Page 8 - macbeth demo

Iambic pentameter

The following locations would have stresses in an iambic pentameter that was entirely
regular. Take note of how many of these resemble the rhythm of typical speaking.

Macbeth So foul and fair a dáy I have not seen.
Banquo How far is’t call’d to Forres? What are these,
So wither’d and so wild in their attire,
That look not like th’inhábitants ó’th’eárth,
And yet are ón’t? - Live you, or áre you aught
That man may question? You seem to understand me,
By each at once her choppy finger laying
Upon her skinny mouth; you should be women,
And yet your beards forbid me to interpret
That you are so.

Macbeth Speak if you can: what áre you?
i, in, 36-45

The pentameter in this instance supports a range of voice tones. In his talk about
the weather, Macbeth is laid-back. When the creatures come, Banquo is startled
and worried that they might be supernatural entities. He is reassured when they
appear to comprehend him, and he can even make a shaky joke about their beards.
With considerable authority, Macbeth finishes a sentence that Banquo had begun,
empathizing with the other person’s emotions in the process. Banquo’s speech
required some words to be omitted. When sounds or syllables are omitted, words
are combined, as in “th”inhabitants” and “o”th.” This happens frequently in English,
especially when the speaker is under emotional pressure (and Banquo is astonished!).

Wordplay

Shakespeare embraced wordplay, much like many other playwrights of his time,
which added to the verbal complexity of his writing. Puns, which are words that
have several meanings depending on the situation, are a common example of this
wordplay.

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Macbeth - William Shakespeare