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Macbeth

Act 2, Scene 3

Enter a PORTER. Knocking within	A sound of knocking from offstage. A PORTER, who is obviously drunk, enters.
PORTER Here’s a knocking indeed! If a man were porter of hell-gate, he should have old turning the key.	PORTER This is a lot of knocking! Come to think of it, if a man were in charge of opening the gates of hell to let people in, he would have to turn the key a lot.
Knock within	A sound of knocking from offstage.
Knock, knock, knock! Who’s there, i’ th’ name of Beelzebub? Here’s a farmer that hanged himself on the expectation of plenty. Come in time, have napkins enough about you, here you’ll sweat for ’t.	Knock, knock, knock! (pretending he’s the gatekeeper in hell) Who’s there, in the devil’s name? Maybe it’s a farmer who killed himself because grain was cheap. (talking to the imaginary farmer) You’re here just in time! I hope you brought some handkerchiefs; you’re going to sweat a lot here.
Knock within	A sound of knocking from offstage.
Knock, knock! Who’s there, in th’ other devil’s name? Faith, here’s an equivocator that could swear in both the scales against either scale, who committed treason enough for God’s sake, yet could not equivocate to heaven. O, come in, equivocator.	Knock, knock! Who’s there, in the other devil’s name? Maybe it’s some slick, two-faced con man who lied under oath. But he found out that you can’t lie to God, and now he’s going to hell for perjury. Come on in, con man.
Knock within	A sound of knocking from offstage.
Knock, knock, knock! Who’s there? Faith, here’s an English tailor come hither for stealing out of a French hose. Come in, tailor. Here you may roast your goose.	Knock, knock, knock! Who’s there? Maybe it’s an English tailor who liked to skimp on the fabric for people’s clothes. But now that tight pants are in fashion he can’t get away with it. Come on in, tailor. You can heat your iron up in here.
Knock within	A sound of knocking from offstage.
Knock, knock! Never at quiet. What are you? But this place is too cold for hell. I’ll devil-porter it no further. I had thought to have let in some of all professions that go the primrose way to the everlasting bonfire.	Knock, knock! Never a moment of peace! Who are you? Ah, this place is too cold to be hell. I won’t pretend to be the devil’s porter anymore. I was going to let someone from every profession into hell.
Knock within	A sound of knocking from offstage.
Anon, anon! I pray you, remember the porter.	I’m coming, I’m coming! Please, don’t forget to leave me a tip.
Opens the gate	The PORTER opens the gate.
Enter MACDUFF and LENNOX	MACDUFF and LENNOX enter.
MACDUFF Was it so late, friend, ere you went to bed, That you do lie so late?	MACDUFF Did you go to bed so late, my friend, that you’re having a hard time getting up now?
PORTER ’Faith sir, we were carousing till the second cock. And drink, sir, is a great provoker of three things.	PORTER That’s right sir, we were drinking until 3 A.M., and drink, sir, makes a man do three things.
MACDUFF What three things does drink especially provoke?	MACDUFF What three things does drink make a man do?
PORTER Marry, sir, nose-painting, sleep, and urine. Lechery, sir, it provokes and unprovokes. It provokes the desire, but it takes away the performance. Therefore, much drink may be said to be an equivocator with lechery. It makes him, and it mars him; it sets him on, and it takes him off; it persuades him, and disheartens him; makes him stand to and not stand to; in conclusion, equivocates him in a sleep, and, giving him the lie, leaves him.	PORTER Drinking turns your nose red, it puts you to sleep, and it makes you urinate. Lust it turns on but also turns off. What I mean is, drinking stimulates desire but hinders performance. Therefore, too much drink is like a con artist when it comes to your sex drive. It sets you up for a fall. It gets you up but it keeps you from getting off. It persuades you and discourages you. It gives you an erection but doesn’t let you keep it, if you see what I’m saying. It makes you dream about erotic experiences, but then it leaves you asleep and needing to pee.
MACDUFF I believe drink gave thee the lie last night.	MACDUFF I believe drink did all of this to you last night.
PORTER That it did, sir, i’ th’ very throat on me; but I requited him for his lie, and, I think, being too strong for him, though he took up my legs sometime, yet I made a shift to cast him.	PORTER It did, sir. It got me right in the throat. But I got even with drink. I was too strong for it. Although it weakened my legs and made me unsteady, I managed to vomit it out and laid it flat on the ground.
MACDUFF Is thy master stirring?	MACDUFF Is your master awake?
Enter MACBETH	MACBETH enters.
Our knocking has awaked him. Here he comes.	Our knocking woke him up. Here he comes.
LENNOX Good morrow, noble sir.	LENNOX Good morning, noble sir.
MACBETH Good morrow, both.	MACBETH Good morning to both of you.
MACDUFF Is the king stirring, worthy thane?	MACDUFF Is the king awake, worthy thane?
MACBETH Not yet.	MACBETH Not yet.
MACDUFF He did command me to call timely on him. I have almost slipped the hour.	MACDUFF He commanded me to wake him up early. I’ve almost missed the time he requested.
MACBETH I’ll bring you to him.	MACBETH I’ll bring you to him.
MACDUFF I know this is a joyful trouble to you, But yet ’tis one.	MACDUFF I know the burden of hosting him is both an honor and a trouble, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a trouble just the same.
MACBETH The labor we delight in physics pain. This is the door.	MACBETH The work we enjoy is not really work. This is the door.
MACDUFF I’ll make so bold to call, For ’tis my limited service.	MACDUFF I’ll wake him, because that’s my job.
Exit MACDUFF	MACDUFF exits.
LENNOX Goes the king hence today?	LENNOX Is the king leaving here today?
MACBETH He does. He did appoint so.	MACBETH He is. He told us to arrange it.
LENNOX The night has been unruly. Where we lay, Our chimneys were blown down and, as they say, Lamentings heard i’ th’ air, strange screams of death, And prophesying with accents terrible Of dire combustion and confused events New hatched to the woeful time. The obscure bird Clamored the livelong night. Some say the Earth Was feverous and did shake.	LENNOX The night has been chaotic. The wind blew down through the chimneys where we were sleeping. People are saying they heard cries of grief in the air, strange screams of death, and terrible voices predicting catastrophes that will usher in a woeful new age. The owl made noise all night. Some people say that the earth shook as if it had a fever.
MACBETH ’Twas a rough night.	MACBETH It was a rough night.
LENNOX My young remembrance cannot parallel A fellow to it.	LENNOX I’m too young to remember anything like it.
Enter MACDUFF	MACDUFF enters, upset.
MACDUFF O horror, horror, horror! Tongue nor heart cannot conceive nor name thee!	MACDUFF Oh, horror, horror, horror! This is beyond words and beyond belief!
MACBETH & LENNOX What’s the matter?	MACBETH & LENNOX What’s the matter?
MACDUFF Confusion now hath made his masterpiece. Most sacrilegious murder hath broke ope The Lord’s anointed temple, and stole thence The life o’ th’ building!	MACDUFF The worst thing imaginable has happened. A murderer has broken into God’s temple and stolen the life out of it.
MACBETH What is ’t you say? “The life”?	MACBETH What are you talking about? “The life”?
LENNOX Mean you his majesty?	LENNOX Do you mean the king?
MACDUFF Approach the chamber, and destroy your sight With a new Gorgon. Do not bid me speak. See, and then speak yourselves.	MACDUFF Go into the bedroom and see for yourself. What’s in there will make you freeze with horror. Don’t ask me to talk about it. Go look and then do the talking yourselves.
Exeunt MACBETH and LENNOX	MACBETH and LENNOX exit.
Awake, awake! Ring the alarum bell. Murder and treason! Banquo and Donalbain! Malcolm! Awake! Shake off this downy sleep, death’s counterfeit, And look on death itself! Up, up, and see The great doom’s image! Malcolm! Banquo! As from your graves rise up, and walk like sprites, To countenance this horror! Ring the bell	Wake up, wake up! Ring the alarm bell. Murder and treason! Banquo and Donalbain, Malcolm! Wake up! Shake off sleep, which looks like death, and look at death itself! Get up, get up, and look at this image of doomsday! Malcolm! Banquo! Get up from your beds as if you were rising out of your own graves, and walk like ghosts to come witness this horror. Ring the bell.
Bell rings. Enter LADY MACBETH	A bell rings. LADY MACBETH enters.
LADY MACBETH What’s the business, That such a hideous trumpet calls to parley The sleepers of the house? Speak, speak!	LADY MACBETH What’s going on? Why is that terrifying trumpet calling together everyone who’s sleeping in the house? Speak up and tell me!
MACDUFF O gentle lady, ’Tis not for you to hear what I can speak: The repetition, in a woman’s ear, Would murder as it fell.	MACDUFF Oh gentle lady, my news isn’t fit for your ears. If I repeated it to you, it would kill you as soon as you heard it.
Enter BANQUO	BANQUO enters.
O Banquo, Banquo, Our royal master’s murdered!	Oh Banquo, Banquo, the king has been murdered!
LADY MACBETH Woe, alas! What, in our house?	LADY MACBETH How horrible! What, in our own house?
BANQUO Too cruel any where. Dear Duff, I prithee, contradict thyself, And say it is not so.	BANQUO It would be a terrible event no matter where it happened. Dear Macduff, I beg you, tell us you were lying and say it isn’t so.
Enter MACBETH, LENNOX, and ROSS	MACBETH and LENNOX reenter, with ROSS.
MACBETH Had I but died an hour before this chance, I had lived a blessèd time, for from this instant There’s nothing serious in mortality. All is but toys. Renown and grace is dead. The wine of life is drawn, and the mere lees Is left this vault to brag of.	MACBETH If I had only died an hour before this event I could say I had lived a blessed life. Because from this moment on, there is nothing worth living for. Everything is a sick joke. The graceful and renowned king is dead. The wine of life has been poured out, and only the dregs remain.
Enter MALCOLM and DONALBAIN	MALCOLM and DONALBAIN enter.
DONALBAIN What is amiss?	DONALBAIN What’s wrong?
MACBETH You are, and do not know ’t. The spring, the head, the fountain of your blood Is stopped; the very source of it is stopped.	MACBETH You are, but you don’t know it yet. The source from which your royal blood comes has been stopped.
MACDUFF Your royal father’s murdered.	MACDUFF Your royal father is murdered.
MALCOLM Oh, by whom?	MALCOLM Who did it?
LENNOX Those of his chamber, as it seemed, had done ’t. Their hands and faces were all badged with blood. So were their daggers, which unwiped we found Upon their pillows. They stared, and were distracted. No man’s life was to be trusted with them.	LENNOX It seems that the guards who were supposed to be protecting his chamber did it. Their hands and faces were all covered with blood. So were their daggers, which we found on their pillows, unwiped. They stared at us in confusion. No one’s life should have been entrusted to them.
MACBETH Oh, yet I do repent me of my fury, That I did kill them.	MACBETH And yet I still regret the anger that drove me to kill them.
MACDUFF Wherefore did you so?	MACDUFF What did you do that for?
MACBETH Who can be wise, amazed, temp’rate, and furious, Loyal and neutral, in a moment? No man. Th’ expedition of my violent love Outrun the pauser, reason. Here lay Duncan, His silver skin laced with his golden blood, And his gashed stabs looked like a breach in nature For ruin’s wasteful entrance; there, the murderers, Steeped in the colors of their trade, their daggers Unmannerly breeched with gore. Who could refrain, That had a heart to love, and in that heart Courage to make ’s love known?	MACBETH Is it possible to be wise, bewildered, calm, furious, loyal, and neutral all at once? Nobody can do that. The violent rage inspired by my love for Duncan caused me to act before I could think rationally and tell myself to pause. There was Duncan, his white skin all splattered with his precious blood. The gashes where the knives had cut him looked like wounds to nature itself. Then right next to him I saw the murderers, dripping with blood, their daggers rudely covered in gore. Who could have restrained himself, who loved Duncan and had the courage to act on it?
LADY MACBETH Help me hence, ho!	LADY MACBETH Help me out of here, quickly!
MACDUFF Look to the lady.	MACDUFF Take care of the lady.
MALCOLM (aside to DONALBAIN) Why do we hold our tongues, That most may claim this argument for ours?	MALCOLM (speaking so that only DONALBAIN can hear) Why are we keeping quiet? The two of us have the most to say in this matter.
DONALBAIN (aside to MALCOLM) What should be spoken here, where our fate, Hid in an auger-hole, may rush and seize us? Let’s away. Our tears are not yet brewed.	DONALBAIN (speaking so that only MALCOLM can hear) What are we going to say here, where danger may be waiting to strike at us from anywhere? Let’s get out of here. We haven’t even begun to weep yet—but there will be time for that later.
MALCOLM (aside to DONALBAIN) Nor our strong sorrow Upon the foot of motion.	MALCOLM (speaking so that only DONALBAIN can hear) And the time hasn’t come yet for us to turn our deep grief into action.
BANQUO Look to the lady.	BANQUO Take care of the lady.
Exit LADY MACBETH, attended	LADY MACBETH is carried out.
And when we have our naked frailties hid, That suffer in exposure, let us meet And question this most bloody piece of work, To know it further. Fears and scruples shake us. In the great hand of God I stand, and thence Against the undivulged pretense I fight Of treasonous malice.	When we’re properly dressed for the cold, let’s meet and discuss this bloody crime to see if we can figure anything out. Right now we’re shaken up by fears and doubts. I’m putting myself in God’s hands, and with his help I plan to fight against the secret plot that caused this treasonous murder.
MACDUFF And so do I.	MACDUFF So will I.
ALL So all.	ALL So will we all.
MACBETH Let’s briefly put on manly readiness, And meet i’ th’ hall together.	MACBETH Let’s get dressed quickly and then meet in the hall.
ALL Well contented.	ALL Agreed.
Exeunt all but MALCOLM and DONALBAIN	Everyone exits except MALCOLM and DONALBAIN.
MALCOLM What will you do? Let’s not consort with them. To show an unfelt sorrow is an office Which the false man does easy. I’ll to England.	MALCOLM What are you going to do? Let’s not stay here with them. It’s easy for a liar to pretend to feel sorrow when he actually feels none. I’m going to England.
DONALBAIN To Ireland, I. Our separated fortune Shall keep us both the safer. Where we are, There’s daggers in men’s smiles. The near in blood, The nearer bloody.	DONALBAIN I’ll go to Ireland. We’ll both be safer if we go separate ways. Wherever we go, men will smile at us while hiding daggers. Our closest relatives are the ones most likely to murder us.
MALCOLM This murderous shaft that’s shot Hath not yet lighted, and our safest way Is to avoid the aim. Therefore, to horse, And let us not be dainty of leave-taking, But shift away. There’s warrant in that theft Which steals itself when there’s no mercy left.	MALCOLM We haven’t yet encountered that danger, and the best thing to do is avoid it entirely. With that in mind, let’s get on our horses. We’d better not worry about saying polite good-byes; we should just get away quickly. There’s good reason to escape when there’s no mercy to be found anymore.
Exeunt	They exit.