Abstract

THE POLITICS OF POWER AND PARODY: SHAKESPEARE’S PORTER AS A SUBALTERN VOICE

Anu Shukla

Volume: 3 Issue: 1 2013

Abstract:

Shakespeare’s Macbeth has been extensively analyzed through various critical lenses, yet the significance of the Porter’s speech remains an area of continued debate. This paper examines how the Porter functions as a subaltern voice in Macbeth, subverting the traditional power hierarchy within the play. Employing a postcolonial framework, particularly the theories of Antonio Gramsci and Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak, this study highlights how Shakespeare empowers the Porter—a seemingly marginal character—to critique the ruling elite. By engaging in grotesque realism, as theorized by Mikhail Bakhtin, the Porter’s speech challenges the legitimacy of power, offering an ironic commentary on Macbeth’s tragic downfall. The study further contextualizes the speech within Shakespeare’s broader moral and theatrical strategies, arguing that the Porter is more than mere comic relief; rather, he embodies an alternative narrative that resists hegemonic structures. Through a close reading of the Porter’s monologue, this paper contends that Shakespeare strategically employs parody to elevate the subaltern voice, positioning the Porter as a crucial figure in the play’s commentary on power, morality, and authority.

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References

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