PORTER SCENE

Act II, Scene 3

The Porter

The purpose of the Porter is to provide comic relief for the audience.

an amusing scene, incident, or speech introduced into serious or tragic elements, as in a play, in order to provide temporary relief from tension, or to intensify the dramatic action.

COMIC RELIEF

The Porter’s Message

The porter explains which three things drinking can provoke:

“Marry, sir, nose-painting, sleep, and urine” (line 25).

Put these three things in your own words (pay attention to side notes in your text).

*Note: The “nose-painting” is related to a modern-day accessory for clowns:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5xNvrdLxzg

Consider…

How does the Porter provide comedic relief? Are these jokes still funny today?

How does the Porter’s character differ greatly from Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, and Banquo?

Watch the Scene