Act I: Scene 2
Summary
Scotland is
at war. King Duncan faces not only his own rebellious kinsmen but also an
invasion by King Sweno of the Norwegians. In this scene, Duncan receives three
significant reports: the death of the rebel Macdonald at the hands of
"brave Macbeth"; Macbeth's action against the Norwegians; and the
treachery of the Thane of Cawdor, who has sided with the enemy. In each case,
Macbeth's heroism shines out, leading to victory for Scotland and surrender by
Sweno. Finally, Duncan orders Cawdor's execution and arranges for his title to
pass to Macbeth.
Analysis
A captain of
Duncan's army makes the initial report of the battle. At first, he says, the
outcome of the fighting was in doubt. To describe the inertia of the two
armies, the captain uses a metaphor of two drowning men, who gain no advantage
by clinging together but instead "choke their art." At this stage in
the battle, it had appeared that Fortune, like a "smiling . . . whore"
— a traditional personification of her fickleness — would support Macdonald. It
was left to the brave warrior Macbeth, "disdaining Fortune," to
reverse this situation.
The
introduction of Macbeth as a warrior hero is crucial to the play, for tragedy
depends on our witnessing the downfall of an already great man. Phrases such as
"Valour's minion" (the servant of Courage) and "Bellona's
bridegroom" (the husband of War) exemplify Macbeth's super heroism. His
strength is underscored by the captain's graphic account of Macbeth's actions
on the battlefield. Macbeth did not simply kill Macdonald; he "unseam'd
him from the nave to the chops, / And fix'd his head upon our battlements"
(22-23) — a reference that foreshadows Macbeth's death at the end of the play.
Macbeth's
reputation on the battlefield is further enhanced by the similes of the
Captain's second report, in which Macbeth and his fellow-captain, Banquo, are
compared to "eagles" and "lions" unafraid of the timid
Norwegians, who themselves are likened to "sparrows" or "a hare."
Symbolically, the lion appears on the royal coat of arms of the kings of
Scotland. Macbeth's and Banquo's fighting is compared to the action of
artillery pieces (even though, historically, this battle would have been a
sword fight). Finally, Macbeth is credited with nothing less than recreating
"Golgotha," the scene of Christ's crucifixion.
The Thane of
Ross enters the scene with a third report: Once more, the result of the battle
is doubtful, and once more both combatants are seen on equal terms — "self-comparisons"
— until the outcome is decided in Scotland's favor by Macbeth. The scene ends
with two resolutions: First, the Norwegians "crave composition"; that
is, they beg for a truce. Second, and more importantly for the story, the
disloyal Thane of Cawdor is condemned to execution and his title granted to
Macbeth. The language in Scene 2 captures much of the activity, urgency, and
gruesome realism of battle. Lines such as "the Norweyan banners flout the
sky / And fan our people cold" give a cinematic feel to the scene and
remind us that the play concerns a wider world and that its moral questions,
when they come, do so as well.
Scene 2
establishes the opposing idea of order and the related theme of orderly or
honorable behavior. Duncan himself is established as a figurehead of order who
honors the valor of the bleeding captain and, in two grand rhyming couplets at
the end of the scene, pronounces his favor of Macbeth.
Glossary
kerns,
Gallowglasses (13) light infantry, heavy infantry.
gins his
reflection (25) starts to turn in its seasonal course.
Bellona's
bridegroom (55) bridegroom to the goddess of war (i.e. Macbeth).
lapp'd in
proof (55) covered in armor.
