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All Site ContentMacbethAct 3Scene 1
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Prose vs Poetry
Language
Act 3,
Scene 1
Lines 74-82

A discussion of prose vs. poetry in myshakespeare's Macbeth, Act 3, Scene 1.

Macbeth

Well then, now have you considered of my 
speeches? Know that it was he in the times past which 
held you so under fortune, which you thought had been
our innocent self? This I made good to you in our last
conference, passed in probation with you how you were 
borne in hand, how crossed, the instruments, who
wrought with them, and all things else that might to
half a soul, and to a notion crazed, say 'Thus did
Banquo.'

As discussed earlier, most of Shakespeare’s dialogue is written in poetic form, iambic pentameter blank verse (non-rhyming lines of 10 syllables with alternating stress). This has been the style in this play until Macbeth’s discussion with the murderers where he shifts momentarily into regular prose (indicated by not highlighting the first word of each line.) This follows a general rule of Shakespeare that the upper class characters speak in poetic form while working class characters speak in prose.