229k views
2 votes
Why does Ross say his highness is not well in Macbeth

User Marsant
by
8.9k points

1 Answer

1 vote

In the play Macbeth, Ross says "His highness is not well" to indicate that King Duncan is not feeling well. This line is spoken in Act II, Scene 3, after Macbeth has murdered King Duncan and Ross has discovered his body.

Ross uses the term "his highness" to refer to the king because this was a common way to address royalty in Shakespeare's time. By saying "his highness is not well," Ross is trying to convey that something is seriously wrong with the king's health, without explicitly stating that he has been murdered.

This line also serves to heighten the tension and drama of the scene, as Ross's words hint at the violence that has occurred offstage and foreshadow the chaos that will follow in the wake of Duncan's death.

User Jpemberthy
by
7.9k points

Related questions

asked May 15, 2024 200k views
Ndnenkov asked May 15, 2024
by Ndnenkov
8.0k points
1 answer
5 votes
200k views
asked May 19, 2024 200k views
Joel Harris asked May 19, 2024
by Joel Harris
8.7k points
1 answer
1 vote
200k views