break in the order was reflected elsewhere, therefore it was very serious to commit regicide; a breach of the GCoB on the microcosmic scale led to a universal effect on the macrocosmic scale.
What happens in this scene?
An Old Man and Ross are discussing the happenings of the previous night, which was completely disordered and defiant of the laws of nature.
How is the night described?
“sore night”
“unnatural, even like the deed that’s done”
What are the two main incidents that occur?
A “mousing owl” kills a “falcon”, and all the King’s horses start behaving wildly, killing and eating each other.
Why does Shakespeare use nature in this scene?
He uses the images of disturbances in nature to reflect the severity of the crime committed by Macbeth against Duncan, that has disrupted the balance of nature.
