Question

read the passage from act 2, scene 3 of the tragedy of macbeth. porter. lechery, sir, it provokes, and unprovokes; it provokes the desire, but it takes away the performance. therefore much drink may be said to be an equivocator with lechery; it makes him, and it mars him; it sets him on, and it takes him off; it persuades him, and disheartens him; makes him stand to, and not stand to; in conclusion, equivocates him in a sleep, and, giving him the lie, leaves him. what is the effect of the antithesis in the porters speech? it explains why some people use alcohol. it contrasts the porters demeanor to that of other servants. it describes the results of becoming intoxicated. it compares the porter to the other revelers in macbeths household.

Explanation:

Antithesis is a figure of speech that juxtaposes contrasting ideas. In the porter's speech, words like "provokes, and unprovokes", "makes him, and it mars him" etc. show the dual - nature of the effects of alcohol (lechery here). It's not about explaining alcohol use (no causal explanation of why people use it), not about comparing the porter to other servants (no mention of other servants' demeanor), and not about comparing the porter to revelers (no such comparison). It focuses on the contrasting results of intoxication.

Answer:

It describes the results of becoming intoxicated.