Irony, Lies and Double Meanings

Act 2, Scene 3 begins with a drunken Porter knocking and saying “If a man were porter of hell-gate, he should have old turning the key. Knock, knock, knock.”(l. 1-3). This is very comical but also ironic. He talks about being the keeper to the gate of Hell and perhaps he is, with the door to Macbeth’s castle being the gate of Hell. The Porter seems to be waking everybody up and bringing them back to reality after last night’s murder. When he is pretending to admit the farmer to Hell, there is double meaning when he says “Have napkins enough about you, here you’ll sweat for’t.”(l. 5-6) The farmer will not only be sweating because of nervousness but because of the heat. When the Porter invited in the Talor he tells him “here you may roast your goose.”(l.14), meaning he can heat his iron in the flames. The other meaning is that his goose will be cooked or he’ll have to suffer the consequences of ripping people off. It is ironic when the Porter says “this place is too cold for Hell”(l.15-16) since Hell is known to be the hottest place on Earth!

Lennox addresses Macbeth saying “Good morrow, noble sir.” (l. 40) and calling him a “worthy thane”(l. 42). This greeting is ironic because after what Macbeth has done he is anything but noble and worthy. Macbeth’s reply to Lennox that the king is not yet awake is also ironic. The king will never be awoken as he is dead. Macbeth is telling a lie for both he and we know that Duncan is dead. Macbeth does tell the truth when he informs Lennox that the king will be leaving today when asked. “Goes the king hence today?” (l. 47) “He does. He did appoint so.” (l. 48) Macbeth might not be lying here but the king would probably only leave in a coffin, not on his own two feet!! After Lennox describes the strange noises of the night before Macbeth agrees that “'Twas a rough night” (l. 57). There is a double meaning as Macbeth means to say that it was a rough night weather-wise and for him and the now dead Duncan.

When Macduff enters with news of Duncan, Macbeth together with Lennox asks “What’s the matter?” (l.61). We know Macbeth’s question is a lie because he knows full well what is the matter! Macduff is obviously going to tell them about his discovery of Duncan’s corpse. It is ironic that Macduff says murder took place in “The Lord's anointed temple” (l.64) when the Porter has already called Macbeth’s castle the Gate of Hell. Macduff says “Shake off this downy sleep, death’s counterfeit, and look on death itself!” (l. 73-74). Even though everyone is waking up from fake death/sleep, they’ll soon feel like dying themselves when they see Duncan’s dead body. Macduff addresses Lady Macbeth as “O gentle lady” (l. 79) which is very ironic as we know she had a part in Duncan’s murder and has always been anything but gentle. Lady Macbeth lies when she says “Woe, alas! What, in our house?” (l. 82-83) when she is told about Duncan’s murder. Of course she is happy about this and she knows full well it happened in their castle. Macbeth’s comment “Had I but died an hour before this chance, I had lived a blessed time, for from this instant there's nothing serious in mortality.” (l. 86-89) is an ironic display of grief.

When asked why he killed Duncan’s guards Macbeth explains that he did so because of his “violent love” (l. 106) for King Duncan and “Who could refrain, that had a heart to love and in that heart courage to make’s love known” (l.112-115). This is ironic because Macbeth did not have any love for Duncan, only envy.

When Banquo announces that he will fight “Against the undivulged pretense (I fight) of treasonous malice.” (l. 127-128) Macbeth agrees with the others. He is of course lying because that would mean fighting against himself.