The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 10.1865  Tuesday, 2 November 1999.

[1]     From:   Larry Weiss <
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        Date:   Monday, 01 Nov 1999 05:08:12 -0500
        Subj:   Re: SHK 10.1860 Q: Macbeth

[2]     From:   Vince Locke <
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        Date:   Monday, 01 Nov 1999 14:37:12 PST
        Subj:   Re: SHK 10.1860 Q: Macbeth

[3]     From:   Stuart Manger <
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        Date:   Monday, 1 Nov 1999 23:02:37 +0000
        Subj:   SHK 10.1860 Q: Macbeth

[4]     From:   John Ramsay <
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        Date:   Tue, 2 Nov 99 0:00:59 EST
        Subj:   Re - SHK 10.1860 Q: Macbeth


[1]-----------------------------------------------------------------
From:           Larry Weiss <
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Date:           Monday, 01 Nov 1999 05:08:12 -0500
Subject: 10.1860 Q: Macbeth
Comment:        Re: SHK 10.1860 Q: Macbeth

>"The shard-borne beetle with his drowsy hums/Hath rung night's yawning
>peel, there shall be done/A deed of dreadful note."

I take it that the beetle's "drowsy hums" have a soporific effect which
calls most people to sleep, until, perhaps, they are awakened by "morn's
clangorous peal."  Surely, "peel" in the quote should be "peal."

[2]-------------------------------------------------------------
From:           Vince Locke <
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Date:           Monday, 01 Nov 1999 14:37:12 PST
Subject: 10.1860 Q: Macbeth
Comment:        Re: SHK 10.1860 Q: Macbeth

This play contains many references to time, clocks, and bells, and it
occurred to me that a reference to such tends to precede the death of a
major character.  Thus, I read the line as an echo of Act II, scene I:
". . .the bell invites me./Hear it not, Duncan, for it is a knell/That
summons thee to heaven or to hell."  Essentially, it means that time's
up for Banquo.
[3]-------------------------------------------------------------
From:           Stuart Manger <
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Date:           Monday, 1 Nov 1999 23:02:37 +0000
Subject: Q: Macbeth
Comment:        SHK 10.1860 Q: Macbeth

Yawning is transferred epithet: it means that the bell is signifying
that this is time for drowsiness / sleep / hence yawning.  So it is a
peal that takes place while others are yawning all the imagery is
soporific, even hypnotic in its sound is mmm sounds etc  > yawning -
what subtextually is tell us that another bell (one tolled to summon M
to kill Duncan) is tolling the end of Banquo too. And the sleep of M's
conscience perhaps, more remotely? Some ideas anyway!

[4]-------------------------------------------------------------
From:           John Ramsay <
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Date:           Tue, 2 Nov 99 0:00:59 EST
Subject: SHK 10.1860 Q: Macbeth
Comment:        Re - SHK 10.1860 Q: Macbeth

Hi, it's spelled 'peal' in most ot the editions I've seen. It means the
peal or clang of a bell and is associated with old-time night watchmen
who would ring a bell as they patrolled the town crying, 'Twelve o'clock
and all's well'.

John Ramsay
Welland Ontario