Summary: The Use Of Figurative Language By Shakespeare

In act three scene six of Macbeth, Lennox is meeting with a rebel lord, he shows his doubts about Macbeth. He believes that those suspected first to have killed Duncan and Banquo (their sons) are less likely to have killed them than Macbeth, who hastily killed the guards outside Duncan’s room. He is fine with Macbeth’s crimes but is highly suspicious of him. This speech can be interpreted in another way though if read without sarcasm it seems that Lennox is just stating what has happened and does not suspect Macbeth committed or had a hand in the murders.

Shakespeare’s use of diction, selection of detail and figurative language set up multiple ways to read Lennox’s speech.

Firstly, Shakespeare uses the figurative language of repetition to add a double meaning of criticism. Earlier on in Lennox’s speech, he mentions “Men must not walk too late” he repeats this twice while starting his comment on Fleance killing Banquo and after, making criticism in the process of the idea.

Get quality help now

Doctor Jennifer

Verified writer

Proficient in: Free Essays

5 (893)

“ Thank you so much for accepting my assignment the night before it was due. I look forward to working with you moving forward ”

+84 relevant experts are online

Hire writer

He firsts mention it as dangerous to walk at night, saying, “Banquo walked too late”. His second use of the phrase is in a more sarcastic way, giving the impression he does not actually believe walking later in the night led to his death. This use of sarcasm in Lennox’s speech creates a double meaning to what he is saying, for someone reading the text without the sarcasm elements, it can be taken as Lennox saying he believed Banquo was killed because he was out too late and probably got killed by Fleance under the dark cloak of night.

But, if it is read with the element of sarcasm in the second time he repeats the phrase, he mocks sarcastically that he was killed by Fleance, giving the impression he does not believe in that line of thinking. Shakespeare uses the figurative language of repetition to add a second meaning to Lennox’s words by repeating the phrase in a different way the second time.

Secondly, Shakespeare uses a selection of detail to add a second perspective to Lennox’s words. At the beginning of Lennox’s speech, Lennox refers to Banquo’s death, saying, “Banquo walked too late, whom, you may say, if’t please you Fleance killed”. The selection of detail he uses “If’t please you Fleance killed” is him referring to the killing in a third person. Lennox never said he himself believed in Fleance was the murder of Banquo, which is him sarcastically asking the rebel lord if he belives Fleance was the killer or that they will pretend to believe it was Fleance. The use of a selection of detail in this instance is to sarcastically refer to the situation with Banquo’s death in a third-person perspective as if he does not believe that Fleance was the killer, or if it is read without the sarcasm and use of a selection of detail, that he does believe Fleance is guilty.

Lastly, Shakespeare’s use of diction in Lennox’s later parts of the speech establishes the double meaning in his discussion. Later in his dialogue with the rebel lord, he mentions the aftermath of Duncan’s death/murder, and how he has handled it saying, “Was not that nobly done?”. He talks about how Macbeth killed the two guards of Duncan for murdering him, even though they were drunkenly passed out for the night while looking sort of angry or grief. However, he suggests that Macbeth killed the two guards so they would not be able to testify or refuse their supposed murdering of Duncan. Lennox uses diction while referring to Duncan and the guard’s killings to add a sarcastic tone to his words to suggest he does not believe the guards killed Duncan, instead the Macbeth did through his use of diction to add sarcasm to his words.

Through the use of figurative language, selection of detail and diction in Lennox’s dialogue, Shakespeare is able to convey sarcasm, adding two meanings to Lennox’s speech, one line of thought is that he completely belives the rumors about Duncan and Banquo’s murders through their sons and Duncans guards both playing major roles in their deaths.