"Drink, sir, is a great provoker of three things . . . Marry sir, nose-painting, sleep and urine. Lechery, sir, it provokes and unprovokes; it provokes the desire, but it takes away the performance." By nose-painting we should understand that heavy drinking causes rubefaction of the nose, as it in fact does.
Three things: nose-painting, sleep and urine. By "nose-painting" he means that excessive alcohol drinking makes your nose red. He also says that alcohol causes lechery (sexual desire) but it provokes the desire and takes away the performance. Properly performed, this scene is hilarious.
"Nose-painting, sleep, and urine." In other words, it makes your nose red, it makes you sleepy and it makes you want to pee.
red nose, sleep, and urine
The Porter.
the porter
A porter is simply the man who is in charge of the gate. He's the one that opens it and closes it, and makes sure people who aren't supposed to come in don't. The porter from Macbeth, specifically, is the comic relief after Duncan is murdered. Shakespeare knew that he had to keep people interested, and thus needed to put in something funny. The porter has been drinking all night, and when he hears Macduff and Lennox knocking, he imagines that he is porter to the gates of Hell. He then proceeds to imagine what kind of people he would let in. I hope this helps.
The drunken porter.
In scene 3 of Macbeth, the Porter/doorman is drunk. They have been up drinking until three in the morning.
the porter
The Porter.
the porter
A porter is simply the man who is in charge of the gate. He's the one that opens it and closes it, and makes sure people who aren't supposed to come in don't. The porter from Macbeth, specifically, is the comic relief after Duncan is murdered. Shakespeare knew that he had to keep people interested, and thus needed to put in something funny. The porter has been drinking all night, and when he hears Macduff and Lennox knocking, he imagines that he is porter to the gates of Hell. He then proceeds to imagine what kind of people he would let in. I hope this helps.
The drunken porter.
In scene 3 of Macbeth, the Porter/doorman is drunk. They have been up drinking until three in the morning.
The Porter in the play "Macbeth" knocks at the gate to let Macduff and Lennox into Macbeth's castle after Duncan's murder.
In Act 2, Scene 3 of Macbeth, the porter imagines he is the porter of Hell's gate, which he jokes about by referencing different types of sinners and the punishments they will face in Hell. He creates a dark and humorous atmosphere contrasted with the serious events happening in the play.
The Porter discusses it. He says that strong drink causes three things: sleep, nosepainting (a red nose) and urine. Drinking affects sex in two ways: it increases the desire but takes away the performance. It is apparent that the Porter does not consider these effects of drink to be particularly evil--not even the loss of sexual prowess. He's quite happy to get drunk anyway.
In Act 2 Scene 3 the Porter says "knock" 10 times.
The porter scene has two important purposes. First, it provides comic relief and an opportunity for the company clown to do his stuff. Also, it gives the actors playing Macbeth and Lady Macbeth a chance to change costume.
The cast of Macbeth - 1990 includes: Keith Bisset as Porter Wilfried Finkers Herman Finkers