Naina.T.P./LEC052033 /Significance of Equivocators in Macbeth

Significance of the Equivocators in William Shakespeare's Macbeth

             Macbeth is one of the greatest tragedies by Shakespeare. The play make use of many instances of equivocation throughout the play. It is a recurring tool used by Shakespeare in many of his tragedies. Equivocation can be defined as the use of ambiguous language to conceal the truth or to avoid committing oneself.

The opening scene itself portrays equivocation through the prime characters of the play.Generally, the opening scene of a play is primarily meant to give the necessary information about the situation in which the principal characters are placed. But in “Macbeth" Shakespeare deliberately departs from the established tradition.  He builds up a situation atmosphere and creates in his audience a mood that would prepare them for the macabre scenes that follow right up to the end of the play. The scene of action is desolate place, its foggy, filthy air rent by blinding flashes of lightning and deafening roars of thunder. Into such a scene Shakespeare introduces the three witches,  weird ugly creatures with the power of clairvoyance. They speak in riddles which sound like the incantation of a magician which is a perfect example for equivocation It is from them that we learn of the see Macbeth emerge victor of the day. Why do these Wild creatures whose policy in life is “Foul is Fair,  fair is foul" a contradiction of the highly cherished values of human life, desire to meet Macbeth,  the noblest and bravest man in Scotland? This question posed in the opening scene has its answer in the closing scene. This opening scene of Macbeth is a perfect example for equivocation which foreshadow the later equivocation in the play.

The technique of equivocation cherish the depth of the play .Many of the critics consider the play Macbeth as a mouthpiece for criticism due to its rich elements that lie deep within the plot.The  equivocation in the play Macbeth has attracted many critical commentaries. Many famous literary critics has analysed the deeper concerns of the play .For example, Shapiro ha made a detailed critical analysis on the deeper themes of the play Macbeth by Shakespeare. The popularity and public attraction of the Gunpowder plot has increased the importance of the theme of equivocation in the play.

The investigation after the Gunpowder plot of 1605 and the prosecution of the Jesuits made the theme of equivocation more popular on analyzing the plot of the play in much depth.

According to Shapiro, who references the Treatise of Equivocation by Father Henry Garnet (Shapiro 2015:157), the Jesuits “distinguished between four different ways of equivocating” (Shapiro 2015:158) choosing ambiguous  words omitting a crucial piece of information, playing with words and gestures, and mental reservation.

Also, in the third scene of the second act in the play, there appears the Porter who is drunk and believe to be the gatekeeper of the hell says that, “Faith, here is an equivocator ,that could swear in both the scales against either scale;who committed treason enough for God’s sake,yet could not equivocate to heaven.O,come in, equivocator “(Shakespeare 2.3.74).The scene popularly known as the Porter Scene is also a perfect example for equivocation in the play.

The prophesies made by the witches conveys more than what they intend. Furthermore, almost every characters in the play equivocate throughout the plot.

Works Cited

Shapiro, James(2015): The year of Lear: Shakespeare in 1606.Newyork: Simon and Schuster 170.

Shakespeare, William. Shakespeare's Macbeth, Text with note. 1st ed., Calicut University ,2000.