This is an essay based on Act II Scenes III-IV of Shakespears Macbeth.
When faced with terror or sorrow, you sometimes need a release for your emotions. Humor can provide the necessary respite from what might otherwise be an overwhelming situation. This cathartic release is something Shakespeare—the master of human psychology—understood all too well. In his famous porter scene, which you will read next, he finds a way to incorporate wit and whimsy to give us a chance to recover, temporarily, from the death of Duncan.
Essential Questions
How are playwrights influenced by both history and audience?
What are the innate conflicts in the concepts of fate and free will?
What do you expect from our heroes?
How does a play’s setting affect the atmosphere of a scene?
Is there any relationship between actions and character?
Objectives
Read and analyze the text thoroughly
Define new vocabulary and use in illustrative sentences
Define and identify comic relief
Define a pun and explore its use in the porter’s speech
Explore the notion of the Great Chain of Being and its application to these two scenes
Select a topic and develop a rough draft of a persuasive essay on the play
