Poetry and Prose

Use of Poetry and Prose in Macbeth

Shakespeare uses both poetry and prose in Macbeth to reflect character status, emotions, and themes.

• Blank Verse (Unrhymed Poetry): Used for noble characters like Macbeth. It follows a regular rhythm called iambic pentameter (a pattern of alternating soft and strong syllables, repeated five times per line).
• Prose (Ordinary Speech): Used for common characters such as servants, messengers, and the Porter. Unlike poetry, prose does not follow a structured rhythm or rhyme.
• Rhymed Verse: Used by the witches, giving their speech a mystical and unnatural quality (e.g., Act 3, Scene 5).

Blank Verse

• Most of Macbeth is written in blank verse (unrhymed iambic pentameter).
• Though the lines do not rhyme, they follow a steady rhythm, creating a sense of nobility and power.
• Example:
  • "Is this a dagger which I see before me, The handle toward my hand?" (Act 2, Scene 1)

Prose

• Characters of lower status, such as the Porter (Act 2, Scene 3) and the Doctor and Gentlewoman (Act 5, Scene 1), speak in prose.
• Used in moments of comic relief or informal conversation.
• Helps differentiate between the speech of nobles and commoners.

Rhyming Couplets

• Rhyming couplets occur when the last words in two lines rhyme.
• Often used to end a scene or make a point more memorable.
• Example from Malcolm's speech:
  • "Put on their instruments. Receive what cheer you may, The night is long that never finds the day." (Act 4, Scene 3)

Why Shakespeare Uses Different Forms?

• Blank verse: Gives nobility and seriousness to important characters.
• Prose: Adds realism and humour, often used for lower-class characters.
• Rhyming couplets: Create emphasis, mark the end of scenes, and enhance the supernatural tone of the witches' speech.