myShakespeare | Macbeth 2.3 Interview: Macduff

Summary

An early-morning “interview” at Macbeth’s castle turns into a chaotic tour of the Porter’s hellish gatekeeping job—while he explains (through increasingly ridiculous anecdotes) how people rationalize wrongdoing.

Setup / Framing Gag

After learning that Duncan has been murdered and that Macbeth hurried back to the bedroom due to knocking at the gate, the show brings in the Porter to explain what’s going on. He’s immediately drowsy, repeatedly dozing off—complete with snore interruptions that undercut the seriousness of the topic.

Hell Gate Humor

When the Porter answers the knocks, he imagines himself as a doorman constantly opening the gates of Hell, joking about the kinds of sinners arriving. The segment repeatedly slips into knock-knock comedy (“Who’s there?”) while mixing in Shakespearean moral commentary.

Notable “Sinners” Stories (Key Highlights)

• A farmer who hoarded grain: To profit from famine, he hoards food—and when the plan fails, he hangs himself. This prompts the Porter to question whether the punishment is for hoarding or suicide.

• An “equivocator” with wordplay: A clever figure uses misleading logic. The Porter offers a SAT-definition-style explanation of equivocation, using the classic pun:

  • “light” (weight) vs “light” (color), leading to the conclusion that “a feather cannot be dark.” He links this directly to themes in Macbeth, where language and prophecy can feel ambiguous.

• An English tailor stealing from French cloth: The Porter frames it like equivocation/cheating—misleading customers with wrong impressions. He also plays with the phrase “roast your goose,” treating it as a pun (with “goose” as an iron/heat tool).

The Porter’s Overall Joke Thesis

The Porter argues that people across professions believe they can do evil “without cost”. Their route to Hell looks “nice,” but it still leads there—connecting to Macbeth through ambitious moral rationalizations that ultimately prove wrong.

Practical Comedy Escalates

The Porter keeps nodding off, burping, and giving rambling answers. Though he tries to control the timing, the constant knocking and his sleepiness turn everything into farce. Eventually, he realizes two Thanes—Macduff and Malcolm—have entered, seeking answers about his late night.

The “Three Things” Drinking Gag (Big Laugh Moment)

The Porter finally blurts out the Shakespearean “provoker” monologue as a hangover explanation:

• Nose painting (red nose)
• Sleep
• Urine

He elaborates that drink can provoke and un-provoke desire—framing lechery as a comedy angle. The deeper thread circles back to the idea that meaning can contradict itself: basically, equivocating in his own body and experience.

Macbeth’s Arrival / Wrap-Up Reaction

Macbeth arrives to greet the visitors, prompting the Porter to make himself scarce. The segment ends with the Porter’s crude “proof” (burping, smell, wrestling joke) and a final punchline-style observation: if the Porter had answered the gate sooner, things might have gone differently.

Personalities Who Appear

• The Porter (interviewer / hell doorman persona)
• Macduff (arrives with Malcolm; asks about the Porter’s late night)
• Malcolm (arrives with Macduff)
• Macbeth (arrives at the end as the Porter tries to exit)