Although the porter in act II only appears once in the play MacBeth, he is a very significant character. The porter acts as comic relief right after the intense murder scene of Duncan. His drunken banter is funny so it lightens the mood a bit but at the same time creates tension because it is a delay in the real plot of the story. This rambling is also ironic because he is imagining himself as the gatekeeper of hell replying, “Who’s there, i’ th’ name of Beelzebub?” (II.iii.3) to the knocking at the door, dispite the fact he is unaware of the murder of the king. Shakespear compares the castle to hell because of all the evil occurances going on.
Monday, March 2, 2009
charaterization of the porter
Although the porter in act II only appears once in the play MacBeth, he is a very significant character. The porter acts as comic relief right after the intense murder scene of Duncan. His drunken banter is funny so it lightens the mood a bit but at the same time creates tension because it is a delay in the real plot of the story. This rambling is also ironic because he is imagining himself as the gatekeeper of hell replying, “Who’s there, i’ th’ name of Beelzebub?” (II.iii.3) to the knocking at the door, dispite the fact he is unaware of the murder of the king. Shakespear compares the castle to hell because of all the evil occurances going on.
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I definitely agree with Abby that the Porter is an important piece to the play. The entire play is very serious, dark and gloomy and this character catches the readers "off guard" and lightens up the suspense.
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