Friday, June 17, 2016

How does King Duncan feel at the Macbeth estate?

When King Duncan arrives at the Macbeth castle, he believes himself to be warmly welcomed. He knows that Macbeth recently fought bravely on the battlefield to help Duncan defeat his enemies. He knows the Macbeths have every reason to be grateful to him for making Macbeth the Thane of Cawdor. As such, he has no reason to expect anything but the hospitable reception chivalry deems appropriate. He expects his hosts to care for him, feed...

When King Duncan arrives at the Macbeth castle, he believes himself to be warmly welcomed. He knows that Macbeth recently fought bravely on the battlefield to help Duncan defeat his enemies. He knows the Macbeths have every reason to be grateful to him for making Macbeth the Thane of Cawdor. As such, he has no reason to expect anything but the hospitable reception chivalry deems appropriate. He expects his hosts to care for him, feed him and entertain him. The castle seems pleasant and peaceful to him as he enters the courtyard. 


As an audience, however, we know what Duncan does not: his hosts have plotted to murder him while he is under their protection, so that Macbeth can become king. This is an example of dramatic irony: the audience is aware of the danger while Duncan is floating along happily, blithely unconcerned and unsuspecting.

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