Both Uses of
brandish
in
Macbeth
- For brave Macbeth (well he deserves that name),
Disdaining fortune, with his brandished steel,
Which smoked with bloody execution,
Like valor's minion, carved out his passagep. 9.7brandished = waved aggressivelyeditor's notes: This could be paraphrased as: "Brave Macbeth, who truly deserves that name, ignored luck, and with his sword—still smoking from killing—acted like the favorite servant of courage, cutting his way through the enemy"
Valor is used as a metaphor to personify courage. Macbeth is shown as a favorite servant of Valor.
- But swords I smile at, weapons laugh to scorn,
Brandished by man that's of a woman born.p. 183.4 *brandished = waved aggressivelyeditor's notes: This could be paraphrased as: "I smile at swords and mock weapons that are waved aggressively by any man born of a woman."
Definition:
the act of waving something or exhibiting it aggressively