macduff

Question 1

MACDUFF
Most sacrilegious murder hath broke ope
The Lord’s anointed temple, and stole thence
The life o’ the building! (Act 2, Sc.3, p33)

Answer 1

Metaphor of Duncan, chosen by God.
Good and holy man, that has been destroyed.
Killing DC - sacreligious act, not just murder but goes against God.

Question 2

…each new morn
New widows howl, new orphans cry, new sorrows
Strike heaven on the face, that it resounds
As if it felt with Scotland and yell’d out
Like syllable of dolour. (Act 4, Sc.3, p72)

Answer 2

• Anaphora, repetition of “new” - usually full of hope, but instead they are all bad. None are positive.
• Intensifies from “howl” - onomatopoeia, violent “strike”.
• Everything is so bad that heaven is sad. MB was right instead of hubris about his corruption - corrupted the whole nature of Scotland.
• Personifies heaven as having a face that cries for them.

Question 3

MACDUFF
“Thy royal father
Was a most sainted king”
(Act 4, Sc.3, p76)

Answer 3

Contrast between MB who is “devilish” and DC who is described as “most sainted king”.

Question 4

MACDUFF
“I shall do so;
But I must also feel it as a man”

Answer 4

MD is a foil to MB.

Question 5

MALCOLM
worthy Macduff
(Act 5, Sc.6, p94)

Answer 5

• parallel structure, reflects “brave macbeth”

Question 6

MACDUFF
Macduff was from his mother’s womb
Untimely ripp’d.

Answer 6

Refers to himself from the third person, dramatic.

Violence of “ripped”, an important metaphor.