Macbeth Act 2 Scene 4

Macbeth Act 2 Scene 4

Literary Devices

Scene Significance

Motif

Scene Summary (Elements)

• Imagery:

Location:

• "Yet dark night strangles the travelling lamp"

• Somewhere in Scotland

Savagery

• Foreshadowing

• Creates an ominous veil over Macbeth's rapid and sudden rise to the throne
• Alerts the reader that something is awry (the breaking of the "Great Chain of Being")
• Leaves sublte foreshadowing and sets the tone for the rest of the play

Characters in the scene

• Pathetic Fallacy

• Ross (A scottish thane)

• Ross describing the weather

• Old Man

• Tone

• Macduff ( Nobleman, who eventually leads the opposition against Macbeth)

• Fear amongst the characters shown in their speech

ENG3U

April

Sarr

2015

Abdou

Symbols

Most Important Quote

Scene Summary

• The Weather

"Thou seest the heavens, as troubled with man’s act,

Threatens his bloody stage" -Ross

• Ross and the Old Man discuss the strange and paranormal happenings that took place on the night Macbeth murdered Duncan (weather and animals).
• Macduff reveals that Macbeth has been made king
• Suspision of Duncan's sons possible role in the murder becomes more prevalent among the characters present.
• Macduff rides off to Fife and Ross goes to the crowning in Scone

• The Animals

Symbolic of the cross connection between moral, natural and political developments. (The weather like this also accompanies scenes with the Witches)

"You can see the skies. They look like they’re upset about what mankind has been doing, and they’re threatening the Earth with storms."