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Hoboys And Torches In Macbeth

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Hoboys And Torches In Macbeth
ACT I

Scene 6

Hoboys and torches. Enter King Duncan, Malcolm, Donalbain, Banquo, Lennox, Macduff, Ross, Angus, and Attendants:

In this scene, the lamb is brought to the door of the slaughter-house. King Duncan is most gracious and kind to his hostess, who means to kill him. stage direction:
The King's arrival is announced not with the usual flourish of trumpets, but with "Hoboys," which are the ancestors of our mournful-sounding oboes. Also, the King's followers and servants are carrying torches, to indicate that the sun is down. Both the sound of the oboes and the darkness of the hour remind us that the King will never again see the light of day.
Pausing at the gate of Macbeth's castle with his loyal followers, Duncan remarks …show more content…
Nevertheless, when people take trouble for him, he knows that they do it because they love their king, and so he thanks them for their love. Next, referring to himself royally as "us," the King jokingly tells Lady Macbeth that he's saying all of this so that -- instead of him thanking her for taking trouble -- she will thank God and him for giving her trouble.

Lady Macbeth replies that all their services done four times over would not equal the honour Duncan was bestowing upon them for visiting them. Lady Macbeth, like a chameleon, now takes on the more typical role of perfect hostess by telling Duncan that they were still in debt for all the honours bestowed upon them by him.

Duncan enquires about Macbeth saying that they had “coursed him at the heels” or that they followed right behind Macbeth with an intention to reach before him. Duncan thinks that Macbeths love and loyalty to him were the reasons why he rode so well and reavhed before
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