Saturday, January 24, 2015

Please explain this quote from Macbeth: "The service and the loyalty I owe, / In doing it, pays itself. Your highness' part / Is to receive our...

King Duncan has bestowed upon Macbeth the title Thane of Cawdor, in addition to the title he already has, as a reward for his bravery and loyal service to the crown during the battles against the rebel Macdonwald and the Norwegian king.  Macbeth was already the Thane of Glamis, and now he is Thane of Cawdor as well. 


When Macbeth arrives and sees Duncan, he greets Duncan as his friend, kinsman, and king.  Duncan expresses his gratitude to Macbeth for everything that he has done to protect Scotland, and Duncan says that he feels as though he cannot actually reward Macbeth enough for all his service.  Macbeth responds with the lines you cite, saying, 



"The service and the loyalty I owe,


In doing it, pays itself. Your highness' part


Is to receive our duties: and our duties


Are to your throne and state, children and servants."



What he means is that it is his duty to serve the crown, and this service is its own reward.  It is the king's job simply to receive the services his subjects provide because it is their duty.  Finally, he says that these duties performed by his subjects are owed to Duncan the way children owe their parents and servants owe their masters.

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