“To Meet with Macbeth,” given by tutor Louis ... - St. John's College

More hateful to mine ear.
Macbeth.
No, nor more fearful.
Young Siward.
Thou liest, abhorred tyrant; with my sword
I’ll prove the lie thou speak’st.
Fight, and Young Siward slain.
Macbeth.
Thou wast born of woman.
(V.vii.4-11)
Recall the words: “Thou liest, thou shag-eared villain!” (IV.ii.81). Young Siward speaks from his father’s
book of chivalry, and he may take some brave hurts on the front before he falls, but like the Macduff
boy he is not meet for such a killer. Macbeth exits, laughing with scorn at all such men and weapons as
these. Bravery and warrior prowess are not enough to kill this “abhorred tyrant.” He asserts the right to
his name, Macbeth, still belonging to the warrior of singular interest who was alone worthy to meet and
be named from among all the actors in the hurly-burly world of war and politics.
Shakespeare shows us the fight with Young Siward not only to recall the famous and dreadful
warrior. He also wants us to see Old Siward hearing the news of his son’s death. This is an
unforgettable little scene of mismatch between the true soldier and the omnipresent reporter of news,
Ross, always trying to reflect the glow of manly action from the surface of his safe-keeping character,
which does nothing himself but add moral tints to the deeds of others:
Ross.
Your son, my lord, has paid a soldier’s debt:
He only lived but till he was a man;
The which no sooner had his prowess confirmed
In the unshrinking station where he fought,
But like a man he died.
Siward.
Then is he dead?
Ross.
Ay, and brought off the field. Your cause of sorrow
Must not be measured by his worth, for then
It hath no end.
Siward.
Had he his hurts before?
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