Gruadh’s childhood friend, and a monk. During their adolescence and early twenties, he moves away to train at a monastery, but is invited to live with Gruadh and Macbeth as their royal cleric after Macbeth is crowned King of Scotland. He is loyal to Gruadh and gives her thoughtful advice based on his extensive knowledge of history and current events.
Drostan Quotes in Lady Macbeth
The Lady Macbeth quotes below are all either spoken by Drostan or refer to Drostan. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Prologue
Quotes
Drostan, who has long known me, has a fine hand with a pen and hopes to write a chronicle about me. This would be an encomium, a book of praise, for his queen. I told him it was a silly notion. […] From what my advisors say, Malcolm Canmore—ceann mór in Gaelic, or big head, two words that suit him—will order his clerics to record Macbeth’s life. Within those pages, they will seek to ruin his deeds and his name. My husband cannot fight for his reputation now. But I am here, and I know what is true.
Related Characters:
Gruadh / Rue / Lady Macbeth (speaker), Macbeth, Malcolm mac Duncan, Drostan
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Get the entire Lady Macbeth LitChart as a printable PDF.
Drostan Character Timeline in Lady Macbeth
The timeline below shows where the character Drostan appears in Lady Macbeth. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Prologue
...no need of a husband, Gruadh is lonely. She has her childhood friends Bethoc and Drostan to keep her company but misses her late husband Macbeth and her sons.
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Drostan wants to write an encomium for Gruadh. Although she told him his idea was “silly,”...
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Chapter 3
...She learns from Dolina, Bodhe’s mistress, how to run a household. She and her friend Drostan learn reading, numbers, and history from Father Anselm. Father Anselm doesn’t think girls need a...
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Chapter 4
One morning in March, Gruadh helps Drostan muck out the stables. As they work, Bodhe returns from a journey with several strangers....
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Chapter 7
Before Gruadh can see anything in the water, Ruari, Finn, and Drostan interrupt her. They followed her into the woods in case she had planned to run...
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Chapter 10
...assures her she will be a “contented lady” in her new home. Before Gruadh leaves, Drostan comes to tell her that he will not come with her to Moray and is...
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Chapter 18
Drostan has returned from his monastery to pay respects. He is on official business, keeping a...
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Chapter 25
...have enough soldiers. Two weeks later Duncan sends Macbeth another plea. With his messenger comes Drostan, Gruadh’s childhood friend. He has come to collect reports for his monastery and has brought...
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...Gruadh pours mead for her friends and family. She gives Macbeth one drinking horn and Drostan, her guest, the other. Drostan shares with Maeve, as he does not like mead. However,...
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Chapter 27
In her early days as queen Gruadh first visits Dolina, and then Drostan in his monastery. Gruadh invites him to come and be a royal cleric. She explains...
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Chapter 30
Gruadh finds Drostan and a messenger from Malcolm mac Duncan in the great hall. Malcolm has sent gifts,...
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