Lay on, Macduff...

 
Paul:
> > "Lead on Macduff" who was macduff?

Thence Tim:
> A Shakespeare character in Macbeth. This is a line from the play.
 
J.D. seems to be particularly fond of *Macbeth*. Recall also "like so
many Banquo's ghosts," I think from "Franny." Clever-sounding as they
are, Salinger's *Macbeth* allusions don't really seem to make perfect
sense. There is no obvious extended themtatic significance to carry
them from "clever-sounding" to "smart."

The phrase "lay on, Macduff" comes at the bottom of a quick
battlefield-resolve speech that Macbeth gives just before he undertakes
single combat with a very upset and determined Macduff. Macbeth has
previously ordered the deaths of Macduff's wife and chickens (as he
calls his children), so unconscionable a deed that even Macbeth feels
bad about it. And just prior to this line, Macbeth has been given
information that suggests Macduff will win the fight. They exit
fighting, and Macduff returns to the stage some lines later with
Macbeth's head.

What's the context of the allusion in Salinger? Are there any other
*Macbeth* allusions in the Glass saga? Broadly speaking, if the
Macduffs and Banquo's ghosts are the good guys in Salinger's stories,
who exactly is Macbeth? Who's the bloody tyrant with smoking falchion?
Perhaps there *is* an extended thematic significance after all.
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Received on Sun Aug 4 06:42:23 2002