ISC Class 11 English Drama Macbeth Act 1 Scene 2 Summary, Theme, Explanation along with difficult word meanings
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ISC Class 11 – Macbeth Act 1 Scene 2
By William Shakespeare
Macbeth Act 1, Scene 2 is an introduction to the play’s heroic protagonist, Macbeth, through the reports of his valiant actions in a battle against Scottish rebels and the invading Norwegian army. At King Duncan’s military camp, a wounded sergeant praises Macbeth’s bravery and describes his ruthless killing of the rebel leader, Macdonwald. This scene establishes Macbeth’s heroic reputation before he meets the witches, and Duncan rewards his heroism by decreeing that the traitorous Thane of Cawdor’s title will be given to Macbeth.
- Macbeth Act 1 Scene 2 Summary
- Macbeth Act 1 Scene 2 Summary in Hindi
- Macbeth Act 1 Scene 2 Theme
- Macbeth Act 1 Scene 2 Explanation
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Macbeth Act 1 Scene 2 Summary
The scene opens at a military camp near Forres, where King Duncan, his sons Malcolm and Donalbain, and Lord Lennox are awaiting news of the ongoing revolt. A bleeding soldier, identified by Malcolm as a sergeant who saved him from capture, enters and is asked to report the battle’s status.
The Sergeant describes the battle as initially uncertain, like two exhausted swimmers clinging to each other and hindering their own survival. He identifies the rebel leader as the ruthless Macdonald, supported by mercenaries from the Western Isles. Despite the momentary advantage of the rebel’s Fortune, the tide turned because of the brave actions of Macbeth. The Sergeant recounts how Macbeth, scorning danger, fought with fierce determination. Macbeth pursued the rebel leader, Macdonald, and ultimately killed him violently, cutting him from navel to jaw, and fixing his head on the battlements as a gruesome trophy. King Duncan praises Macbeth as a ‘valiant cousin, worthy gentleman’.
However, the Sergeant’s news is not entirely comforting. He explains that just as victory was achieved over the rebels, a new, more terrible threat emerged. The Norwegian lord, seeing his opportunity, launched a fresh assault with well-equipped troops. Duncan asks if this new threat disheartened Macbeth and Banquo. The Sergeant replies that it affected them as little as sparrows would frighten eagles or a hare would frighten a lion. He describes their continued fight as being like ‘cannons overcharged with double cracks’, raining double the force of blows upon the enemy. The Sergeant is too wounded to continue, and King Duncan orders surgeons to tend to him, recognizing that his wounds and words both speak of honor.
As the Sergeant is helped away, the Thane of Ross enters, appearing hurried and bearing strange news. Ross reports that the King of Norway, Sweno, assisted by the disloyal traitor, the Thane of Cawdor, had initiated a massive, ‘dismal conflict’ in Fife. Ross goes on to laud Macbeth, referring to him as ‘Bellona’s bridegroom’ i.e. husband of the Roman goddess of war, for confronting the enemy and matching their strength until he curbed their aggressive efforts. Ross joyfully concludes by announcing that the Scots won the victory. As a result, the Norwegian king is now begging for a peace treaty, and the Scots refused him the burial of his dead men until he paid a massive ransom of ten thousand dollars.
Hearing of the Thane of Cawdor’s betrayal, King Duncan immediately declares that the traitor will no longer deceive him and orders for his death. The King then commands Ross to greet Macbeth with Cawdor’s title, effectively rewarding Macbeth for his heroic service. Ross agrees to carry out the sentence and the promotion. Duncan concludes the scene by stating, ‘What he hath lost, noble Macbeth hath won’.
Summary of Macbeth Act 1 Scene 2 in Hindi
दृश्य फोरेस के पास एक सैन्य शिविर में शुरू होता है, जहाँ राजा डंकन, उनके बेटे मैल्कम और डोनलबैन और लॉर्ड लेनोक्स चल रहे विद्रोह की खबर का इंतजार कर रहे हैं। एक खून बह रहा सैनिक, जिसे मैल्कम ने एक सार्जेंट के रूप में पहचाना, जिसने उसे पकड़ने से बचाया, प्रवेश करता है और उसे युद्ध की स्थिति की रिपोर्ट करने के लिए कहा जाता है।
सार्जेंट युद्ध को शुरू में अनिश्चित बताता है, जैसे कि दो थके हुए तैराक एक-दूसरे से चिपके रहते हैं और अपने अस्तित्व में बाधा डालते हैं। वह विद्रोही नेता की पहचान निर्दयी मैकडोनाल्ड के रूप में करता है, जिसे पश्चिमी द्वीपों के भाड़े के सैनिकों का समर्थन प्राप्त है। विद्रोहियों के फॉर्च्यून के क्षणिक लाभ के बावजूद, मैकबेथ के बहादुर कार्यों के कारण ज्वार बदल गया। सार्जेंट बताता है कि कैसे मैकबेथ, खतरे की निंदा करते हुए, दृढ़ संकल्प के साथ लड़े। मैकबेथ ने विद्रोही नेता, मैकडोनाल्ड का पीछा किया और अंततः उसे हिंसक रूप से मार डाला, उसे नाभि से जबड़े तक काट दिया, और एक वीभत्स ट्रॉफी के रूप में युद्धपोतों पर उसका सिर लगा दिया। राजा डंकन मैकबेथ की प्रशंसा एक ‘बहादुर चचेरे भाई, योग्य सज्जन’ के रूप में करते हैं।
हालाँकि, सार्जेंट की खबर पूरी तरह से सांत्वना देने वाली नहीं है। वह बताते हैं कि जैसे ही विद्रोहियों पर जीत हासिल की गई, एक नया, अधिक भयानक खतरा सामने आया। नॉर्वे के स्वामी ने अपना अवसर देखकर, सुसज्जित सैनिकों के साथ एक नया हमला शुरू किया। डंकन पूछता है कि क्या इस नई धमकी ने मैकबेथ और बैंको को निराश किया। सार्जेंट जवाब देता है कि यह उन्हें उतना ही प्रभावित करता है जितना कि गौरैया चील को डराती है या एक खरगोश शेर को डराता है। वह उनकी निरंतर लड़ाई को ‘दोहरी दरारों से भरी तोपों’ की तरह बताता है, जो दुश्मन पर वार के बल की दोगुनी बारिश करती है। सार्जेंट इतना घायल हो जाता है कि उसे जारी नहीं रखा जा सकता और राजा डंकन शल्यचिकित्सकों को उसकी देखभाल करने का आदेश देते हैं, यह मानते हुए कि उसके घाव और शब्द दोनों सम्मान की बात करते हैं।
जैसे ही सार्जेंट की मदद की जाती है, रॉस का ठाणे जल्दबाजी में प्रवेश करता है और अजीब खबर लाता है। रॉस ने बताया कि नॉर्वे के राजा, स्वेनो ने विश्वासघाती गद्दार, कावडोर के ठाणे की सहायता से फाइफ में एक बड़े पैमाने पर, ‘निराशाजनक संघर्ष’ की शुरुआत की थी। रॉस मैकबेथ की प्रशंसा करने के लिए आगे बढ़ता है, उसे ‘बेलोना के दूल्हे’ i.e. के रूप में संदर्भित करता है। युद्ध की रोमन देवी के पति, दुश्मन का सामना करने और उनकी ताकत का मिलान करने के लिए जब तक कि उन्होंने उनके आक्रामक प्रयासों पर अंकुश नहीं लगाया। रॉस खुशी से यह घोषणा करते हुए निष्कर्ष निकालता है कि स्कॉट्स ने जीत हासिल की। नतीजतन, नॉर्वे के राजा अब एक शांति संधि के लिए भीख मांग रहे हैं, और स्कॉट्स ने उन्हें अपने मृत लोगों को तब तक दफनाने से इनकार कर दिया जब तक कि उन्होंने दस हजार डॉलर की भारी फिरौती का भुगतान नहीं किया।
कावडोर के विश्वासघात के ठाणे के बारे में सुनकर, राजा डंकन ने तुरंत घोषणा की कि गद्दार अब उसे धोखा नहीं देगा और उसकी मौत का आदेश देगा। राजा तब रॉस को मैकबेथ को कावडोर की उपाधि से बधाई देने का आदेश देता है, जिससे मैकबेथ को उनकी वीरतापूर्ण सेवा के लिए प्रभावी रूप से पुरस्कृत किया जाता है। रॉस सजा और पदोन्नति को पूरा करने के लिए सहमत हो जाता है। डंकन ने यह कहते हुए दृश्य का समापन किया, ‘उन्होंने जो खो दिया है, वह महान मैकबेथ ने जीत लिया है।’
Theme of Act 1 Scene 2
Valour, Heroism, and the Social Order of Loyalty
The most immediate theme is the celebration and establishment of valour and heroism as the foundation of the Scottish social order. King Duncan’s kingdom operates on a clear moral economy where absolute loyalty is rewarded with high honours, while treason is met with swift, capital punishment. The entire focus of the scene is on the martial deeds of Macbeth and Banquo, whose courage is described in superlative terms: Macbeth is called ‘brave Macbeth’, ‘Valor’s minion’, and elevated to almost mythical status as ‘Bellona’s bridegroom’ i.e. the husband of the Roman goddess of war. The Sergeant’s detailed, graphic praise is not just descriptive; it is ceremonial, formally establishing Macbeth as the state’s greatest hero. Duncan’s response, the instant execution of the traitorous Thane of Cawdor and the immediate granting of that title to Macbeth, confirms the theme of loyalty and military success as the paramount virtues that uphold the crown.
The Brutality and Visceral Nature of War
Shakespeare ensures that the audience’s first impression of Macbeth’s world is one steeped in brutality and savage violence, establishing a dark, visceral tone. The scene opens with a ‘bloody man’, making the physical reality of battle undeniable. The reports emphasize the gruesome, rather than the glorious, aspects of fighting. The Sergeant’s most vivid description details Macbeth’s killing of the rebel Macdonald, ‘Till he unseamed him from the nave to the chaps, / And fixed his head upon our battlements’. This shocking imagery highlights not just Macbeth’s skill, but his raw, almost inhuman capacity for merciless slaughter. This thematic focus is crucial, as it suggests that the necessary qualities for a hero in this world i.e. the uncontrolled aggression and bloodlust, are the same qualities that will later enable Macbeth’s unchecked descent into tyranny. The violence is glorified, yet it is also presented as dangerously extreme.
Appearance vs. Reality and the Introduction of Betrayal
Act 1, Scene 2 is pivotal in introducing the play’s major theme of deception and the deceptive nature of appearances. This theme is directly embodied by the unnamed Thane of Cawdor. A trusted noble and a seemingly loyal subject, he is revealed to be a ‘most disloyal traitor’ who actively assisted the enemy. This revelation shocks King Duncan, who learns the painful lesson that one’s outward show of loyalty can conceal treacherous intent. Duncan laments, ‘No more that Thane of Cawdor shall deceive / Our bosom interest’, highlighting the king’s shattered trust. This betrayal immediately links the title of Cawdor with treason, an irony that will resonate throughout the play, as the heroic new Thane of Cawdor i.e. Macbeth is about to embark on his own much greater path of deception and regicide. The ease with which the previous Thane of Cawdor hid his wicked intentions underscores the thematic warning that appearances are never to be trusted.
Unchecked Ambition
While not fully explicit, the theme of unchecked ambition is subtly seeded in this scene through the hyperbolic descriptions of Macbeth’s fighting. The Sergeant notes that Macbeth and Banquo fought ‘As cannons overcharged with double cracks’, suggesting an explosive, almost uncontrollable force that goes beyond necessary military action. He even questions their motive: ‘Except they meant to bathe in reeking wounds, / Or memorize another Golgotha, / I cannot tell’. This rhetorical question hints that Macbeth’s motivation may transcend mere duty, suggesting an innate, excessive desire for glory, violence, or perhaps, power itself. By immediately rewarding this boundless military force with a royal title, King Duncan unknowingly fuels the very ambition that will soon turn that overwhelming power against the throne.
Setting of the Scene
The setting of Act 1, Scene 2 is crucial to establishing the immediate consequences and brutal atmosphere of the war that precedes the main action of Macbeth. The scene is explicitly set in a military camp near Forres, a royal burgh and castle area in Scotland. This location is not the peaceful, stately royal court, but a temporary command center situated close to the recent battles. Its function is practical as it is the place of triage, communication, and decisive royal action. King Duncan, along with his sons and nobles, has been forced to position himself in a provisional base of operations, highlighting the reality that the kingdom has just been severely threatened by both internal rebellion and external invasion.
The atmosphere of the military camp is instantly established by the stage directions and the first character entry. The scene opens with the formal sound of trumpets, affirming the presence of royalty and military structure, yet the subsequent visual is one of chaos and violence, the entry of the ‘bloody man’, the Sergeant. The Sergeant’s grotesque appearance acts as a vital piece of scenic detail, turning the abstract idea of war into a visceral reality within the camp. The setting thus transitions rapidly from the formal anxiety of waiting to the grim reality of the reports, making it a space where honour and gore coexist. The urgency of the setting is reinforced by the entrance of Ross, whose ‘haste looks through his eyes’, indicating the perpetual state of crisis and the need for immediate intelligence.
Symbolically, the camp setting serves to establish the distance between royal power and the violence that sustains it. King Duncan is safe in his command post, insulated from the horrific details of the fighting. He only experiences the war through the highly stylized and metaphorical accounts of the soldiers. This physical separation is vital because it allows Duncan to view the intense brutality described like Macbeth unseaming Macdonald as pure, abstract valour, without having to confront its savage nature. The camp becomes the place where blood is instantly transmuted into honour, titles, and political decisions, such as the execution of the Thane of Cawdor and the immediate elevation of Macbeth, ensuring that the audience understands that even at the height of military victory, the political machinations continue to unfold.
Macbeth Act I Scene 2 Explanation
Play:
Duncan gets good reports of the battle. He is pleased to learn that Macbeth has killed the rebel Macdonwald, defeated Macdonwald’s Norwegian allies and the Thane of Cawdor. Duncan announces the execution of Cawdor and confers on Macbeth the title of the Thane of Cawdor. The rising fortune of Macbeth is highlighted in the scene. He is referred to as a worthy gentleman, brave Macbeth and Bellona’s bridegroom. This scene prepares the way for the meeting of Macbeth and Banquo with the witches in scene 3.
Word Meanings
Reports: accounts or descriptions of events.
Pleased: happy or satisfied.
Killed: caused the death of.
Rebel: a person who rises in opposition or armed resistance against an established government or ruler.
Defeated: won a victory over someone in a battle or other contest.
Allies: people or groups that cooperate or are joined with another for a particular purpose.
Announces: makes a public or formal declaration about something.
Execution: the carrying out of a sentence of death on a condemned person.
Confers: grants or bestows a title, degree, benefit, or right
Title: a name that describes someone’s position or job.
Rising: increasing in prominence, status, or power.
Fortune: success or prosperity; destiny or fate.
Highlighted: drawn special attention to something.
Worthy: having or showing the qualities or abilities that merit a specified regard.
Bridegroom: a man who is about to be or has just been married used here metaphorically.
Explanation of the above setting of the scene— King Duncan received favourable reports concerning the battle. He felt joy to hear that Macbeth had slain the rebellious Macdonwald, and that he had vanquished Macdonwald’s Norwegian confederates and the Thane of Cawdor. Duncan declared the execution of Cawdor and bestowed the title of the Thane of Cawdor upon Macbeth. Macbeth’s increasing prosperity is emphasized in this scene. The King and nobles referred to him as a worthy gentleman, brave Macbeth, and Bellona’s bridegroom, husband of the Goddess of War. This scene makes way for Macbeth and Banquo’s encounter with the witches in the third scene.
Play
Scene 2. A camp near Forres.
Alarum within. Enter King Duncan, Malcolm, Donalbain, Lennox, with Attendants, meeting a bleeding Sergeant.
Duncan
What bloody man is that? He can report,
As seemeth by his plight, of the revolt
The newest state.
Malcolm
This is the sergeant,
Who, like a good and hardy soldier, fought
‘Gainst my captivity. Hail, brave friend!
Say to the king the knowledge of the broil
As thou didst leave it.
Word Meanings
Alarum: A call to arms or a trumpet signal, specifically a loud sound signaling danger or battle.
Plight: A dangerous, difficult, or unfortunate situation; in this context, the Sergeant’s severely wounded condition.
Revolt: An uprising or rebellion against authority.
Newest state: The latest condition or current situation.
Hardy: Robust, capable of enduring difficult conditions; tough.
‘Gainst: Archaic contraction of ‘against’, In opposition to; preventing.
Captivity: The state of being imprisoned or held against one’s will.
Hail: A salutation or greeting, often expressing respect or welcome.
Broil: A noisy quarrel or battle; a fight.
Explanation of the above dialogues—The scene opened at a camp near Forres. When an alarm sounded offstage, King Duncan, Malcolm, Donalbain, Lennox, and Attendants entered and met a Sergeant who was bleeding. Duncan immediately asked who that bloody man was, stating that the man could report the newest condition of the revolt, as it seemed by his wounded condition. Malcolm replied that the man was the Sergeant, who had fought like a good and hardy soldier against Malcolm’s own captivity. Malcolm then greeted the Sergeant, calling him a brave friend, and asked him to tell the King the facts about the battle as he had left it. This opening exchange immediately establishes the play’s atmosphere of violence and crisis. The setting is a military camp, not a peaceful court, emphasizing that the Scottish kingdom is under severe threat from rebellion and war. The dialogue introduces the theme of honour and valour as the highest currency. King Duncan is focused on receiving a report, showing his responsibility, but Malcolm elevates the Sergeant by recognizing his personal bravery ‘fought ‘Gainst my captivity’, which places the soldier’s worth above his mere function.
Play
Sergeant
Doubtful it stood;
As two spent swimmers that do cling together
And choke their art. The merciless Macdonwald-
Worthy to be a rebel, for to that
The multiplying villanies of nature
Do swarm upon him-from the Western Isles
Of kerns and gallow glasses is supplied;
And Fortune, on his damned quarrel smiling,
Show’d like a rebel’s whore: but all’s too weak:
For brave Macbeth-well he deserves that
name-Disdaining Fortune, with his brandish’d
steel, Which smoked with bloody execution,
Like Valour’s minion carv’d out his passage
till he faced the slave;
Which ne’er shook hands, nor bade farewell|
to him, Till he unseam’d him from the nave
to the chaps, And fix’d his head upon our
battlements.
Word Meanings
spent: exhausted.
cling: hold on tightly.
choke their art: defeat their purpose by catching each other.
Merciless: Cruel; showing no pity.
To that: To that extent; for that reason.
Multiplying villainies: Growing wickedness or evil qualities.
Kerns: Light-armed Irish foot soldiers.
Gallowglasses: Heavy-armed Irish foot soldiers.
Damned quarrel: Cursed or condemned cause the rebellion.
Rebel’s whore: A prostitute who favours the rebel; implies Fortune is fickle and disloyal.
Disdaining: Scornfully rejecting; showing contempt for.
Brandish’d steel: A sword waved threateningly or triumphantly.
Smoked with bloody execution: His sword was steaming from the heat of battle with the blood of those he killed.
Valour’s minion: The favourite or darling of Valour personified bravery.
Carv’d out his passage: Cut through the enemy lines to clear a path.
Slave: Used as an insult for Macdonwald, implying his low status as a rebel.
unseam’d: cut.
nave: navel.
chaps: jaws.
Explanation of the above dialogues—The Sergeant reported that the battle’s initial outcome was doubtful and uncertain. He compared the two opposing armies to two exhausted swimmers clinging together, which made their efforts ineffective. The Sergeant then spoke of the rebel leader, the merciless Macdonwald, stating that Macdonwald was deserving of his title as a rebel because all the multiplying evil aspects of nature seemed to gather around him. Macdonwald had brought forces of lightly armed Irish foot soldiers and heavily armed mercenaries from the Western Isles. The Sergeant said that for a time, Fortune seemed to smile on Macdonwald’s wicked cause, acting like a common woman who supports a rebel. However, all that support was too weak. The Sergeant then praised brave Macbeth, saying he deserved the name, because Macbeth disdained Fortune’s favour toward the enemy and, with his bloody, smoking sword, carved a path like Valor’s favourite until he confronted the rebel slave. Macbeth neither greeted nor said goodbye to Macdonwald, but instead cut him open from his navel to his jaws and then had his head fixed upon the battlements as a trophy. The use of the simile ‘As two spent swimmers that do cling together’ immediately sets the stage by showing the near-defeat of the Scottish forces, thus magnifying Macbeth’s subsequent success. The characterization of Macdonwald is absolute; he is purely evil, a figure on whom the ‘villanies of nature / Do swarm’, making Macbeth’s act of slaughter morally justified and heroic in the eyes of the state. Macbeth is simultaneously introduced as the dangerous, unbridled violence that will soon be turned inward against Duncan. The final image of Macdonwald’s head fixed upon the battlements serves as a stark, bloody testament to Macbeth’s loyalty and an immediate foreshadowing of the violence that will dominate the play.
Play
Duncan
O valiant cousin! worthy gentleman!
Sergeant
As whence the sun ‘gins his reflection,
Shipwrecking storms and direful thunders break;
So from that spring, whence comfort seem’d to come,
Discomfort swells. Mark, king of Scotland, mark;
No sooner justice had, with valour arm’d,
Compell’d these skipping kerns to trust their heels,
But the Norweyan lord, surveying vantage,
With furbish’d arms and new supplies of men,
Began a fresh assault.
Word Meanings
Valiant: Brave; courageous.
‘Gins his reflection: Begins to reflect its light; starts to rise.
Direful: Dreadful or terrible.
Discomfort swells: Trouble or hardship increases.
Compell’d: Forced or obliged.
Skipping: Light-footed; moving quickly; used disparagingly for the Irish soldiers.
Surveying vantage: Observing or spotting an advantageous opportunity.
Furbish’d arms: Newly polished and prepared weapons.
Explanation of the above dialogues—King Duncan exclaimed that Macbeth was a valiant cousin and a worthy gentleman. The Sergeant, however, warned the King that the good news did not last. He explained that just as terrifying shipwrecking storms and dreadful thunders often break forth from the east where the sun rises, so too did distress and trouble suddenly arise from the very source where comfort had seemed to come. The Sergeant urged the King to pay attention, reporting that no sooner had the Scottish forces, armed with justice and bravery, forced the lightly armed, skipping rebels to retreat, than the Norwegian lord saw his advantage. With newly polished weapons and fresh troops, the Norwegian began an immediate, new assault.The Sergeant uses a powerful simile and natural imagery, comparing the sudden surge of discomfort to the breaking of ‘shipwrecking storms and direful thunders’ that emerge from the very place the ‘sun ‘gins his reflection’, the east, traditionally a source of hope. This effectively warns the King that evil and calamity can follow even the greatest success, reinforcing the play’s theme that appearance i.e. the victory can quickly turn to a harsh reality i.e. the new attack.
Play
Duncan
Dismay’d not this
Our captains, Macbeth and Banquo?
Sergeant
Yes
As sparrows, eagles, or the hare, the lion.
40 I if say sooth, I must report they were
As cannons overcharg’d with double cracks;
so they Doubly redoubled strokes upon the foe:
Except they meant to bathe in reeking wounds,
Or memorize another Golgotha,
45 I cannot tell:-
But I am faint, my gashes cry for help.
Duncan
So well thy words become thee as thy wounds;
They smack of honour both. Go get him surgeons.
[Exit Sergeant, attended
Who comes here?
Malcolm
50 The worthy THANE of Ross.
Lennox
What ah haste looks through his eyes! So should he look
That seems to speak things strange.
Enter Ross
Word Meanings
surveying vantage: seizing the opportunity.
furbish’d arms: re-inforced armaments.
fresh assault: new attack.
Dismay’d: discouraged.
sooth: the truth.
Overcharg’d: Loaded too heavily, here, referring to cannons loaded with excessive gunpowder or shot.
double cracks: double the amount of ammunition.
Doubly redoubled: Increased to twice the already doubled amount; multiplied exponentially.
Reeking: Steaming or smoking, especially with blood or foul odors.
Golgotha: place of Christ’s crucifixion.
Memorize another Golgotha: To make the battlefield as famous for slaughter and suffering as the biblical site of Christ’s crucifixion (Golgotha).
Faint: Weak and dizzy; about to lose consciousness.
Become thee: Are suitable or appropriate for you.
Smack of: Have the characteristic taste or flavour of; suggest the presence of.
Haste: Speed; urgency.
Explanation of the above dialogues—King Duncan asked the Sergeant if the fresh, unexpected assault by the Norwegian Lord had dismayed or frightened his captains, Macbeth and Banquo. The Sergeant replied that the new attack had affected them only as much as sparrows would frighten eagles or a hare would frighten a lion, meaning they were not dismayed at all. He stated that if he spoke the truth, he had to report that Macbeth and Banquo were like cannons overloaded with double ammunition, and so they redoubled the intensity of their blows against the enemy. The Sergeant added that he could not say for sure why they fought with such ferocity, unless their intention was to bathe in the profusely bleeding wounds of the enemy or to commemorate the battlefield as a new place of massacre like Golgotha. However, the Sergeant then excused himself, saying he was faint and his wounds were urgently calling for medical attention. King Duncan complimented the Sergeant, saying his words were as fitting as his wounds, as both testified to his honour. The King then ordered attendants to fetch surgeons for him. As the Sergeant was helped offstage, Duncan asked who was approaching. Malcolm identified the newcomer as the worthy Thane of Ross. Lord Lennox commented on the haste evident in Ross’s eyes, suggesting that the Thane was arriving with strange and important news. The Sergeant’s reply employs powerful similes to describe the captains’ fearlessness, ‘As sparrows, eagles, or the hare, the lion’. This not only establishes their unwavering bravery but also elevates them to the status of natural dominators. The subsequent metaphor comparing them to ‘cannons overcharg’d with double cracks’ emphasizes their overwhelming, mechanized aggression. They are not just fighting; they are an unstoppable force of destruction. The reference to Golgotha is the most significant line, raising the violence to a terrifying, almost sacrilegious extreme. Golgotha, the place of suffering and death, suggests that their fighting went beyond necessary military action and crossed into a desire for indiscriminate, memorable slaughter. This dark hyperbole subtly hints at the dangerous, immoderate nature of Macbeth’s valour.
Play
Ross
God save the king!
Duncan
Whence camest thou, worthy thane?
Ross
55 From Fife, great king;
Where the Norweyan banners flout the sky
And fan our people cold. Norway himself,
With terrible numbers,
Assisted by that most disloyal traitor
60 The Thane of Cawdor, began a dismal conflict;
Till that Bellona’s bridegroom, lappd in proof,
Confronted him with self-comparisons,
Point against point, rebellious arm gainst arm,
Curbing his lavish spirit: And, to conclude,
65 The victory fell on us.
Duncan
Great happiness!
Ross
That now
Sweno, the Norways’ king, craves composition;
Nor would we deign him burial of his men
70 Till he disbursed, at Saint Colme’s inch,
Ten thousand dollars to our general use.
Duncan
No more that Thane of Cawdor shall deceive
Our bosom interest: go, pronounce his present death,
And with his former title greet Macbeth.
Ross
I’ll see it done.
Duncan
What he hath lost noble Macbeth hath won.
[Exeunt]
Word Meanings
Whence: From where; from what place.
banners: fags.
Flout: mock.
Norway himself: the king of Norway.
dismal conflict: dreadful battle.
Bellona’s bridegroom: refers to Macbeth; Bellona is the Roman Goddess of war.
lapp’d in proof: dressed in strong armour.
self-comparisons: equal terms.
Point against point: Sword to sword.
lavish: unrestrained.
Composition: A peace settlement; terms for a treaty.
Deign: To condescend; to think it fit or proper to grant; used here to show they would not grant burial.
Disbursed: Paid out; expended
Saint Colme’s inch: Inchcolm, an island off the coast of Fife.
Bosom interest: Deep trust; intimate or personal concern.
Present death: Immediate execution.
Explanation of the above dialogues—Ross offered a blessing, saying that God should save the King. King Duncan then asked Ross where he had come from, calling him a worthy nobleman. Ross replied that he had come from Fife, explaining that the Norwegian banners were there, insulting the sky and chilling the Scottish people with fear. He reported that Norway’s King, Sweno, personally led a large army and began a dreadful battle, assisted by the ‘most disloyal traitor’, the Thane of Cawdor. The conflict continued until Macbeth, referred to as ‘Bellona’s bridegroom’ i.e. the husband of the Goddess of War and encased in armour, confronted the enemy. Macbeth engaged the Norwegian King in a fierce, head-to-head battle, matching his strength point against point and rebellious arm against rebellious arm, thereby checking Sweno’s excessive pride and spirit. Ross concluded by happily announcing that the victory ultimately fell to the Scots. Duncan exclaimed that this was great happiness. Ross then added that as a result of the defeat, Sweno, the Norwegian King, was now begging for terms of peace. Ross proudly stated that the Scots refused to grant the Norwegians the burial of their dead until Sweno paid a hefty ten thousand dollars at Saint Colme’s Inch for the Scottish army’s general use. King Duncan, hearing this, immediately declared that the Thane of Cawdor would no longer betray his intimate trust , ‘bosom interest’. The King ordered Ross to go and pronounce the traitor’s immediate death and to greet Macbeth with the title that formerly belonged to Cawdor. Ross agreed to carry out the King’s orders. Duncan concluded the scene by noting that what the traitor had lost, the noble Macbeth had won. Ross’s report is characterized by patriotic fervor and hyperbole, especially in the epithet ‘Bellona’s bridegroom’, which transforms Macbeth from a mere general into a mythological figure of war, justifying the monumental reward he is about to receive. Ironically, Macbeth is rewarded for loyalty with the title of a traitor, foreshadowing his own inevitable treachery.
Conclusion
Macbeth Act 1, Scene 2 is an introduction to the play’s heroic protagonist, Macbeth, through the reports of his valiant actions in a battle against Scottish rebels and the invading Norwegian army. At King Duncan’s military camp, a wounded sergeant praises Macbeth’s bravery and describes his ruthless killing of the rebel leader, Macdonwald. This scene establishes Macbeth’s heroic reputation before he meets the witches, and Duncan rewards his heroism by decreeing that the traitorous Thane of Cawdor’s title will be given to Macbeth. Students can take help from this post to understand Act 1, Scene 2 and also learn the difficult word meanings to get a better grasp of Macbeth. This post includes a summary of Macbeth, which will help students of ISC class 11, to get a quick recap of the play.