The Porter

• "Hell's gate"

  Macbeth's murderous actions have transformed the castle into Hell - it's impossible for anything good or holy to exist there anymore. The porter muses what being the porter of the gates of Hell would be like.
• "he should have old turning the key"

  • Suggests that the hypothetical porter of 'Hell's gate' would have vast experience in turning the key repeatedly, symbolising the extent of humanity's sins.
  • As this immediately follows Macbeth murdering Duncan, this is underscored the corrupt & sinful nature of mankind.
• "knock, knock, knock"

  Constant and continuous knocking is emblematic of Macbeth's fate approaching - it's persistent & won't stop until it's fulfilled.
• "here's a farmer that hanged himself on the expectation of plenty"

  • Farmer mirrors M's by symbolising ambition & it's destructive consequences
  • Farmer represents someone whose overwhelming ambition leads to self-destruction. This reflects M's tragic journey as he too is driven by 'vaulting ambition', believing he will gain 'plenty' of power & status by murdering Duncan. However, like the farmer, M's aspirations ultimately result in his downfall & death.
  • The farmer's fate serves as a dark foreshadowing of M's future.
• "here's an equivocator that could swear in both scales against either scales...yet could not equivocate to heaven"

  • Equivocator mirrors M's actions by symbolising deceit & moral ambiguity
  • Reflects M's behaviour as he deceives others to achieve his ambition. M equivocates with himself & others - appearing loyal to Duncan & later justifying his crimes with half-truths. Like the equivocator M's reliance on deceit ultimately leads to his downfall
  • M can't escape divine judgement or the moral consequences of his sins - foreshadowing M's inevitable damnation
• "here's an English tailor come hither for stealing out of a French hose"

  • Mirrors M's actions by symbolising greed & theft.
  • M has also taken something that doesn't belong to him - the crown, a royal 'garment', from Duncan to ascend to new heights of power.
  • Both the tailor & M are ultimately punished for their dishonest actions.